2023 Fox purchases and trades

[fox-admin]

I have vintage guns, vintage decoys, vintage sporting art and vintage paper that all collect dust LOL! No one cares but me. Call me crazy but they give me joy. We all derive our satisfaction from different pursuits. God made us all unique individuals and I celebrate our differences. We have little influence to convince others that our path is the only way, so why try. Great discussion!

[Foxnut]

Very interesting post and thread discussion. I am a “tweener” with some gun purchases made for shooting, hunting, use and others to “collect” take out and dust off from time to time. Both bring me joy and entertainment. I appreciate “upgrades” for what they are but haven’t had one commissioned or purchased one. One gun that I don’t shoot often enough is my CE 16 gauge that my Dad gave me when I was 11 years old (50 years ago). This gun has cut barrels and replaced wood and refinished metal. There is no reason that I shouldn’t hunt with it as I doubt that it would impact value at all and I’ll never think about selling it. I can still remember the day my Dad gave it to me, March of 1973 at the old Toledo Gus Show at the Masonic Auditorium. That memory is burned in my mind forever!!

As for guns added to the stable this year here are my additions.

1. C Grade 12 Gauge 32” F/F gun
2. B Grade 12 Gauge 32” F/XF gun. Bought from a member (thanks Phil) and wanted specifically to Turkey hunt with.
3. Trap Special 12 Gauge 32” F/F gun with VR. Ejectors, ST and a very interesting history with five different factory cards. - bought from a Fox member (thanks Scott!)
4. A Grade 16 gauge 26” barreled gun
5. AE Grade 16 gauge 28” barreled Savage era gun with beautiful wood.
6. Browning 725 12 gauge clays gun w/32” barrels and adjustable stock to use regularly for Skeet, Sporting Clays and Five Stand. I have shot more this year than ever in my life including lessons for both skeet and sporting clays and learning to shoot with both eyes open (a work in progress!)

To others points on guns that sit in the safe I have started selling my Savage 99 collection sans two or three that have sentimental reasons for keeping. In addition I have started thinning my Remington 11-48 collection as they truly just sat in my safe. I love them but just didn’t need them. So many guns, so little time!!!! I also sold a beautiful Merkel 20 gauge 47E gun. I bought the gun 3 years ago thinking it would be a modern day hunting gun but I never used it one time for hunting and just sat in the safe.

I really need to think about my Hollenbeck, Three Barrel Gun Co., Royal Arms guns but just can’t think about parting with them yet!!! An interest I inherited from my father!

[Stan Hillis]

Interesting thoughts from you all. As said, we all have our own approach to owning these old guns, and what pleasure(s) we derive from them. I've gravitated towards long barreled doubles (mostly) and singles (a few) over the years. The bulk of my hunting is for doves and ducks, and the way I do it makes owning these long legged ladies especially enjoyable. I found years ago shooting NSCA competition seriously that tight chokes made me a much better shooter, so the original tight chokes that usually accompany these long tubes are plumb alright with me. One glaring exception is my 20 ga. Sterlingworth ejector with 28" barrels, that is my dedicated quail and woodcock gun. I love using it just as much as I do my 32" Super Fox, each in their own "realm".

I do not go looking for any particular gun, or model, anymore. I find more pleasure in using the ones I have and, when an example of what I like comes along, I can evaluate it and purchase it, or not. I very seldom sell a gun. It's a character weakness I have. I get too attached to them, and often go several seasons without using one or more of them. I'll probably begin liquidating a few someday....... I should...... but I'm just not there yet.

Hi, my name is Stan, and I'm a gun-aholic.

[simcgunner]

This past year I gave a Young fellow I had been mentoring a Parker Trojan as a present at his commissioning. He loves it and shoots it better than I did. I did not buy any Fox Guns but got a big 4 bore Tolley. That was one of Bernie Liberatti's guns from Josh L. and a beautiful little 28 GA from Toby Barkly. I'm Taking the 28 and my xe 16 Fox down to Maine in a couple of weeks to try my luck on some partridges

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[Foxnut]

This past year I gave a Young fellow I had been mentoring a Parker Trojan as a present at his commissioning. He loves it and shoots it better than I did. I did not buy any Fox Guns but got a big 4 bore Tolley. That was one of Bernie Liberatti's guns from Josh L. and a beautiful little 28 GA from Toby Barkly. I'm Taking the 28 and my xe 16 Fox down to Maine in a couple of weeks to try my luck on some partridges28 bore.jpg[attachment=1]

Takes a real man to shoot that Tolley!!!! Enjoy the trip to Maine, that should be fun!