Fox Collectors

I am thinking of having this guns chamber lengthen to 2 3/4 inch from 2 1/2 inch. the barrels are in good shape with ne pits or dents. Anyone have any thoughts or recommendations on who could do it ?

Thanks

I would recommend Dean Harris in Oklahoma. He will know whether they can safely extended. Some can do it right and some can do it wrong. If it's done wrong then the gun will not be safe to shoot. Another is Briley. If the gun is a very nice collector grade gun it will hurt the resale value even if done right. Shooter grade guns are different. Above is just my opinion.

Good comments from Tom.

Yup, "Even if done right".

Thanks all. The gun is a shooter. I reload 2 3/4 " but trying not to do 2 1/2"

Just shoot low pressure 2 3/4" and enjoy it. I have in mine for years.

At the rate some of the big dealers hog the chambers out to 2 3/4-inch on every 20-gauge Fox that crosses their path, pretty soon my one that has its original 2 3/8-inch chambers intended for 2 1/2-inch shells will be quite rare and valuable.

Dean Harris did mine a few years ago. I came by a great condition 20 SWE that I wanted to make into a dedicated quail/woodcock gun. I sent it to Dean and he opened the chokes to .006" and .016", and lengthened the chambers. I added a pad to get the length I needed. It has proven to be a wonderful gun for it's intended purpose.

Dean has done work for me before and I recommend him highly. There's not many gunsmiths that are as easy to talk to on the phone, and as willing to give you all the time you want to discuss the issue, as Dean is. Too many make you feel like they're doing you a favor speaking with you, and you can tell they want to just get it over with. Not Dean Harris. And, his work has always been spot on.

Let's make a distinction between Fox 20b guns with chambers that have been hogged out by hacker 'smiths to shall I say "generous" 2-3/4" length and often with extended forcing cones, as compared with those properly lengthened to 2-3/4" and with conventional short cones. Better yet with chambers reamed to a scant 2-3/4" - about 1/16" short - and both chambers dead nuts on that length. That's how righteous Fox 2-3/4" chambers typically measure with an accurate gauge and really, absent a Record Card that verifies short chambers for 2-1/2" shells who's to say the Fox machinist didn't do period correct 2-3/4" chambers on that gun? frank

Dean Harris is highly regarded. I have a 20 ga AE with 4 weight barrels. Both barrels were ordered with cylinder chokes. Dean gave me 14 points in the left barrel by backboring. I left the right barrel at cylinder, as originally ordered.
Those are thin barrels. Dean made sure it could be done safely.

I would use an old saying to describe Dean that my Grandad used sparingly ....... "He is a prince of a man".