Progress on a Grouse/Woodcock Gun 20 gauge

[vaturkey]

More then a few years ago I had an opportunity to purchase on GB a Fox BE 20 gauge at a price of 5K. I sent in a request for a card lookup as the gun had 26" barrels and I wanted to confirm they hadn't been cut. Gun was in extermely nice condition. Got the card back and it was right as rain. Went back to gunbroker (I think it was a buy it now at 5k) and the post was gone. I reached out to the seller and he advised someone had reached out to him via PM and had made an offer on the gun and he had ended the auction. Well, it happens and I moved on.

A few years ago I purchased a Savage made 20 gauge Sterly with 28 inch barrels and factory 2 3/4 chambers. Silver gun with not much condition, but right as rain mechanically. It sat in the safe for a number of years and I finally pulled it out and thought I'd make my own B grade second generation Fox. Sent to gun to Mathew Begley and he and I talked about it a bit. Well, since it was an upgrade we talked and we decided to do rebates of the frame like and XE grade. Anyway, he did his thing and off it went to another fellow for stocking. Due to increased workload by the stocker, the gun sat for a while and finally I contacted the stocker requesting status and he said he wouldn't get to it for a while, but if I wanted to get it engraved first that would be fine by him. That was a bit of a head scratcher for me, as every other gun I'd had this sort of work done to was stocked and then engraved. Anyway, he said it wasn't a problem and I started coming up with engraving ideas. I wanted to make sure there was no confusion on this being an upgrade and had no desire to fool anyone into thinking this was an original Fox B Grade small bore as those are few and far between as they say.

Moving forward, I reached out to Mr. Gournet at the NE SXS this year and we talked about the project. I also told him since it was an upgrade I wanted a Grouse on the bottom of the receiver and not a flying Grouse but rather a drumming Grouse. He asked me if I had a picture and I provided him some prints that were provided at a Grouse banquet in Ohio in the 1990's as I recall that I had purchased. They had been signed by the artist who was at the show. Attached is that pic that I provided to Gournet and also the almost finished engraved receiver pic that he provided to me over the weekend. I think when all is said and done, it will be a nice gun to chase Michigan Grouse and Woodcock with as we no longer have Grouse in Virginia.

I'll update progress down the road. Completion time will be next spring most likely. Well, a man can hope.

[vaturkey]

And the pic Gournet sent me:

[Jeff S]

Wow! That’s beautiful! I’m looking forward to seeing the finished gun.

[ROMAC]

Nicely done!

Looks great!

[vaturkey]

One more pic.

[fox-admin]

Very nice Tom!!

[Silvers]

No confusion on having this pass as an original graded gun since even appentice Foxers (should) know the 20g Sterly serial numbers are in a different number range than 20g Graded Foxes. I like that drumming grouse and of course Geoffrey's engraving is always superb. Tom, I do hope the engraving before stocking works out for you; not sure how the stocker will get the wood and metal surfaces flush with each other without compromising the engraving particularly at the top and bottom tangs. I say that because the few vintage double guns I had restocked by high quality stockers came back with the wood really proud of the metal ..... the stocker didn't want to damage the case colors. frank

[vaturkey]

No confusion on having this pass as an original graded gun since even appentice Foxers (should) know the 20g Sterly serial numbers are in a different number range than 20g Graded Foxes. I like that drumming grouse and of course Geoffrey's engraving is always superb. Tom, I do hope the engraving before stocking works out for you; not sure how the stocker will get the wood and metal surfaces flush with each other without compromising the engraving particularly at the top and bottom tangs. I say that because the few vintage double guns I had restocked by high quality stockers came back with the wood really proud of the metal ..... the stocker didn't want to damage the case colors. frank

Good Question Frank. I do believe he wants the metalwork back in the white and then he stocks the gun and then the metalwork is sent out for case color hardening and once it gets back the stock is finished. He has stocked 2 guns for me so far. They have been a bit proud, but I've seen some current factory stocks on new doubles that were far more proud. Hell, I picked up a CSMC Revelation at the NE SXS a few years ago and it was super proud to the point of being damn ugly.

[vaturkey]

The blank on the bottom is what is being used. IMO pretty period correct. It matches quite well on both sides and is laid out correctly per the stockmaker. PS. both sides shown.

[coues]

Sweet, Im looking forward to seeing the finished gun.

[44whiskey]

any update on septic tank gun or did i miss reveal. always enjoy following your projects,fred

[vaturkey]

any update on septic tank gun or did i miss reveal. always enjoy following your projects,fred

Fred, we are getting close. Mathew Begley has it now. Still needs to have the barrels sent out to Jon Hosford for roll stamping and then back to Mathew for Rust Blueing. Lastly case color hardening. All these guys who know what they are doing are slammed with work right now.

[vaturkey]

Done. Gournet has completed his part and is sending it back to the stockmaker. Here tis the finished frame.

[Jeff S]

Absolutely beautiful!

[vaturkey]

Absolutely beautiful!

Thanks Jeff. I think its going to be a really nice shooter that also passes the eyeball test. I actually don't have a nice 20 gauge with 28" barrels. Its the one area that I've been remiss over the years. Its my favorite gauge for Woodcock or other little brown birds and this particular gun has factory 2 3/4" chambers so that's a plus in my book.