Fox Collectors

Yup, we're there again. Plenty of Fox shotguns, some interesting. One of the pair of HEs that everyone has been buzzing about. Not sure if it is still available for sale or not, but I looked at it. Frosty white metal, not too bad looking 32" short chambered according to the seller. A few graded guns including a single trigger AE for a reasonable price, a very average CE 12, an early A 12 or two, a first year A 20 that I would love to have. I'll have to go back and look at the single trigger A if I can find it. The fellow whose table held the high condition J single at the last show did not have a shotgun for sale, all military stuff.

The 32" HE is sold.

Lots of SW with small bores being insanely priced IMO. Number of 12 gauge SW's in various price ranges. Looked real hard at an early A grade 12 gauge with a great fit for me (14 1/4" LOP and 2 3/8 DAH) with real nice walnut. Actually really looked hard. Then while measuring the chokes, I discovered a slight (but noticeable) bulge in the left barrel and slid it back to the seller. I also did see an HE that was for sale for a few minutes and then put back under the sellers table. He already had an offer for it. It was a lighter 12 gauge, at circa 8.5 pounds, but it was indeed chambered for 3".

I may go back on Sunday to check over the remains. Somewhere out there that ejector SW 16 gauge is looking for me.

PS. 50 minute wait to get into the show today and more people then you can imagine. Midsouth had an awesome display of Parkers, both original and redone. However I'm not sure there are any buyers with the economy being what it is. I didn't see them move an single gun out of and inventory over I'd say $200,000.

Yes, very crowded Friday afternoon. I didnt go back today, so dont know how crowded it is, but with the nice weather we are having, its probably packed. That first year A grade 20 is nice, but still no takers as of last evening. I did break down and grab up one of the early A grade 12s. A first year gun, SN 29xx. It will go well with my first year B grade, SN 26xx. Really starting to get interested in the very early graded guns, there seem to be slight variations between them, maybe the factory was fine tuning.

OK Birdawg....soooooo does that smile emoticon indicate that you found your 32" HE?? Being that it is indeed, St. Valentine's Day, you have our permission to
"kiss and tell".....LOL-----TOOL

Toolman,
Can you have enough?
Pending the 3 day inspection it is mine. I hope he can find someone to do some bore measurements while at the show. It is marked 3 inch, not guaranteed. I will pass on more info when I have the gun.

I think the 30 3/4" gun is still somewhat available. I measured those "cut?" barrels yesterday. The bores are .740, the chokes are a good .039 or .040 in one and about the same in the other. The chokes are about as short as the cut would indicate, about 2 3/4" and just over 3". Overall, about as nice a shooting gun as you could want. But a lowball offer from afar would not work. I think the seller may get his asking price even though the gun is cut. It is a nice gun, tighter action and chokes than the 32" gun. If I wanted the short gun, I could make a cash offer that may be accepted, but such an offer on the phone would probably not work, especially with a 3 day inspection. I wish I had a letter on the short gun.

Congrats BIRDAWG. Nothing like a long distance relationship with a "Super Fox"!!----TOOL

That dealer had quite a few Foxes for sale and the inventory constantly changed. While I was there I watch a 16 gauge Fox SW with 24" (cut) barrels get bought for $450 and sold 30 minutes later to a grouse hunter. John also had a 12 gauge SW ejector that I was interested in, but alas it was a 12 gauge so I let it go by. Also a redone 12 gauge A grade for a good price as well, but I let that one set as well. Sort of bought a 16 gauge SW with a straight stock, but found out after breaking out the skeet's that the barrels had been cut and promptly returned it. John refunded my money faster then one can imagine. He's good guy, I would have no problem buying from him, but even he can't find my holy graid of and ejector 16 gauge with a 28" barrel. Good show, and I did see that early A grade 20 gauge. S/n was 20041 as I recall. 28 inch IC/Full. Price was in the mid 3,s, but it had zero cc and was a tad rough (I'd still love to have it). Guess that's it.

I recorded 200041 as an early A-Grade 26-inch Chromox barrel 20-gauge that Pat Buccuzzi had at The Vintage Cup in 2006. A nice honest gun as I recall.

Must have been 40 or 42. It was certainly a 28" no doubt. Have to remember to write these things down. My old age allows me to forget way too many things.

You were right, the SN on the early A 20 ga is 200041. It was here at the Nov 2008 Show also. Looked all original, and yes just a little rough from good honest use. I dont recall the barrel length though, or the chokes.

Thanks to all for the report on Chantilly--- I chose to drive 2 hours south to Greensboro instead of 3-1/2 hours north to the Gates of hell !
At Greensboro there were lots of doubles--- Foxes included. One dealer had a nice selection of clean S/W's--both 12's and sub-gauges but caution was the order of the day-- he had 3 "Deluxes"--all Philly guns ! Another table had a really nice 12 "AE" and a 16 Savage "A" that was unmolested and good color, as well as Philly S/W's in 12, 16, and 20 that were correct. Lots of shooter grade S/W's scattered throughout the show as well as more Specialty Smiths than I have ever seen at any show, nice Parkers and Ithaca doubles.
VERY congested but lots of "eye candy" for double enthusiasts !

Laxcoach, we within the confines of the evil empire sympathize with your reluctance to travel to the proposed new state of (I can't remember what they want to call it) Northern Virginia combined with D.C. and probably Montgomery County, Maryland. I don't know if they will get any farther than Rene Levesque did in Quebec, but at least the gun show promoters are holding the line. The Chantilly Show has, in a short time, become the savior of gun dealing in the D.C. area.

Eightbore,
I haven't been to Chantilly for a year, and hope for your sake that it continues to be a quality show, unlike the promoters' shows in Roanoke and Salem which have turned into "Conan the Barbarian Sword and Beenie Baby Exposition".