Fox Collectors

Last year I found an early B grade, serial number 2300's, with a broken stock. The wrist was broken clear through, glued back together and reinforced with an aluminum splice. Its original Silvers pad was crumbling apart. One internal problem: its yoke was cracked at the mill cut where it fits over the lever spindle; it was probably stressed when the stock was broken. The yoke was replaced and I decided to have a new buttstock made by the guys at PGS Services here in PA. The new stock was to be made as an exact duplicate of the old one, except for my dimensions. Of course Dan fitted a new real Silvers pad.

Gun was finished yesterday. Today 5 of my buds and I shot a round of 100 sporting at one of the local courses. The old B grade has 30-inch barrels with F & XF chokes in a reverse setup, XF on the right barrel. My shells were RST Lite 1 ouncers. No spreaders were used. The other guns were three Browning sporting clays over & unders, and two Krieghoffs - all with choke tubes. Two of my friends are pretty good shots. Final tally - the old Fox was top dog by a margin of 9 birds. I know the old saying about how it's the Indian not the arrow but I have to say this 103 year old arrow dun purty darned good today.

Anyone thinking their older SxS can't compete with modern wonders should give it a good try some time! Silvers

http://www.pgsguns.com/

as found


check out the flutes on the nose of the comb


those cool early triggers and Dan's flat-topped checkering

Well done Frank. Making an old girl purty again is fun but the icing on the cake is when she shoots good too. Did the XF on the right take some getting used too?

What kind of constriction is that XF? Also, ever put it on a patterning board?

Choke constrictions are .035" left and .041" right. I haven't done any patterning with this Fox and I probably won't. But I did shoot her on the water for POI checking from an elevated platform at the second station, and both barrels were very tight. Most of my sporting SxS's have both chokes ~ equal and I like to fire the left barrel first, so the switch from the rear to front trigger isn't unusual for me. With this gun I'm sure the 041 choke isn't throwing significantly tighter pattens than the 035 one. Silvers

Nice job Frank!

Do these folks (PGS Services) do stock repairs?

My A grade has developed a crack behind the receiver that I can open and close with my fingers.

I would like to see if they can stablize it.

I live in south east PA.

If they do, can you give me their contact info?

thanks

Joe

It is all in the feel of those wonderful very early-style spoon triggers.

Good job Frank!

Joe, I am not associated in any manner with PGS Services except as a customer, but did include their link in my first post because I knew it would generate questions. I suggest you call Anthony or Dan to discuss your stock questions. Phone number is shown in the link = contact tab.

Dave and others, thanks for your feedback. I wanted to keep this early Fox true to form and I'm certainly happy with the result. If anyone wants to look at her in person she'll be prancing around our Fox CA tables and the AHF Championship at Pintail Point in September. Frank

Hi Frank

I did not notice the contact link at first.

Thanks

Joe

Congratulations, Frank. I have seen the old stock a few times at Anthony's shop and I thought about building a gun around the broken stock. It is a beauty, but the new stock is a piece of work, too. Bill Murphy

Bill, the old stock seems worthy of a project until you look inside. Frank

I considered dovetailing a piece of walnut into the side of the wrist, gluing, reshaping and checkering.


Internal web and the pyramid of wood that keeps the heading tight are gone. Most anything can be fixed but it was a showstopper for me.

Hello Silvers, nice project. I have a Sterlingworth that needs to be restocked. What was the turn around time from PGS. I'm not in a big hurry but would like an idea on time before I send the gun.

Foxhound, turnaraound time on this gun was extended to ~ 7 months. The guys at PGS asked if I could wait while they worked on other projects, and I was in no rush.

Same as with other craftsmen, I'd suggest you check with Anthony and Dan to discuss their queue and likely turnaround time to see if it's a fit. Silvers

Thanks for the reply and the information. I'll talk to Anthony and Dan before I send the gun. The Sterlingworth needs other work too so I may wait until fall.

Nice job! What a great peice of wood.
John