Fox Collectors

Evening, for some time I've been looking for a sterlingworth ejector 16 gauge to make myself a custom Fox. Everyone I located was gone before I could lock onto it. The finally a few months something happened at an auction which changed my efforts and shifted my focus a bit differently. Last Spring I came across a 16 Gauge Parker CH that was too nice to pass up. That gun was purchased and is currently have a bit of work done to it, which will hopefully be done to go with me on a trip to Maine this fall. After focusing my time so long on a 16 gauge ejector gun I decided instead to shift my priorities and look at what made the most sense for me to do next. After reviewing my collection of various doubles (mostly foxes), I concluded in Foxes alone, I had a nice 16 gauge SW, one 20 gauge SW and an A grade 16 gauge. However, I had never acquired a Fox in 12 gauge. Just never had pulled the trigger as they say. I had long thought that I really needed a 12 gauge when I hunted out west, but was content with using a 16 gauge Merkel with Federal Premium pheasant loads that came in at 6 lb 12 oz. Anyway, from my point of view 12 gauges were good for ducks and turkey's and my 16's covered the rest of the bases.

Finally, after reading Steven Todd Hughes two books on doublegun's and custom gunsmithing and seeing what he had done with a SW 12 bore to customize it, I decided to go the 12 gauge route as I really (in my mind) needed a gun to go out west and take on those strong flying pheasants.

However, I decided I wanted to do it a tad differently then STH and go with a 12 Gauge SW ejector with 28" 3 weight barrels (the same as STH's gun). Well, I finally located one (S/N 73622) made in 1913 (I think) about ten days ago on Gunbroker and called the seller and asked more questions then one can imagine. After going through the paces with the seller he answered every question I had about as completely as he could. I even asked him to ring the barrels and then walked him through the process. He even held the gun up to the phone receiver and let me listen as he rang them for me. He also measured the chamber length (2 5/8") and the chokes of both barrels (.698 Rt, .683 Lt) as well as bore diameter of each barrel (.722 Rt and .722 Lt). He even tested the ejectors for me while I was on the phone. The only fault with the gun was indeed the stock had been cut somewhere in the past and a Pach 1" pad installed (LOP 13 3/4"). That certainly didn't deter me, as I was planning on restocking it anyway. Other things we talked about was the gun was tight as a drum, lever well right of center, perfect screws and probably 20-30% case colors with some oxidation/patina on the bottom and one side. As he described it, carried quite a bit but apparently shot little.

Long story short, was I told him I'd bid on the gun and per my norm, I entered the minimum bid ($950) before I left for work. Was accordingly quite pleased to see I had indeed won the auction at my opening bid. Frankly, not sure why others didn't bid, but surmised the lousy pictures of the gun on GB and the fact that the stock had been cut had prevented other bidders.

Gun arrived this past Friday and it is indeed as advertised with perfect bores. While the barrels don't say 3 weight on them, they do weigh on my digital scale 3 lb 7 oz, which I believe places them in the number 3 category. Weight of the gun is 7 lb 6 oz.

Anyway, now the fun starts. I've got several pieces of wood I've acquired over the years. Some California English, some Turkish and a couple of nice pieces of American. I think I'll be handcarrying my wood with me to whomever ends up stocking it. Have some idea's on who is within driving distance of Northern Virginia and will just have to see who is available and who is taking work. Regarding action shaping and engraving, I've got a few ideas there as well. I've also been partial to the type of engraving on the early grade B's. However, one of the main reason's of going the special engraving route is to work my Golden retrievers likeness into the scheme somewhere. She's been my companion and hunting buddy for 9 years and I'd like to hunt with her with this gun out west in very short order.

Here's a few pictures of the old girl:

Looks like a nice find. I will be anxious to see the finished gun. Being a "Westerner" I never feel under gunned with any of my 16 gauge guns but there was a reason, for which I'm not real sure of, why the 12 gauge was developed.

I had this gun on my watch list but couldn't work out a way to be able to bid. Glad somebody here got it. Congratulations.

Twice Barrel wrote:Looks like a nice find. I will be anxious to see the finished gun. Being a "Westerner" I never feel under gunned with any of my 16 gauge guns but there was a reason, for which I'm not real sure of, why the 12 gauge was developed.

I had the good fortune of hunting Montana, ND and Kansas using my 16 gauge Merkel. While it worked really well, I did on occasion feel undergunned when those wild flushing roosters got out well in front of our flushing dogs. I think if we had been using pointing dogs that wouldn't have been a problem. For what its worth, I can't imagine there being more pheasants in the SW corner of ND then what it was a few years ago. I'd say (no lie) we on occasion had over 100 birds in the air at a time. Our dogs stayed on overload mode for three solid days. I'm hoping for another late season hunt in Kansas this year as well.

Last report from out west is that there are going to be bunches of birds out there this year. I'm seeing a fair number here on the western edge of the Flint Hills which is not noted for great pheasant hunting. I'm hoping the good wheat harvest this year equates to a good bird season.

Tom, you have to give us the Gunbroker item number so we can see what we missed and why. Give me a call and maybe I can give you some ideas about your project. Congratulations on the new SW. What breed of dog are you putting down out west if not a pointing breed?

Evening Bill. I'd very much like to hear your ideas. I also contacted PGS today and talked to Dan and am currently scheduled to go up and see him on 1 August to work up ideas on the gun. As you already know, I've got some walnut available and they have some ideas and of course I have some as well. My initial thoughts are a modified early B grade engraving, but I've got to work my dog's likeness into this somehow as this is a tribute to her.

Regarding dogs, my Abby is a 9 year old Golden out of field bred stock out of a Fireside Kennels, a located in Keysville, Va. Her father (Speaker) was the amateur field trial winner for quite a few years in the early 2000's. Her mother was out of Canadian field trial stock as well. My newest pup is Gracie and she is out of Abby's sister (another field trial dog) and her father is another field trial dog out of TOPBRASS Kennels. My Abby has hunted from Montana to Maine to include everything from Geese to Woodcock. However, I'll say some of the most fun we've every had is hunting ringnecks in Montana, ND and Kansas and this particular gun hunting over flushers fills the requirement better then my 16 gauges. Also, as they say this gun will remain in the family.

After talking with PGS, I'm hoping Ken Hurst will take the lead on engraving this one as I like his work and apparently so do many others. I haven't contacted Ken yet, but tomorrow's another day.

PS. I'm hoping you and I can discuss this at the Nations' Gunshow coming up in two weeks in Chantilly. I'll be there and I'm guessing you will be to. I can also fill you in on the good news associated with my CH Parker that I just received today from David T.

Ken Hurst has agreed to do the engraving. Need to give that a lot of thought, but first I've got to focus on the action shaping and picking out what stick of walnut works best. Since I've mentioned my dog Abby and those hard flying roosters out west, thought I'd post a picture of a hunt about 5 years ago in ND. This was indeed one of those 100 rooster flushing days.