J Grade in action

[Silvers]

It's been over one year since the last post on this forum! Time for another one.

I’ll share some pics of a J grade in action last week. I finished up some work on her recently, with details posted on the Members Forum. When found, the rib was pulled off its front attachment post (fixed), lever spring was weak (replaced), and stock was cut short (spacer and nos vintage pad).

The local trap shooting clubs are still closed for the winter, so this SBT Fox pranced out on a sporting clays course. I only had time for 50 targets, and my buddies obliged by shooting ½ of the course with the menu targets “on call”. Yep, it’s pretty tough to shoot report pairs or simos with a single barrel trap gun. I took a few practice shots on the water to see how high she shot; found out I'd have to float the targets even more than I usually do. The old Fox did well despite its 42 thou X-Full choke. Targets had just been changed and were soft, as tournament shooters would say. The J Grade finished up in a three way tie with 47/50. The top man shooting a 391 Beretta competition auto won out with a 48/50.




It’s kinda neat getting out with these old Foxes. This one did most of her shooting in the Washington DC and Maryland area where she was found in a collection of older military rifles. I scrubbed a ton of lead from her barrel. Gun probably wasn’t shot since plastic wads were developed. It’s cool how she was driven around last week in a modern shooting cart. She’s sure seen some changes in rides since coming out of the factory in the 20’s. Silvers

[waterman]

Thanks for the Pic Frank. Yep that single barrel has seen some changes from then to now but she sure gave the new guns a run for there money. I have an old single barrel trap gun that I have been saying that I am going to get out of my gun case. She is an 1908 single barrel trap gun marked Three Barrels Gun Co. keep us posted on her Frank.

[Silvers]

Some friends have been asking me about this J Grade; they knew I was getting more work done on it. Sorry if this post gets some of you shivering and shaking your heads at yours truly.....but as y'all know, crazy trap shooters will do most anything to their guns. Plenty of these Fox and other vintage SBT's have been modified over the years. IME it's uncommon to find one in it's factory configuration.

I have to admit I was never happy with the stock extension work and grain matching on the J Grade stock shown here earlier. This Fox was ordered by a noted shooter from the Washington DC area, and she was made with a half pistol grip. Someone (somewhere, sometime) had shortened and modified the buttstock to straight grip style. Yep, it was a decent stock modification with the trigger guard tang straightened out and inletted very well. But a little too narrow for my tastes. I've been thinking of restoring her to a half grip style for a while now.

I considered having a new buttstock made to match the original drop and LOP dimensions, which work well for me. But after discussing with ACGG member Craig Libhart of Susquehanna Stockworks, we decided to retain the upper part of the original buttstock, and do some splicing to revert to a half grip style. As shown in the earlier part of this thread, Craig had previously added a walnut extension on the back end, to increase the LOP. In this new work he spliced a new piece on the bottom of the buttstock - to form into a new half grip. Craig also bent the trigger guard tail back to its original radius for the new wrist.

I joked with Craig that the upper, original part of the stock still had DNA on it from its first shooter owner, and that's why I wanted to keep it.

This first pic shows the latest splicing work done, with the grain enhanced with alcohol just for the pic. You can see where the buttstock was cut about 1/2 way through at ~ 90-degrees, just at the rear of the trigger guard bow.



The next two pics show the newly modified buttstock done up by me..... with some additional grain matching and varnishing with my Fox type varnish.





The stock is currently out for the wrist checkering. Then I'll do some "distressing" so it better matches the original forend. I'll post some completed pics when I get her back. This J Grade SBT has just about come full circle.... back to the start. Silvers

[eightbore]

Craig and Frank, great work. I guess my chances of owning that great local gun are diminishing quickly.

[MARSHFELLOW]

Very neat project Frank....nice looking for sure!

tjw

[loggy]

Thanks for the post. Judging from your scores you shoot clays much better than I do on live birds. I always appreciate the information. John

[lee r moege]

Frank: I have had to make some of the grafts on stocks myself in the last 50 years! In a couple cases the alcohol was used for enhancing my attitude, not the grain. I find a good single malt works best. Lee.

[Silvers]

Thanks everyone for your comments. Tom, if you had sold me that other one, I could have moved this J Grade to Bill. John, sometimes you get lucky with the clays! Lee, make that a straight rye whiskey for me. Wild Turkey has a nice one at 101 proof. Good for what ails you, as well as paint remover, rocket fuel, etc. Frank