Interesting CE Grade Fox

[SmithShady]

I had that day yesterday that we all dream about when heading to the local gun show. I walked in several hours after the show had started, and per my usual routine I started on the wall on the far right side, and would proceed to go up and down every isle. There, on the second table I passed was a Fox CE Grade 12ga. The table belonged to one of the dealers that I always see at this show, and after asking him how much he wanted for the gun, I had a REALLY hard time keeping my poker face. I went about inspecting the gun, measuring the bores, chokes, etc. and everything seemed to check out ok. In the end, I didn't even try to talk him down, I just handed him the money and ran! I put in a request for the card last night when I got home, which I've included below. Everything seems to check out as it's written on the original order card, which calls for some unique requests, including gold plated triggers and the name "W.M. Falk" engraved on the bottom of the trigger guard. My major concern was that the barrels had been cut, due to the space between them at the end, but the chokes were long enough to be original. Sure enough, the card shows 28in struck through, and 26in written in, so perhaps this order was filled with a 28in gun and the barrels were cut at the factory? It's had some work done to it in the past, and there are a few minor issues with it, but overall I couldn't be happier. The original Silvers Pad has been replaced with the Pachmayr "White Line" pad you see below, and it weighed in at 6lbs 8oz on my scale, a little bit lighter than what the card called for. It should make a great upland bird gun for me this season. Hope you enjoy the pictures, comments welcome.

Thanks,

Mike








Note the W.M. Falk engraved on the trigger guard, and the remnants of the gold plating that once covered the triggers.

[OH Osthaus]

Very very nice find, the birds will go out in style

with the specific requests, Mr Falk seems to have been a man who knew what he wanted. tracking him down might be a interesting search.

[MARSHFELLOW]

Mike,

Congrats to you on snagging a nice Fox. Really interesting how Fox would "adjust" the barrel length on a gun to fill an order. I bought a smallbore BE a short time ago with 26" barrels, cyl & cyl with the muzzles not touching....I was quite sure that it was trimmed after the fact but I had to buy it never the less. I was happy to find that although the card read 28" originally that notation was crossed out on the card and 26" was penciled in. Evidently the right gun was in the rack when the order came in for a 26" C&C choked gun and they made the adjustment to fill the order.

Nice pics too.

tjw

[waterman]

Thanks for the pictures. I had a Ce grade 26" gun wuth the oners name on the triger gard. I sold it a couple years ago whished I hade that light waight back. Donnie

[Stan Hillis]

That's a beauty, Mike. What a great story, too. It's the kind of saga that keeps us going to guns shows, hoping.............hoping...........hoping.

Use it in good health.

Stan

[LVAKA362]

Great gun. Thanks for all of your help!!! Haven't been able to get in touch with Don yet or the card request back to see what it might have to say.
Alan

[SmithShady]

Thanks guys. I'd sure like to find out more on information on W.M. Falk. I was told that the gun was from Virginia, and was a family gun until I purchased it. I know it has been there for at least the past 10 years. Not sure if it originated there or not, but it may give some additional parameters to the search.

Alan, I saw a lot of nice guns on Don's table at the show, including that sweet little A Grade 20ga you're coveting. I'm sure you'll get an answer on the card request from one of the board members soon. Don's straight grip A Grade 16ga with the Beavertail is really nice, but that 20ga BE with the factory 20ga and 16ga barrels stole the show.