Fox Collectors

Hi all,
Posted a few weeks back about a 16ga SW I picked up locally. Never put a tape measure to it, but assumed it was a 28" M/F as that's what the seller told me. Anyway a couple of days ago I was measuring LOP out of curiosity (14") and threw the meaure to the bbls-turns out they're 30". Truthfully they did feel a little longer than the 28" that I shoot in another gun. I know from reading here and elsewhere that the 32" bbls are uncommon and command a bit of a premium, but would this hold for the 30" as well vs the 28" or 26"? I don't have the means to check the choke constrictions but am wondering if they aren't F/F. Again the only patterning I've done was on pheasants in ND last week and even w/ the low pressure Polywad Vintagers in 2.5" was smoking them in my right bbl. TIA, Bill

I think most folks these days would consider a 30" 16g SW a good find. I not sure they are worth a lot more $ than the very common 28" but all things being equal the 30" gun would sell a bit quicker.

I believe the standard choke on all Sterlingworths was M/F; maybe they could be special ordered otherwise?

The normal chokes for Sterlingworths were cylinder (later improved cylinder) and modified in the 26-inch (Brush), modified and full in both the 28-inch (Field) and the 30-inch (Standard), and full & full in the 32-inch (Trap). However, other chokes could be ordered. I have a 1928 16-gauge Sterlingworth Ejector Field that left North 18th Street and Windrim Avenue improved cylinder and modified.

While the 30- and 32-inch barrels were offered beginning to end in the Fox smallbores, they apparently didn't sell many, and they seem to be more common in graded guns then Sterlingworths. I've recorded one 30-inch and one 32-inch in 20-gauge Sterlingworths. About 10% of the 16-gauge Sterlingworths I've recorded are 30-inch, but I haven't recorded a single 32-inch 16-gauge Sterlingworth.

Sorry I haven't been on the Fox site in a while; I just returned from a hunting trip and am catching up.

For whatever it's worth over the past year or so I've talked with more and more gents at courses and my regular haunts who are looking for SxS's in 20 and 16 with 30" barrels, and 32" 12's. Most are willing to pay a premium to get the longer tubes. I think it's a carryover from the trend toward 32" over & unders on sporting courses. I have to agree the longer barrels seem to point and swing better but of course that's a personal choice that's pretty subjective. The shortest SxS I own is a Model 21 Skeet gun with 26" barrels and although I shoot it well, it just feels uncomfortable to me. That's probably because most of my double guns are 30 or 32-inchers.

A friend has a 20 gauge Sterlingworth with 32" barrels. I've handled the gun and think it's a bit too much of a good thing. Silvers

Would that "friend" be Morris Baker with 32-inch 20-gauge Sterlingworth 257,3xx?? He left it with me in the PGCA tent for a couple of hours at The Vintage Cup, but came back for it and wouldn't name a price.

Yes Dave, the 20 gauge 32"Sterlingworth belongs to Morris. As you know he has a way of finding some unusual pieces. Frank

Silvers wrote:

A friend has a 20 gauge Sterlingworth with 32" barrels. I've handled the gun and think it's a bit too much of a good thing. Silvers

I, too, handled that gun at the Upper Penninsula Side-by-Side Classic and came away with exactly the same conclusion. It is a rare bird, nonetheless.

Thanks for all of the input guys. I took the SW out to ND a couple of weeks ago and out of the various guns I brought (a Win M12 16ga, Merkel 1620, and A-5) the SW is the one I ended up shooting all week. I had just purchased the Fox a few weeks before (my first) and LOVED the way it balanced in my hand on those long walks and more importantly how it swung w/ the 30" tubes. My confidence in right to left crossers, which is my weakest shot, soared.

Somewhat off topic, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the find/deal of a lifetime on a super clean, orig condition Parker 28ga VHE. Shoud come to pass Friday/Sat if my stars are aligned. I'll post pix here if it happens (and have to join the PGCA site too, I guess).
Best