Early Fox 20 ga

[Doug Mann]

Yesterday I had the privilege of seeing an early Fox CE 20 ga two barrel set gun. The serial number on the gun is 2003xx and it does have two snap-on forends. Both sets of barrels are numbered to the gun and I have every reason to believe that they are original from the factory.

This Fox has a few mechanical issues that need to be taken care of and it has no case color left at all as you would expect, but all in all it is in very nice condition. The current owner has had this gun since he was young (probably 50 years or more).

I'll try to get photos when I visit the little Fox again. I know it can't go home without me since I have the buttstock to replace the recoil pad.

Doug

[eightbore]

What pad are you putting on this little baby? Your Friend, Murphy

[Doug Mann]

Bill, I think its going to be a repro Hawkins because that's what I have that sort've matches what was already on it. It does not have a Silvers so I'm guessing that the current pad was installed after purchase.

Doug

[Researcher]

Do they make a small enough repro Hawkins for a 20-gauge Ansley H. Fox? The ones I've had were almost too big for a 2-frame Parker Bros.

[Twice Barrel]

Wouldn't a Silvers or leather covered pad be more appropriate on a higher grade Fox?

[Researcher]

I don't recall ever seeing an Ansley H. Fox double with a factory original leather covered pad. Many leather-faced pads. While early on, Silvers is what there was for pads, from the mid teens on C-/CE-Grades seem to be on the cusp and sometimes got a Jostam Anti-Flinch and sometimes a Silvers type pad and often leather-faced. Normally XE and higher got a Silvers type pad leather-faced but I've seen the Jostam Anti-Flinch, sometimes the Huntley (later Jostam Sponge Rubber) and more rarely a Jostam Hy-Gun requested. I haven't noted a request for a Hawkins until into the Utica years.

[Twice Barrel]

David thank you for the tutorial on recoil pads. I knew that the Anti-Flinch was the standard for Sterlingworth and A grades but had never seen a discussion on the pads used on the higher grades. Here is the dilemma I face. I have been searching for a small size Jostam Anti-Flinch pad to replace the smashed one on what I believe is a factory installed Anti-Flinch on an otherwise high condition transition 16 gauge Sterlingworth. If anyone out there has a line on new old stock or even a used small size Anti-Flinch pad in good condition I would like to hear from them.

[eightbore]

I've seen more than one leather faced solid pads on high condition Fox single trap guns that I assume are factory. For small butts, the 1922 patent NoShoc reproduction pad sold by Galazan should be a good choice. The holes are small, and I believe the spacing is 3 1/8" or maybe 3". Grind the logo off the face and you have a mini-Silvers pad. If you are not going to leather face the pad, the NoShoc is still a great looking pad with the logo in place. I have them on two cut off Parker DHE 20s. I'm waiting to have enough nerve to send them off for butt transplants. In the meantime, they look great with the little NoShocs.