Fox Collectors

Recently purchased a Fox Sterlingworth at a gun show......as I explained in my intro post in another forum here, my approach has been a little backwards.....all my research has been done post purchase. From what I've seen I don't believe I over paid, at least not greatly, for the gun. Even if I did I'm still happy with it.

It's a 12 ga w 30" bbl.s #assume both full?# built in 1926 from what I can tell from the serial number 1117##. The barrels are nicely patinaed and most of the case color is gone so the receiver is nearly silver #maybe 10% color?# but there is no rust or pitting anywhere and the LOP is 14 1/4. It does not have a Jostan#?# pad, but the wood all appears to be original and in good shape. The lever is slightly right which I think is good or at least okay?

I'd read about the 2 1/2" shells here and out of curiosity dropped a couple of 2 3/4's into the chambers and closed the gun and all seemed fine #haven't shot it yet, want to be sure I'm doing the right thing#. So the modern shells do seem to fit. Can one shoot 2 3/4" shells in this gun? I assume the answer is yes but the deciding factor is the load of shot / powder? I really only hunt grouse and woodcock anymore so typically would shoot lighter loads from a 12 ga anyhow.

What would the chokes typically be on this gun? If full and full or full and mod, etc. what would be the reaction here to the idea of having them shortened and re-choked to a more suitable grouse / woodcock choke? Would it be wiser to leave it as is and search for a more suitable FS with shorter, better choked barrels?

Thanks for any input and looking forward to learning.

Your Sterlingworth was made to shoot 2 3/4" shells, the factory maintained a chamber length of 2 5/8" (it was believed the short chamber would result in better gas seals or so the thinking goes).
Many people shoot Remington game club shells in 1oz for target work. A better and lower pressure shell are the RST's. http://www.rstshells.com/
The only way to determine choke is to have a gunsmith measure them. Normally 30" 12ga Sterlingworths were shipped F/F or IM/F.
I would advise not opening the choke if you plan to hunt grouse on an occasional basis. A spreader load from RST will open your pattern up by about one degree of choke.

By 1926 the Sterlingworth Standard (30-inch barrels) was catalogued with right barrel modified, left barrel full, though other chokes were an option. Since the late 1980s there has been lots of discussion among vintage double shooters over case length, pressure, payloads, etc. I've gotta believe that these guns have seen plenty of high velocity, progressive burning powder loads, since the day Western Cartridge Co. introduced the Super-X loads in 1922. Many of them probably digested a fair number of 2 3/4 inch Magnums in the late 1950s, 60s and 70s. Actually SAAMI specs were in effect a bit before your gun was built. When I started shooting these guns they were like 18 to 58 years old. Now they are 70 to 110 years old and their wood does deserve some consideration.

fox-admin wrote:Your Sterlingworth was made to shoot 2 3/4" shells, the factory maintained a chamber length of 2 5/8" (it was believed the short chamber would result in better gas seals or so the thinking goes).
Many people shoot Remington game club shells in 1oz for target work. A better and lower pressure shell are the RST's. http://www.rstshells.com/
The only way to determine choke is to have a gunsmith measure them. Normally 30" 12ga Sterlingworths were shipped F/F or IM/F.
I would advise not opening the choke if you plan to hunt grouse on an occasional basis. A spreader load from RST will open your pattern up by about one degree of choke.

Thanks for the info. Checked out the RST site, seems all the 12 ga. are out of stock.....are they normally hard to get or did I maybe just hit a bad day?

As to the chokes, I actually hunt grouse and woodcock fairly avidly so it's more than an occasional thing. The most "occasional" thing about it is the hits. I plan to use the gun pretty regularly but I really think there's no way I would allow anyone to take a saw to a piece of artwork and history anyhow so it may be a moot point unless the could be opened without cutting.

Researcher wrote:By 1926 the Sterlingworth Standard (30-inch barrels) was catalogued with right barrel modified, left barrel full, though other chokes were an option. Since the late 1980s there has been lots of discussion among vintage double shooters over case length, pressure, payloads, etc. I've gotta believe that these guns have seen plenty of high velocity, progressive burning powder loads, since the day Western Cartridge Co. introduced the Super-X loads in 1922. Many of them probably digested a fair number of 2 3/4 inch Magnums in the late 1950s, 60s and 70s. Actually SAAMI specs were in effect a bit before your gun was built. When I started shooting these guns they were like 18 to 58 years old. Now they are 70 to 110 years old and their wood does deserve some consideration.

Thank you for the info. Can't wait to shoot it....gonna have to wait until the mercury reaches a balmy 20 or so first.

Sorry, your 20 degrees isn't going to happen today. At 4:00 PM today, it is 9 degrees in balmy Mid Maryland. I can't imagine what it is in PA.

-18 on my way home from work this morning, global warming I guess.