Dates and pads and Sterlingworth Deluxe ?

[vaturkey]

Morning all,

I picked up a Fox Sterlingworth 12 gauge ejector with 26" barrels in fine condition yesterday. Chokes are 10 and 20 thousandths with twin Ivory's and one god awful pad (that I've since cut off). LOP to the end of the wood is 13 1/4". When I removed the pad the hole spacing (center hole to center hole) is 3 1/8" and there is only one set of hole in the buttstock. Gun is serial number 1221XX and is a Savage marked gun with all the usual Philly features (splinter forend, capped pistol grip, slim top lever). I looked up the date on the doublegunshop journal and it shows 1929 which I believe should make it a made in Philly gun, but its certainly not.

Questions are:

1. Could this be a Fox Sterlingworth Deluxe that was held in inventory until the early 1930's?

2. I'm on the lookout for an Anti-Flinch pad because that would be the "most" correct period pad IMO. However, I have some other pads available. Those pads are the Hawkins Red, the Hawkins Black (both heart shaped), Jostam Two Ply Sponge (really neat pad), Noshoc, and a Jostam Hy-Gun (made by Buddy Schoelldopf in Dallas). Assuming I can't find an Anti-Flinch which of the others were most commonly put on Foxes circa 1930?

3. Lastly, when were the Black Heart Shaped Hawkins pads made and what were they put on? I've only encountered a couple of those through the years, but I've never actually seen on a Gun that I can recall.

[Silvers]

Good morning Tom, sounds like a good find. I've seen a few known-to-be-original SW Deluxe guns over the years and they all had Jostam 6-slot pads. But admittedly they were all small bores. Perhaps the 12-gauge SW Deluxe used one of the other period Jostams owing to its somewhat larger buttstock but I don't know that for sure. I do know that the Jostam Hy-Gun had ~ 3.33" hole spacing. And I'm pretty sure the 7-slot Jostam did too.

One possiblity is that the buttplate was removed, wood trimmed a bit, and a new pad was put on using the original HRBP spacing which is a touch over 3" center to center. A good pad for that application was the vintage Hawkins which had ~ 3-1/8" spacing and could be put on with the original holes in the wood "chased" to 3-1/8" spacing. That 3-1/8" spacing was also used by Pachmayr which is reflected in the large number of Fox guns that are found with Pachmayrs installed.

I've seen a very few of the black Hawkins heart pads and they were all in the smaller size. But I don't know when they were made.

From your description I'd say you have an earlier Utica gun with "Phila features". That's because parts were shipped from Phila to Utica and were used mix/match on many of the earlier guns made there. But Phila style parts can occasionally be found on guns made at Utica even in the late 30's. Just by coincidence I just got a JTC letter on a 20-gauge SW Ejector gun made in Utica, that "dates" to 1929 using that chart you referred to. It also has the Phila style lever and safety buttom. John's letter shows it was made as a "SW Brush gun" with 26-inch barrels and shipped in December 1933 = someone's Christmas present? Just confirms that serialed frame forgings were also shipped to Utica and used in earlier manufacture there. Incidentally the letter and record card shows that the gun was made Mod & Full but was factory altered to IC and Mod.

You might check to see if your barrels were cut from 28-inch? I say that because I have only seen 26" SW Brush guns in 12-gauge with chokes that were Mod and Full (about 20 and 40 points respectively). Or with "Fox Cylinder" and Mod chokes (about 5 and 20 points). As you know a factory letter would confirm or deny the barrel length and chokes, also the Deluxe configuration with the twin beads etc.

I love these early Depression era Utica Sterlies. What stories they might tell of hard times and pennies saved in cookie jars. My parents were kids then and those experiences and values carried through their lives. I hope this info is helpful. I presume I'll see you at the Northeast SxS next month?

[vaturkey]

Morning Frank,

I'll be there at the NE SXS for sure. I'll be hanging with Dan in his booth and also messing around trying not to spend any more money. I've misplaced my skeets, so I could be wrong on the constriction. I reached in with a dial caliper with arms 3 1/4" long. It might have not reached in far enough to get the entire choke. Barrels touch at the muzzles and the front bead is 1/4" back from the end of the barrels and its a press in ivory and yellowed a fair amount. Mid bead is 12 15/16" from the end of the barrels and the small press in ivory bead. Guess I'll have to get the chokes measured while I'm up at the NE SXS just to confirm things. FWIW, I just measured the exit holes with a caliper and FWIW they are .706 and .719 respectively.


Interesting story on this gun is it came from a collector who lived in McClean Va who owned 100's of gun and passed a few years ago. I don't know his name but his family has been liquidating his collection for the past 3 years. Most of his guns were not sporting guns but older Sharps rifles, muzzle loaders, breech loaders etc etc. They did yesterday have two high end L.C. Smiths as well as a model 21, W. C. Scott and a bunch of rifles including a couple of nice .22's (Winchester model 52 and one other). All the Shotguns they had were 12 gauges.

All the guns were completely covered in Cosmoline according to one of the auctioneer assistants I talked to and had not seen the light of day for over 30 years. Assistant told me it took a week just to clean the Cosmoline off the guns so they could be sold.

This particular gun I purchased is in really nice condition. Probably 75% case colors and 100% barrel blue. I needed it like a third eye, but something about an ejector Sterlingworth in great condition called to me. Hence it rode home in the 4Runner with me. Weight before I cut off the ugly pad was 6 lbs 15 oz.

[Silvers]

Well Tom it sure sounds like a 26-inch Brush gun and probably in Deluxe configuration. IMO they are so right for uplanding especially with the "Fox Cylinder" choke combo, and if the owner isn't adverse to a little heavier gun. One 12-gauge SW Ejector Brush gun I often hunt the mountains with weighs only 6 - 14.

[Scott]

I have a lettered 12 Gauge Sterlingworth Deluxe that was shipped in 1934. It has all Philadelphia features and a 7 slot Jostam pad. The fit and finish matches the later Philadelphia guns.
I have not seen too many lettered Deluxe guns, but I wonder if they held out the Philadelphia parts for these? I have had other 12 gauge Sterlingworths that were earlier than this one that had all Savage parts, top lever forend stock and slide.

[vaturkey]

This is the best condition SW I've laid my hands on. Case coloring on both the top lever and safety are just about mint. I really didn't plan of every purchasing another 12 gauge anything, but it seemed like a prudent thing to do. Now if I can only find the correct pad it would be complete. If not I'll figure out a plan B.

[Researcher]

The Fox-Sterlingworth Deluxe was introduced by Savage Arms Corp. with this sheet --



tipped into many of the 1928-29 A.H. Fox Gun Co. catalogues that they over-labeled with the Savage Arms Corp. name and address --

http://www.foxcollectors.com/ah_fox/con ... log_7.html

From this 1930 introduction to the last Fox catalogue in 1942, the Fox-Sterlingworth Deluxe was only offered with 28-, 30- and 32-inch barrels in 12-gauge and only 28-inch barrels in 16- and 20-gauge. I certainly won't say they weren't made in other lengths, but that is what they were catalogued in.

I have a very nice 12-gauge Fox-Sterlingworth Ejector Brush that letters as being shipped in 1938, which has the Philly-style top-lever and safety, barrels roll-stamped STERLINGWORTH FLUID COMPRESSED STEEL and a capped pistol grip. It does have the bulkier Savage-era forearm. It is also fitted with a nice leather faced Silvers or Jostam Air-Cushon pad.

As I've mentioned before, "workers were reaching into parts bins and assembling some product to get out the door." They'd probably have a good laugh at some of the things we agonize over today.

Researcher, reporting from Kenai, Alaska.

[Sporrns]

As a Fox neophyte, I'm glad I listened to Craig, Steve and Frank when they told me not to "dis" Ute Sterlies. I didn't have a Sterly in the safe, so when I came upon an early (1933?) 16 ga. 30" Utica gun, I pounced!

[DarylC]

I agree Kevin. About 5-6yrs. ago I ran into a 16ga. Sterly which turned out to be a Deluxe. I knew nothing about the Deluxe at the time but it fit me well, had nice trigger pulls and looked to be all original. It's come to be one of my go to guns to bird hunt with and has made the trip to S. Dakota every year since.

[Fin2Feather]

... not to "dis" Ute Sterlies...

Um, yeah.

[vaturkey]

Was able to locate the appropriate Anti-Flinch pad and its on its way Monday. Hopefully it will work out for me. I temporary took a Anti-Flinch Pad off another Fox (12 gauge) that has one and stuck it on and it was about a perfect fit. Assuming this inbound pad weighs the same the gun will come in at 6 lb 13 oz. Also weighed the barrels and they are 51 oz so I'm guessing they were number 3's. I'll be taking it to the NE SXS and will pop a few caps as they say after Dan Rossiter fits the incoming pad. It does appear to be factory IC and Mod. LOP is 14 1/4" and DAH is 2 3/4", DAC is 1 5/8".

[3birddogs]

I have a SW Deluxe in 16 ga. It has 28' barrels, the original pad (a little hard now), grip cap, Savage style forend, but the mid ivory bead was missing when I bought it back in the late 1980's. I had the M/F chokes opened up at the time to IC/IC as it was my grouse gun for years. I may have to bring it to Hausmann's as I have not shot it for a number of years. Tom, I hope to meet you at Ernies to put a face with the name that has become familiar over the years.
Harold

[vaturkey]

I have a SW Deluxe in 16 ga. It has 28' barrels, the original pad (a little hard now), grip cap, Savage style forend, but the mid ivory bead was missing when I bought it back in the late 1980's. I had the M/F chokes opened up at the time to IC/IC as it was my grouse gun for years. I may have to bring it to Hausmann's as I have not shot it for a number of years. Tom, I hope to meet you at Ernies to put a face with the name that has become familiar over the years.
Harold

Harold,

Look for me at Dan Rossiters table. I'll be the old guy with no hair. My friends in my old office before I retired referred to me a "Mr. Magoo". You can decide if that description fits.

[1SG Mosteller]

Out of all the Fox shotguns that I own the one I use the most is my Sterlingworth Deluxe 16 gauge. My friend gave me this gun years ago, it was his wife's grandfathers gun he bought it new, at the time he gave it to me he had no sons, only daughters, but now has a grandson, so I'm returning the gun to him to pass to his grandson, luckily I have a replacement I found another 16 gauge Deluxe to replace it.

[vaturkey]

Found my skeets as I was looking for stuff to take to the NE SXS. Right barrels is .729 and left .730. Chokes are 4" long and its .014 in the right and .022 in the left. I'm guessing this is the way it left the factory. I'll take it with me to the NE SXS and will no doubt pop a cap or two.