Fox Collectors

McIntosh's, "Finest Gun In the World" seems to be the one everyone references when talking about A.H. Fox guns; I have "Finest Gun in the World", "Best Guns", and "Shotguns and Shooting". Are there other books or publications with useful information on Fox guns?

thanks,
Stephen

While McIntosh's book remains the best single consolidated source of information on Fox guns, a combination of reality and "anno domini" is in the process of slowly but inevitably overtaking it so far as the universe of Fox knowledge is concerned. Consider that as of this year the book is 23 years old; think about all the spectacular, rare, and unusual Fox guns and the details of their construction that have come to light since 1992. There is at least as much refined knowledge put forth since the publication of the book to be found in the myriad articles in The Double Gun Journal, for example, as well as our own AHFCA Newsletter. Like Peter Johnson's book on the Parker Gun, "Parker, America's FInest Shotgun", continuing research and ever-refined methods of discovery have pretty much better aligned and "ground-truthed" some of the important essentials of Johnson's work. (The comparatively recent documentation of nearly 3 times the number of HE Fox 12 gauges produced, for example, compares mightily with Johnson's daring extrapolation of the number of Parker Grade 6 (A) guns produced, which so far as an accurate accounting from factory records can figure, numbered closer to one-fifth of his estimate). Some of the best-documented and extensively detailed information on Fox guns since the publication of McIntosh's book has been produced by individuals on our original (and current) BODs, and more is coming, so stay tuned! Kevin

I agree with Kevin. MM's book, Double Gun Journal, AHFCA newsletter and some info from this site are your best bets for all info Fox related.

A combination of some Double Gun Journal articles and AHFCA newsletters probably has more and better information than McIntosh's book. That book, though, remains a classic and was a part of my early introduction to double guns. Bill Headrick's photos are worth the price of the book alone, IMHO

The two Double Gun Journal "Index and Reader" volumes offer a great bibliography of 14 years of Tom Kidd articles as well as other articles that address Fox topics, like Nash Buckingham, Burt Becker, and similar. A full set of Double Gun Journals and a full set of AHFCA newsletters is a great resource.

A complete collection of DGJ showed up in three cardboard boxes at my small gun club a few months back, brought in when a collector died. When I say complete I mean complete -- indexes and all. The membership of the club have only a passing interest in vintage guns, and I was drooling at the thought of owning the full collection. I knew if left for too long at the club, they would scatter to the wind. With a bit of wrangling, the club accepted a $100 donation for them. The president of the club insisted I email the donor to see if she had any objections to me buying them. They now reside in my gun room.

I'm enjoying them thoroughly - especially some of Tom Kidd's Fox pieces.

You did well at $100. I went to buying the complete set piecemeal on Ebay and have most issues now. Classic stuff

Once again I'm re-reading McIntosh's "Shotgun Technicana" and struggling to get my literary mind to understand the technical explanations that accompany the diagrams, drawings, photos, etc. of the various shotgun actions. My literary skills are pretty good:.... technical, not-so-much. I recall reading a comment in a forum some time ago that there were some errors in his text. Is this correct?

If there are errors I would appreciate it if someone would point them out. If not, I'll just keep bumbling along.

Thanks in advance. R.

I know his claim that the early Sterlingworths were made from frames leftover from the Philadelphia Arms Company was not true. He was among the last experts to denounce Damascus barrels too. I think there were other inaccuracies as well. A H Fox is due for an updated book by someone