Fox Collectors

How bad is it to repair/restore this gun with the bolt going through the stock? How much was the value impacted? The side panel engraving is not original, is it? I've not see an A grade engraved like this.

http://imgur.com/a/49WnC

The stock cheek checkering is not original. Restoring the stock to eliminate the bolt can be done by the right stock man, eliminating the checker will almost impossible. It significantly effects the value I would guess by minus 40-50%. I would not mess with that gun unless the price was less than 1K. Just my opinion.

What was the intended purpose of putting that bolt there in the first place? Doesn't seem to hold anything in place. Possibly to keep the stock from splitting??

I don't know the answer to that question. I don't see any cracks. I know that doesn't mean there aren't any.

Jamie the stock was starting to spread thus the bolt to pull it back together.Very nice looking engraving.Bobby

KInd of interesting because usually the side panels are checkered to hide a repair like this when using a dowel or covering the bolt with wood plugs.

I would guess the dowel was checkered over but eventually failed and was drilled out and replaced with what we see now.

A restock might be in that gun's future.

I don't know, maybe a little engraving on that screw head.....

Try Jerry Andrews

I like it and wouldn't spend money to make it disappear.

If you don't mind the checkering being there, this can be very nicely repaired but removing the bolt, cutting out a diamond in the checkering and inlaying in a piece of walnut and then checkering it. The repair would be near invisible. That would be the best option for this guns from a good repair for the money standpoint.

Looks to be a nice A grade otherwise. What guage is it, barrel length, etc. Brian's suggestion would probably be the way I would go. I really like A grades and have a 16 and 20, and wouldn't mind picking up a 12 to match them.

It is a 12ga with 26" tubes. I wish it had 28 or even better 30's.