My first Fox

[Dave Erickson]

Here's a couple photos of my first Fox, a lightly restored 1928 Sterlingworth. It’s a 16 gauge with 28”, #3 barrels. The good: It doesn’t have a ton of use, and a gunsmith pointed that out by the presence of the tool marks on the breech face the other day at the Great Northern SxS Classic. Locks up like a bank vault, and for a fairly light 16 it has enough meat up front to swing well. The case colors and overall wood and metal finish look very good. The not so good is the terrible “Sterlingworth” roll stamp, but I can live with it. The other is the 3 1/8” drop at heel is just too low. I can shoot it well on targets that give you a little time to get adjusted, but on the quick stuff I’m in trouble. There's no slamming the gun mount to the cheekbone ledge like my bird guns that fit.

Based on the many miles left in its tank I want to make it fit better one way or another. Anyway, here it is!

[Jeff S]

Well, a 16 ga. with #3 barrels sounds like a lightweight, quick handling gun that many of us will be envious of. Congratulations, and I hope you can get it to fit you properly. I think a good gunsmith can bend the stock, but I don't know how much they can do, 3/8" maybe?

[Dave Erickson]

Thanks, Jeff!
I was told that's it's not a good candidate for bending. A good gunsmith (Del Whitman) said there are some hairline cracks just starting in the wrist, so it would be very risky. It also would need a 1/2" bend up to get where I want to be. He said he could graft wood on the top and work it to my fit numbers and stabilize the cracks, but I just don't think I could live with the look of the grafted-on comb.

Not sure what I'll do!

[Fin2Feather]

Congrats; hard to beat a 16ga Fox! Mark Larson could make a graft invisible I bet. I find that my A grade 20 shoots just a bit low for me for some reason even though it doesn't have appreciably more DAH than any of my other guns. This takes care of it; not the prettiest solution but it works and I can take it off when admiring the gun at home ...

[Dave Erickson]

Thanks, F2F! I have that very same comb riser and used it last week when I shot the gun. It works well, and it's the best looking of the comb risers I've seen. Pretty sure I bought it from RST. I also had that same thought about Mark Larson. He's done a couple very nice projects for me already and I can attest to his talent. This is not a collector gun, so all options are on the table.

[Dave Erickson]

Had an interesting night on the skeet range last night. I used the comb riser which seems to put the gun "right there," but I struggled. I gave the Fox a rest and shot a round with another gun and then came back to the Fox without the riser and started hitting well, 3 1/8" drop and all. Hmmm, makes me rethink doing anything with the stock.

[Dave Erickson]

I'm going to sell this 16, so if anyone is looking give me shout.