I hope someone can help me. I'm a relatively new owner of a 16 ga Fox Sterlingworth sn 365xxx. It was stored in a crawl space wrapped in a sheet for over 30 years. I couldn't even see down the barrels due to spider webs. The wrist was wrapped in copper wire and taped with dried cloth adhesive tape and the butt plate was broken and also taped together. The stock and forend were solid black from soaked in oil.
However after disassembling and cleaning, I found that all sn matched and the bores were excellent. The lever is at 90 degrees but it locks up solid. There is almost no color case hardening visible except on the forend iron and inside when it's broken open and the checkering is barely visible. It's chambered for 2-1/2" shells and choked full and extra full with 30" barrels. I have soaked the stock in acetone for over 2 weeks and gotten most of the oil out, but there are cracks in the stock that look to be repairable.
I always wanted a decent sxs and am just looking to have a shooter and not restore it. I hope to use it for occasional 5-stand, sporting clays and preserve bird hunts and don't mind purchasing 2-1/2 low pressure shells. But I might want the chambers opened up a little. I haven't been able to find a gunsmith in western PA that would hopefully be able to repair the cracks in the stock, possibly install a recoil pad and open the chambers to modified and IC. I did take it to 2 local gunsmiths who looked it over and said besides the stock issues, it's in good condition and I don't have to be afraid to shoot it.
If anyone knows of a gunsmith in Western PA that could do some stock repair and open the choke, I'd certainly appreciate the information. Thanks
new owner needing advice
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setterspell
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