Barrel Beads

[BCole]

What determined the type and number of beads on Fox barrels? I have a 12 CE , a early 12 A, and a 16 Sterlingworth all with 26" barrel's that each have two ivory beads. I also have a16A with 28" barrels that only has one steel bead. I know that bead type could be specified at time the gun was ordered. Were there any standards on graded guns ?

[vaturkey]

Freely admit I could be wrong, but as I recall Ivory beads were an option on all the various graded and ungraded guns (Sterly's). That said, I have to believe if someone ordered a higher graded gun, they would most likely provide the Ivory beads at no charge if the client requested such.

[Researcher]

In the Philadelphia era Lyman twin ivory sights were "standard" on the XE-Grades and single barrel traps, and optional on all others. In 1930, Savage introduced the Fox-Sterlingworth Deluxe which included Lyman twin ivory sights.

Catalog insert announcing the Fox-Sterlingworth Deluxe

Fox-Sterlingworth Deluxe intro January 2, 1930.jpg (29.71 KiB) Viewed 1823 times

From the introduction of the SP-/SPE-Grade Skeet & Upland Game Gun in 1935, it came standard with twin ivory sights.

1935 catalog

The twin ivory sights were optional on the Fox-Sterlingworth Skeet & Upland Game Gun when it was introduced in 1935 --

1935

but by the 1937 catalog they were standard --

1937

Twin ivory sights were "standard" on the Skeeter (1931) and the Trap Grade (1932-34) and who knows what this meant on the only description of the quite obscure SPR-Grade --

1936 Wholesale illustrated price list