UTICA AE GRADE WITH STERLINGWORTH BARRELS

[J. A. Early]

How common was this in 1935?

Thanks.

[Researcher]

It wasn't. Sounds like a retrofitted set of barrels. Get a card look up for the original AE-Grade serial number and see how the gun started life. Post pictures.

[J. A. Early]

Barrels and forend are numbered to the gun and the card matches both the barrel length and choke requested. Both fit perfectly. Card shows 26" CYL and MOD and chokes are .006 and .022 which would be correct. Bores are .730. I am positive (almost) they are original to the gun. Barrels are marked Sterlingworth Fluid Compressed Steel, and Savage Arms Corp. Utica, N.Y., U.S.A.

The gun was sent back to Savage for a second set due to the different address. Original set and forend have a 1 and Chicopee Falls set and forend have a 2. The card shows Grade A. Wouldn't it show AE if it was ordered with ejectors? Maybe the ejectors were added when the second set of barrels and forend were made?

Thanks.

[Researcher]

I would suspect both sets of barrels were fitted in Chicopee Falls at the time the ejectors were added and the original barrels are long gone. If the Sterlingworth barrels and forearm were original to the gun, they wouldn't have been marked with the 1s. It is all conjecture as we will never know for sure.

[J. A. Early]

The Sterlingworth barrels do have an "A" struck on the flats. The second set of Chicopee Barrels do not have that. I believe when the gun was sent back they marked the original barrels and new ejector forend with the 1 and the second set and forend with the 2, but I guess we will never know. I can't imagine they would have replaced the original barrels on an ejector upgrade, would they? The choke and length are spot on to the card.

I guess the only thing I can be sure of is that it was Savage manufacture and factory work later, and how much I will never know.

Thanks.

[vaturkey]

Post some pictures. Need to see the latch mechanism among other things.

[J. A. Early]

Notice the A on the lower "Sterlingworth" barrels. Will have to photograph the forend ejectors asap.

[J. A. Early]

Post some pictures. Need to see the latch mechanism among other things.

The engraving on the two latch mechanisms differ greatly. The number 1 forend and stock wood match. The number 2 forend wood differs.

[J. A. Early]

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[eightbore]

Anyone would love this great gun. Send it up here to MD and I will take a look at it.

[J. A. Early]

Can't ship to MD. It would be confiscated at the border. Would have to sneak in through Wicomico County which is too much trouble.

https://www.capitalgazette.com/news/gen ... story.html

[J. A. Early]

The requested photo is published. What does this tell you?

By the way, the 26" Sterlingworth barrels with the A stamped on the flats do have the ring engraved on the barrels at the breech.

Thanks.

Deleted photos due to no replies.