An interesting Fox that could use a little love

[Dan_Tom_Greg]

Hello everyone,
I recently have joined this collectors association because I’ve been doing some research on a family piece. It’s a 16 gauge AE grade with some cool features. It has 26 inch barrels, a single selective trigger, and most interestingly, it has an absolutely gorgeous piece of wood with checkered cheeks that was custom ordered/provided. The factory tag lists “use wood they will send”. I will post some photos of the wood because it’s truly beautiful. However, my great grandfather and his descendants have put many coats of varnish over the stock/fore-end, and it’s to the point that the checkering in some areas is almost completely filled. My question is, I wish to preserve the gun and bring out the best in it rather than refinish it, what are my best options? Having it sent to a woodworker who will do their best to preserve what’s original while removing what isn’t? Or is it preferable just to leave it the way it is. It needs a new recoil pad installed anyway as my great grandfather decided to fit his own Montgomery ward pad to the gun somewhere down the line (uncut stock). The right ejector also doesn’t like to behave but that seems like a more straightforward job that a gunsmith familiar with double guns could tackle. Any input would be much appreciated!

[Foxnut]

D-T—G,

First, welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing pics of your gun!

What a great family heirloom you have and extra special as you know some of the history on the gun as far as who in your family did some of the work!

Now to try and answer some of your questions. The wood can be cleaned up and checkering recut without doing a complete refinish/stripping. A competent wood guy can thin out the years of extra added finishes and clean and recut the checkering. Usually an A Grade would not have the cheek panels engraved so that was probably done at a later date unless it was specified in the letter. The pad can be replace if so desired with a period correct butt pad or an original or reproduction Fox butt plate.

Regarding the right ejector if you could provide a little more detail someone with more technical knowledge might be able to answer your question. It might be prudent to have a competent double gunsmith who is familiar with Fox guns do a complete stripping and cleaning of the gun inclusive of the ejectors to make sure all is in good order.

We’d love to see some additional pics. I hope you get to hunt with or shoot clays with that gun! Brett

[Silvers]

While a very reliable design there are many things that can affect the functioning of Fox ejectors. The stock work can be done by many competent vintage double 'smiths but I heartily recommend having a proven Foxsmith evaluate the bad ejector and do the fix. Parts are very hard to find, and to complicate things some of them are gauge specifics to smallbores which makes them scarce as could be. frank