Fox Collectors

I recently founded a private duck hunting and fishing club on a section of Beaver Dam lake in Tunica, MS. In case you haven't heard of it, Beaver Dam is where Nash Buckingham, the famous outdoor writer and his father duck hunted. At Beaver Dam they founded the oldest duck hunting club in the US in 1882. I grew up hunting with my father at Beaver Dam and had my first duck hunt there. (Nash used to live near my grandfather and actually borrow his bird dogs.) I am very excited about being able to hunt there again.
I would like to purchase a Fox gun similar to the famous Bo Whoop that Nash hunted with. Here is a description of it: "the nine-pound, nine-ounce gun was a side-by-side 12-gauge Super Fox custom-made by the A. H. Fox Gun Company in Philadelphia" from one of many articles on it: http://gardenandgun.com/article/legend-bo-whoop
You can Google it and find a ton of information on it.
I just want something similar to duck hunt with and I don't want to pay more than $2000 for it. I tried researching on the internet but was overwhelmed with all of the different models, etc. It sounds like a Fox Sterlingworth might fit my budget. I thought this forum would be a good place to figure out what I want. What do you Fox Collectors suggest?

I took a few pictures of Bo Whoop at DU's Headquarters in Memphis(where I live). Bo Whoop and Bo Whoop II are on display there. Pics 38 through 50 in this album are of the guns: http://photobucket.com/nashbuckingham

Cheers,
Robert Milner, III
rrmilner@yahoo.com

Hi Robert,

You are indeed a lucky man to belong to, make that "founded", a hunting club on the fabled Beaver Dam! I do however regret to inform you that an unmolested HE grade Super Fox in fair (shootable) condition will cost you appoximately $4,000. A HE grade in good to better condition will cost $5,000 or more. You might of course find one that has been "molested", i.e. damaged in some unrepairable way, for less. Finding a HE in salvagable (could be restored to like new) condition under $2,000 would be rare but it has happened!

You could accept a 32" Fox Sterlingwoth which are available in fair to good condition for between $1,000 and $1,500. You might even find a AH Fox A Grade with 32" barrels for about $2,000. The weight of these guns will be less than 8 lbs.

My new "go-to" gun is a 32" 12 gauge Sterlingworth with light barrels weighing 7.5 lbs. It is a backyard birdswatter!

Good luck to you!
Mark

Thanks Robert for your post and information. Strange coincidence: I was out in the mountains since yesterday morning with a friend doing some scouting for birds etc. And I stayed overnight at the cabin and re-read about 100 pages of Buck's De Shootinest Gent'man while sipping some Brooklyn Handicap (actually Wild Turkey 101 Rye with mountain water). I couldn't put the book down and didn't hit the rack until after midnight. More scouting this morning. Saw one very nice buck but way too quick for a pic. Flushed some grouse and saw quite a few turkeys.

Just a few comments... I've owned just a few HE's over the years including a graded Super, a lighter one with many special features and built on the 1-size frame, and a two barrel set... unusual with both being 32-inchers and both with F&F chokes. Sadly all three have moved on to new homes. I watch everywhere I can for Supers so I'm fairly familiar with the "market". I really doubt you're gonna find one for under 4K and that's for one in fair but not excellent condition..... unless the seller doesn't know what he has. Just for info, there was a 30-incher on one of the sites ~ a month ago that had a replacement stock, post factory breech engraving, and both chokes were about 30-thou. Also, chambers were stated at 3-1/4" ???? It went for $3200.

You probably know this... the ne plus ultra Super-Fox is a 32-incher with FACTORY 3-IN chambers, and it's one wicked long range duck/turkey/fox/etc slayer with original chokes about 48-52 thou constriction. Factory 3-IN chambers will measure 2-3/4 to 2-7/8" with precision gauge, because of the tight chambering not short chambers. A close second is the same gun with factory 2-3/4" chambers which will also measure short. Good luck in your search and with your club! Silvers