My first ever double......it is foxy

[tops]

Never hit the right one at the right time.
Guess it was my time.

For your first SXS you started super good. An A H Fox is a good gun. Larry

 

[Chukar60]

I am in the O/U camp for the doubles I favor but that Fox is beautiful and as a 20, could hang out in my safe anytime. I would even take it hunting just to brag about it.
Congratulations!!

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

The Savage 310 I talked about in post 8 has wood almost this good. Bishop stocks used to offer AAA blanks 95% finished with no checkering. That is the likely suspect for both of our guns! That will effect value, it won't effect pleasure!

Many times a gun was damaged in a bad fall. The gun was then repaired by a local, and put away. Beware of using "Express" shells. The fancy grain in the wrist has been known the break under recoil! (I had a 16 gauge sidelock that went through 3 blanks-very old stock from Bishop- The project was abandoned due to the wood's quality or lack thereof!)

Ivan

 

[kmyers]

One of the few times I can tell a man, nice wood.

 

[weatherby]

Thanks all you guys.
I really feel lucky/blessed to have been able to acquire this.
It is the gun I waited decades to get.
I was told to see if the forearm is numbered which I will do.....just in case.
So Ivan just use low brass ?

 

[BearBio]

Getting old and wife and I both have "brittle bones"==I broke my upper right am in three places a couple of years ago. Got a pointing griffon I wanted to train (I broke my knee cap for the second time, so I couldn't work her). I had already replaced my O/U 12 ga with a couple of twenties. Wife liked the Ruger and I got the Beretta=both O/U Ruffed Grouse prize guns=better wood, engraving, etc.

 

[s&wchad]

Just lovely! I also suspect it’s been restocked, but that’s some serious high grade feather crotch walnut and it was inletted beautifully!

Check the chamber length. It may be marked on the barrels or water table. A lot of the pre-war 20’s were chambered for 2-9/16” shells.

 

[weatherby]

A 2 3/4 fits.
A 3 doesn't
A 28 gauge drops way in.

Ask me how I know. : )

 

[s&wchad]

A 2 3/4 fits.

That's not an indication of chamber length. The chamber length accommodates a fired shell with the crimp open. Measure a 2-3/4" loaded 20 gauge shell and you'll see it's only 2-1/4" long. I was thinking 16 Ga when I mentioned 2-9/16". I think early 20 gauge guns had 2-1/2" chambers.

If the crimp opens into the forcing cone, you're basically swaging the shot cup and shot through the end of the hull. It pushes the pressure up. Think of it as a proof load. I saw a lovely 20 Ga L.C. Smith with a cracked stock from shooting a box of the wrong shells.

If your Special has short chambers (made for paper shells), you can always buy these: 20 Gauge

 

[75Vette]

The wood grain is amazing. I can see why you were drawn to it. You do have a knack for finding the exceptional pieces. Congrats Paul, enjoy.

 

[The Norseman]

Something Special

Great A.H. Fox Double Barrel Shotgun, great 20 gauge, great
Purchase, Congratulations.

Thanks for the Story and Pictures. Hopefully a Range Report to
follow.

SxS Shotguns forever!

 

[weatherby]

I love those old doubles. MORE PHOTOS PLEASE .

Thanks John I'm about out of real a state to take on of.....but I'll try this afternoon for you.

 

[bigmoose]

I believe that by the time Utica Savage took over production of the Fox gun, (or very shortly thereafter), the chamber lengths were of the present day standard length. But I’ve been wrong before, and my memory is getting worse....ugh.
Paul does it have single trigger, ejectors, barrel length, chokes?

 

[weatherby]

Barrels are 26
Haven't checked chokes yet.
A single trigger.
No ejector's ...found out it has ejectors shows you what I know.
Not engraved or checkered at all.
I did find out though the early guns weren't engraved at all.

 

[dave1918a2]

Beautiful gun. Love looking at them. Kant hit anything with em, but love lookin atem.

 

[weatherby]

Oldster/ John
More maybe better ? of the forend.

The I hung from the ceiling to try and show the side to side carryover.

You owe me on that one... : )

 

[weatherby]

Bigmoose/ John....the #'s all match.
Stock may or not be original but still doing happy dance.

 

[Muley Gil]

That is beautiful wood on that double.

When I was a teenager, I would occasionally rabbit hunt with an older man named Pete. Pete had a Fox double twelve and a beagle. The beagle would find a bunny, Pete would shoot, usually twice, and then yell "Dang it!" (or something close ) Old Pete never got too many rabbits, but we always had fun hunting 'em.

 

[weatherby]

HI my friend if this shoots true....it's bunny nuggets. I haven't missed a thing I pointed at yet.

 

[fiasconva]

If you haven't gone there you gotta go to AH Fox Collectors Association. Some great info there. Great find!