doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Fox Stock Questions

All- Just found this website - some great info here. Tried the search function, but didn't find much along the lines of my questions.

I have a 16 ga Fox Sterlingworth that my grandfather bought new in '28 that is certainly worth more from a sentimental standpoint than a $ value standpoint. The metal is in good shape, but for some reason in the 80's my dad had the barrels and action! re-blued. The wood is another story..... As a kid, my dad sanded down the checkering and put his initials in the fore arm (albeit very very small) and the wrist on the stock is cracked where it is unusable today....

Any suggestions (and ideas of cost) to
1. have the stock repaired, or purchase a new (used) stock. I am leaning towards repair - there is just something about holding the same stock my grandfather and father held over the past 80 years. Funds are a little tight and I could live without re-checkering now, but would eventually like to. I think I could even refinish the wood myself. It looks like all it takes is time and some knowledge gathered from this website.

2. get the action back to original shape with a case-colored finish instead of a blued finish?

I am in Austin Texas and cannot find anyone locally that is much help. I appreciate any input. Thanks.

I feel your pain. However, the things your gun needs will very well cost far more then the gun would be worth even after they were done.

If some local ham-fist blued the action and the barrels, he may very well have hot blued them and that is attacking the solder that is holding the barrels together. If that is the case, the barrels need to be stripped, polished, and the ribs relayed, then properly rust blued. Stripping the action, making any necessary repairs, polishing off the blue, picking up the engraving and then properly color case hardening the receiver and top-lever has now got you $1500 into this project. Then the trigger guard and forearm iron need to be nitre blued.

If the stock is too badly sanded down there is really no way of ever making that lost wood back. There are some real experts out there in wood repair that may be able to fix the crack to where it is virtually undetectable. A new stock and forearm of even Sterlingworth quality wood is going to be quite pricey. I just checked the high end at Turnbull Restorations ( http://www.turnbullrestoration.com/store.asp?pid=20182 ) a new stock for a box-lock gun is $2200 and a basic forearm is $750 then add the checkering at quote basis!!

If you go to Houston any, you pass right by this man's shop. He has worked on several of my guns, and is excellent. He can do any and all of the work you need done, but as Researcher said, it won't be cheap. I know you are not out to sell it, so it could be worth it to you, so that your grandson can use it.

http://www.felandgunsmith.com/

Coincidentally, the shop M&M mentioned is selling an A grade Fox 12 ga. that also appears to have a blued action (and pitted barrels) - for $2800. This Sterlingworth may be worth more in that part of the world than was initially thought! Within the limits of my knowledge, the rest of his gun prices seem pretty high as well - hope the prices for work are more realistic.

I will check him out the next time I head to Houston - appretiate it. Anyone else have a stock guy that is reasonable? I dont mind shipping the gun if thats what it takes. I have found quite a few just by google, but hate to just pick a name, would much rather have a reccomendation.

I have purchased some sterlingworth stocks on ebay for around 100$.

Well, they say everything's big in Texas. After looking at his prices I believe it. Maybe he's the best gunsmith there ever was, I don't know, but I doubt it. More power to him if he can really get these rates for his shop work. Nobody in the Southeast can get those fees, and I know some who turn out first rate work.