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

I know I can get a letter, but does anyone else have access to the Fox records that can give me some help on a gun?

Please send a private message. Thanks.

That's one of the things I disliked most about the Fox Collectors Association, the common man pays for information, the "Board" has free and easy access...

..."Some animals are more equal than others".

Here's all the serial numbers and dates of birth....including Sterlingworth's.........

http://doublegunshop.com/dgsnos1.htm

For a Fox Letter:

John T. Callahan - Fox Historian
53 Old Quarry Road
Westfield, MA 01085

That is an out of date address for John Callahan. Nowadays it is --

John T. Callahan
Arms Historian
P.O. Box 82
Southampton, MA 01073


Fox serial numbers are in blocks by gauge and whether Sterlingworth or graded gun --

12-gauge Graded Guns -- 1 to 35280
12-gauge Sterlingworths -- 50000 to 161556
16-gauge Graded Guns -- 300000 to 303875
16-gauge Sterlingworths -- 350000 to 378481
20-gauge Graded Guns -- 200000 to 203974
20-gauge Sterlingworths -- 250000 to 271304
Single Barrel Trap Guns -- 400000 to 400568

I have some real problems with the published Fox serial number chronology, which was originally put out in 1976 by Lightner Library.

For 16-gauge Fox-Sterlingworths they are showing production of 500 (1931), 600 (1932), 600 (1933), 700 (1934), 1100 (1935), 1500 (1936), 700 (1937) and then 1600 for 1938. Then the serial numbers from 374800 to 378481 are given for 1939 up to the last gun made 8/9/1939. I don't believe there is any way they all of a sudden pumped out 3681 16-gauge Fox-Sterlingworths in eight or nine months!!! From my 20 or so years of recording serial numbers of observed Sterlingworths, guns in the 375,xxx, 376,xxx, 377,xxx and 378,xxx range certainly exist.

On the 12-gauge Fox-Sterlingworths they estimate the highest serial number for 1937 as 145000, for 1938 as 150000 and for 1939 as 155000. Again from my years of observing and recording serial numbers, I haven't recorded a gun between 143802 and 160195, leading me to believe there were about 16000 serial numbers skipped. Perhaps the high 143xxx range was the end of regular production and the guns in the 160xxx and 161xxx range were cleanup of parts and barrels on hand?!? All of the guns I've recorded in that range are 26-inch barrels except one two-barrel set that also has a pair of 28-inch barrels.

Thanks...other than Callahan, can anyone give me specs on a gun if I have the serial number?

Callahan is the only one with the factory index cards from production for these guns.......I don't think anyone else can give you that information.....?.......

Members of the AH Fox Collectors Association receive one free factory card per year. Additional card checks are available for $30 each.

The factory card provides everything a research letter will.

The members of the board of directors of the AHFCA have access to the cards. If they were paid at one card check per hour which they work on asociation business then each would receive a hundred or more cards per year! Further, most of the board of directors are highly skilled professionals commanding several times more per hour in salary that the value of a card check.

Mark

As stated, its probably worth spending the $30 if you want to confirm a gun is as its represented. The Fox Gun Collectors Association has the records for Graded guns and they can provide you a photo copy of a graded card (front and back). They do not however have the cards for the Fox Sterlingworth, only the graded guns. I think last year I paid for 3 lookups for $30 each for guns I was contemplating purchasing. Yes, that's $90, but it at least confirmed the gun was as it left the factory and originality is key if you are a collector.

PA, I meant no offense...I'm new to this and part of the problem is that I'm ignorant enough to step on toes and not realize it.

I'll figure it out through the association or Mr. Callahan. Thanks.

It should also be noted that some Fox factory cards are missing. Mr. Callahan sent my money back with a nice note that the record card for my A Grade had been lost.

Oh well...

JERRY