doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Sterlingworth recase

Miller, are you referring to the condition that exists in many Foxes where the flat of the barrel and the water table are not closely mated? I thought the opening in that area was a design feature until I saw some Fox guns that do not have it. What is the story about that? The HE picture is scary since my own 2 3/4" chambered HE has probably been fired with quite a quantity of 3" shells over the years.

I agree with Ted. Cracked Foxes are a little too easy to find on the internet, and Fluesies seem to dominate the Ithacas. For my part, I just cannot see laying out a couple of grand to have a 100 year old work horse done up in Botex and lipstick. For that kind of money I'd vastly prefer a good Spanish sidelock or a BSS, both of which can handle modern loads. Just my 2C worth. Chopperlump

When selling or trading those good Spanish sidelocks, you do get about 2cents on the dollar.

There are no guarantees that come with older guns, and there's no telling what those farmers shot in 'em.
I've shot my Sterlingworth enuff with light loads, and if I never shoot it again...thats okay with me.

I don't have a Steringworth, Thorny. I missed the Fox boat by being involved with slidey breech guns.
I think a Fox is pretty, but, never ponied up for one. Now, like I said, if there was ever a gun that should crack, in my opinion, it would be one of Frank Major Tobins-the central action body is cut to hell making room for the lockwork, under the lockplates, and that big assed lump, between the tubes. They are often, and I mean real often, found in an off face condition, with little or no wear on the hinge pin and lump. The action bar, you see, having been bent, prolly after being stuffed with near anti aircraft duck loads.
However, since in the case of either a Fox, or a Tobin, the real culprit is most likely abuse, the real question must be why do the catastrophic abuse photos so often depict a Fox?
Hey, I missed the boat on Spanish sidelocks as well. To be honest, my few experiences with true sidelocks were always waiting for repairs, or waiting for the next incident of needing repair. Empire guns were boxlocks for a reason, 'Matey. My Tobin is simply a relic, and not a good example of either boxlock, or sidelock design.
And, nobody on my street has one.

Best,
Ted

8-Bore;
No. I too believe that to be a design parameter. What I am referring to is the fit of the bolt itself. The advertized design of the rotary bolt has always given it a two-fold purpose, with claims of great superiority over other designs. The inner dia of the bolt fitting the lower surface of the hole in rib serves as a "Bbl Latch" to hold bbls closed against opening rotation. The rear surface of the "Finger" if bearing against the rear upright portion of the hole locks the breech up against the bbls to relieve the stress from the juncture of bar to standing brech, which is where frame cracking normally occurs. It seems however that most rotary bolted guns whether Smith, Fox or Ithaca do not have this bearing fitted. Perhaps that HE did not either, but was "Shot loose" before contact was made which then threw a disproportinate portion of the load onto the rib extension. Obviously it was not up to the back thrust of those heavy 3" loads.
I do believe though that W W Greener was right when he stated a "Top Cross Bolt" should use a Round bolt rather than a square one.

Since starting this post,i have received a wealth of information from all you fine folks.Have decided to leave it as is.Fits me well.Very tight,great wood and blue.Very successful on doves and quail.Thanks so much for the input.Retiredreb

Good choice. Jake

There are thousand upon thousands of hardware store guns and lesser field grades that never made it to the new millennium. The newly prized Sterlingworths did, and were subjected to the same torture and abuse the clodhoppers could heap upon them as the store boughts.
Its a numbers game - prolly as many Boss&Co guns have failed as Sterlingworths over these many years.
Some here are too Sherlockian in their thought!

Lowell you better sell that Sterlingworth to Cracker Barrel....and stop dreaming of "clodhoppers" dancing through tater patches with their Sterlingworths.

Comparing a Sterlingworth to a Boss ....yOu been in that Maazou'ra moonshine again ?