Fox spoon project
 

Finally I have some pictures uploaded of my recently acquired Ansley H. Fox SxS 12g shotgun. It was manufactured in 1920/21. It is not perfect but I do hope to learn a lot from it. So far, I have identified the following issues:
I will need a new stock and fore end wood. The original wood had been refinished and there is almost no checkering left. The wood also does not fit flush with metal surfaces.
One of the springs in the selectable trigger mechanism is missing.
One of the sears was repaired (poorly) and the second one is not functioning correctly. This might be due to the trigger mechanism not working correctly.
The barrels were cut down to 25". The cut is also not square.
The left barrel sounds like it is loose. Not bad yet, but it will have to be redone.

Still, got this for a really good deal (thanks David for helping me establish a price).

On to the pictures:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-P...Y/s912/Fox.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v...ck%2525202.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-z...nd%2525202.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-r...me%2525201.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-U...20%2525203.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-J...me%2525205.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C...sy%2525201.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-b...12/Barrels.JPG

A few more pictures here: https://picasaweb.google.com/110116751572522828873/Fox#

Beautiful "before" pics! This has the makings of an awesome thread!

U have a High Grade AH Fox presumably in 12 GA. GET A LETTER on the spoon. The letter should tell U what the original configuratio of the spoon was. This spoon warrants a professional resotration back to its ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION. If corners are cut in the resto you lose $$$$$, the only way this thing pencils out is to do it right and make it as original. Since you have a fair amount of money in the thing the money spent has to be taken into consideration and that means doing it right or NOT AT ALL.

With the cut down barrels I would Rebarrel & rust blue bone charcoal recase the Receiver and restock with the equivalent or better wood. This will not be cheap. But at the end of the day you have something that U can be proud of.

Forgot to add, this does appear to be a CE grade gun. And I will get the letter to find out about the original specs. I am researching some items now, but it looks like the stock might not be an issue. Long term I will re-barrel when finances allow or if I have access to the machines and someone with the knowledge that will teach me how to do the re-barrel. Obviously David is giving me advice on this as well.

hey Neil, nice to see some pics of the old girl. Not bad, not bad at all. Yes getting a letter is a good thing, not important at the moment but a good thing. Explain" The wood may not be an issue" to me.
Looks good buddy this will be a fun thread. I look forward to watching a soon to be professional gunsmith restore this piece, not some pudknocker like me. Keep us posted here.

I have posted these pictures to the Fox collectors forum as well and there is some who think the checkering is correct. I will post some more close up pictures of how everything fits together on there and see what they (and you of course) think.

Very nice!

My first guess was that the stock was original, it certainily has the right patina for a SXS of that age. U can clean the stock and recut the checkering. There are also repo period recoil pads to be had.

BTW this quality of gun is not one to be practicing your craft on. For that you buy a Steven 311, Ithaca 12 GA Flues...etc..

Figure this if you were going to buy this spoon (eventually it will be sold), and are going to pay substantial money for this restored SXS would you rather have a guy with a known reputation for Restoration to have done the work or somebody who is an unknown quanity? That difference is about 25% in the value of the spoon. .

Cool thread and pics, and now I'm suscribed too!!! Tabs, I know you know yer spoons, but sometimes it just ain't about $. Besides, maybe someday I'll own a "Cla$$ic Mericet restoration" that'll be worth at least three brazillions...but one that I wouldn't take anything for :).

tabs...he will do it right. He has many skilled mentors. Even doug turnbull started somewhere. I agree with starting with a 311 but when neil told me what he could get this for I told him it would be a good subject. He will do just fine.