After much wait and travel these two 20 Ga projects have come to (partial) fruition.

The A.Fox AE 20 Ga. serial N202207 was obtained in Santiago from an internet advertisement late March. It came in bad shape, barrels (26" and N3) needed blacking and bore polishing, wood was not original and not to Fox standards. Gun register paper work proved a nightmare not worth to mention in this forum.

The aim was to apply a limited refurbisment, in accordance to local skills and to the guns grade and commercial value. Reblacking, engraving-retouching, new straight trigger guard and new wood were deemed necessary. The final product would be a quail/perdiz gun.

Barrels were polished by gunsmith Juan Gonzalez and derived to engraver Alejandro Meza to retouch "Chromox Fluid Compressed Steel" on right bbl. and "Made by A.H. Fox Gun Co. Phila. PA, USA" on left bbl. Back with Gonzalez it went a slow steam blacking process. The frame, now cleaned, was retouched by Meza. A new Galazan straight trigger guard was engraved using the same motifs from the Deely latch forend. Bores were slightly backbored to remove pits and polished by Gonzalez; chokes (.020 L and .012 R) were not changed until future fact finding at the pattern board.

Since stockmaker Carlos "Charly" Reyes was not available, this Fox had to travel to Quillota (120 Km North) to be attended by gunsmith/stockmaker Mario Zavala. A US Black walnut slab, grown in the Aconcagua valley, was selected. The style followed the lines of an AH Fox 20Ga described in article by W. Headrick in the DGJ Vol. XV N2. Stock dimentions were the same as given by Brian Bilinskis gun fitting back in 2007. LOP was set at 15"5/8, straight grip with a little swell on the right side, stock and fore-end checkering was 24 lpi and 18 lpi at butt-end. Gun balance at hinge pin was obtained by taking wood from the stocks rear-end and later covered with a wood checkered plug. The gun weights 2585 grams (5lb 11oz) after restocking. It prints centered and spreads 70/30% on the white board at 16 yards. All in all, it doesnt feel wipy, handles well and seems to be heavier than its actual weight. It makes a good carrying gun and should shoot well with loads up to 26 grams (15/16oz).

Other details that had to be adressed by Zavala with this 1924 vintage gun: the left ejector was not working properly and the rotary hook had to be repaired. Trigger pull is 4 lb and 4.5lb respectively, perhalps a little high, to be dealt later with other minor adjustments during the southern summer.

Photos as it looks now:


Matters pending: Stock oil finish to be handled by our friend JayCee in due course. Some srews and pins to be redone or adjusted. Minor wood work at fore-end. Chokes to be openned on demand after trials in the white wash board. Ditto barrel regulation.

Cost Summary (at current exchange rates):

Gun US$800
Paper work US$100
Bbl reboring/polish US$ 50
Bbl blacking US$100
Trigg. Guard + Pins US$ 70
Engraving/retouch. US$130
Stock + Wood US$650
Travels US$200
JayCees oil work Free(?)

TOTAL US$2100

Victor Sarasqueta gun refurb summary in a few hours.