doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com When did Fox change early checkering and also when

When did A.H. Fox change from the early flat top checkering on the A grade, to a pointed checkering? Also, when did they start using different barrel weights? My A grade does not have a barrel weight stamped in front of the flats, which makes me want to believe that the early guns were made with a more uniform standard.

Here's my problem - I have a relatively early A Grade extractor gun with a 2300 serial number. The original stock has flat checkering. At some point the forend must have been damaged because the checkering has been putty'd over, so much that I thought the forend was a replacement until I removed the iron the other day. Upon close inspection I can now see faint remnants of the original flat checkering in places. Most available replacements I've seen have pointed checkering, which will stand out like a purple mohawk.

I think I have two options - have the checkering recut on the original, or find a replacement with the same style of checkering. I would prefer the later because a replacement forend will already have natural handling marks. If I have the checkering cut on the forend then I will also need to have the checkering cut on the stock. I'm not looking to put that kind of money in to this gun.

Purpose of the question is to determine the likelihood of another ORIGINAL wooden forend with the same flat checkering fitting to my gun. My thoughts were that any wooden forend from one of the early guns with flat top checkering should come close to fitting - mostly because I don't see where different barrel weights were used so therefore the barrel channels in the wood should be fairly similar. Correct, or no?

My thoughts were that if the different barrel weights used by Fox had not yet been introduced during this time period, AND if the later checkering style could be associated with a time line next to the period when the barrel weights were introduced then I should be able to know pretty well by serial number if an early style forend is going to work without having to ship the entire gun.