Wow.. incredible upgrade and love the early engraving patterns on the higher grade Fox guns. I do not have the DGJ issue with the Tom Kidd article and gave up sifting through other back issues to see similar examples. Did the gun in the article that yours was based upon have the frame rebates? Either way, could rebates have been incorporated into the existing Sterlingworth action? Not that lack of rebates distracts at all but just curious as to whether it was an option considered as part of the D upgrade. Again, beautiful gun and top notch craftsmanship all the way around. Hope the colors don't hide the spectacular engraving too much but I'm sure that has been considered. Best, jmc.
Rebates could have been incorporated and I discussed doing those with Dan. Decided ultimately not to because this particular gun we were copying didn't have rebates and I wanted to be true to the original as much as possible. The original gun also had very fine but not particularly complicated checkering and we are keeping that style as well. The gun itself was in the Spring 1995 issue of the Doublegun Journal. It was the first small bore Fox D grade ever made. Haven't decided, but I may have Dan remove some but not all of the case colors after hardening so the engraving can be seen better. Seems a shame to hide it for sure. Thanks for the kind words.
