doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Gunfight Friday - Round #2

Not sure if we can declare a victor from last week so we better try again in round 2. Please remember to keep it clean and pick your favorite of the two below.

Think if you only had the choice of one gun below to bring to an upland, waterfowl or clays "gunfight"! Also please don't directly compare the guns in the pictures below to one another, they are just representatives of the brands and models in the fight. May the best gun win!

Gunfight Friday Round #2 - Vintage Workhorses

Fox Sterlingworth vs. Ithaca NID Field

Fox Sterlingworth
The Fox Sterlingworth was introduced in 1910 with a price tag of $25.00.



Ithaca NID Field Grade
The Field Grade Ithaca NID was introduced in 1925. The line was discontinued in 1948.

THE nid hands down.

I think those are both good looking guns. What's the weight difference of the 2 given the same gauge? Balance characteristics? The Ithaca looks very stout. The Fox a bit more svelt(e). I'd like to handle and shoot them both.

It's the Sterly for me. All day long. All season long. All year long.

SRH

Price comparisons

1912 Schoverling, Daly & Gales Catalogue courtesy of David Noreen
L.C. Smith No. 00 - $25
Fox Sterlingworth - $25
DS Grade Lefever - $25
Field Grade Ithaca - $19

1915 Iver Johnson Sporting Goods Catalogue, Successors to John. P. Lovell, Boston courtesy of Daryl Hallquist
Parker Trojan - $27.50
Fox Sterlingworth - $25.00
Ithaca Field - $19.00

1919 both the Parker Trojan and the Fox Sterlingworth were listed at $55. The L.C. Smith Field was $54. In 1922 Fox dropped the price of the Sterlingworth to $48, then in 1926 down to $36.50.
The Ithaca Field Grade was $41 in 1919, but December 1, 1919 Ithaca raised the list price of the Field to $45.

1925 Union Hardware & Metal Co., Los Angeles
L.C. Smith Field AE - $57.25
A.H. Fox Sterlingworth - $36.50; AE - $48.40
Ithaca NID Field - $37.50; AE - $55

1929 Stoeger Catalog No. 10 courtesy of David Noreen
Two Trigger Extractor Doubles
Field Grade L.C. Smith - $40.00
Field Grade Ithaca NID - $37.50
Fox Sterlingworth - $36.50
Parker Bros. Trojan - $55.00

1939 Stoeger Catalog No. 31 courtesy of David Noreen
Two Trigger Extractor Doubles
New Ithaca Double Field Grade - $43.00
Lefever Nitro Special - $30.85
Lefever A-Grade - $37.35
Western Arms Long Range Double - $24.95
L.C. Smith Field Grade - $43.20 (Same as Hunter Arms SRP)

Hello Stan. I am interested in the why of your response.

Fox sterlingworth.Bobby

Sterlingworth gets my nod. Better looking. Reliable as all get out.

Partly my familiarity with the Sterlys over the years, Walt. Nothing against the Ithaca. If I had the experience shooting the NID as much as I have the Sterlys it might be the other way around. Foxes have great handling, and they carry well in the hand due to the rounding of the underside of the receiver. There is just not another box lock that I have ever seen that has the seductive lines of a Fox, to me. Ansley H. did a great job of getting rid of the "boxy" look of so many boxlocks.

Oh, and did I mention they are tough as casehardened nails? You can shoot anything in them without concern.

SRH

Sterlingworths by a large margin, any of them, any gauge.....twice the gun inside and out....especially the pre 1930 Ansley Fox Philadelphia built guns before the Savage buy out.


20 ga. 28"M/F...16 ga. 28"M/F...12 ga. 28"M/F...