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2 members (R Reynolds, j7l2),
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guests, and
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robots. |
Key:
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Forums10
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Most Online1,344 Apr 29th, 2024
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,423 Likes: 314
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,423 Likes: 314 |
Welcome John. Short to-the-point thoughts: Fox guns are not hard to tighten. I've had 2 done for not a lot of money. Unfortunately no Fox specialists near you, but someone might send a PM with a recommendation. ANY > 100 year old gun certainly deserves an internal check and clean, and check for cracks at the head of the stock. Please be sure the reblue was a classic rust blue and not hot caustic salts. Also, shiny bores in a well used gun suggests honing; be sure you can return the gun if the wall thickness is inadequate, as measured by a smith with the equipment and interest in carefully doing so. The chambers should be 2 5/8". If not, end of chamber wall thickness is critical. Merry Christmas, hope things work out and please give us a follow up.
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Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 104 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 104 Likes: 7 |
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,343 Likes: 390
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,343 Likes: 390 |
rotary bolts are replaceable... Certainly. With enough time and enough money, you can replace every part on the gun. Then you have a refinished and repaired non-original Fox Sterlingworth, and a great deal of any true collector value, because it is a fairly rare ejector pin gun, just went out the window. A lot of the inexpensive fixes for getting the top lever back to the right on rotary bolt guns involve peening the rib extension. That isn't gunsmithing. It's a crude fix that usually won't last, and often looks like crap. If money is no object, and going under water isn't an issue, then it can certainly be fixed.
A true sign of mental illness is any gun owner who would vote for an Anti-Gunner like Joe Biden.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,993 Likes: 402
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,993 Likes: 402 |
There are several good ways to repair a rotary top lever that are both undetectable and will not break the blank. The rotary bolt is internal and not that costly to replace, additionally the rib extension can be built up with TIG and refit. I am not interested in taking on the repair. The lever being to the left certainly indicates plenty of use as does the lever being hard to open. The description of the gun sounds like one I would pass on but the the lever issue is not the end of the world.
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,343 Likes: 390
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,343 Likes: 390 |
Right now, in the For Sale forum, Jason Peck is selling a 30" 12 ga.Sterlingworth ejector pin gun for an asking price of $850.00. He says the condition is good and the lever is well right of center. The bores are shiny, and bore diameters are under nominal 12 ga. size.
So you can ask all the experts here what it would cost to find and buy a replacement rib (If you can find one).... remove and relay it, and then refinish the barrels.... buy and replace the rotary bolt, and probably still need to TIG weld and refit the rib extension... plus shipping if you don't have a competent local double gun gunsmith nearby.
I'm betting the initial cost of the Sterlingworth you are considering, and the necessary work, parts and labor, will set you back a lot more than buying one that's ready to go,
A true sign of mental illness is any gun owner who would vote for an Anti-Gunner like Joe Biden.
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Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 104 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 104 Likes: 7 |
Right now, in the For Sale forum, Jason Peck is selling a 30" 12 ga.Sterlingworth ejector pin gun for an asking price of $850.00. He says the condition is good and the lever is well right of center. The bores are shiny, and bore diameters are under nominal 12 ga. size.
So you can ask all the experts here what it would cost to find and buy a replacement rib (If you can find one).... remove and relay it, and then refinish the barrels.... buy and replace the rotary bolt, and probably still need to TIG weld and refit the rib extension... plus shipping if you don't have a competent local double gun gunsmith nearby.
I'm betting the initial cost of the Sterlingworth you are considering, and the necessary work, parts and labor, will set you back a lot more than buying one that's ready to go, That sounds like a no-brainer to me. Ill definitely check that out.
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Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 104 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 104 Likes: 7 |
Right now, in the For Sale forum, Jason Peck is selling a 30" 12 ga.Sterlingworth ejector pin gun for an asking price of $850.00. He says the condition is good and the lever is well right of center. The bores are shiny, and bore diameters are under nominal 12 ga. size.
So you can ask all the experts here what it would cost to find and buy a replacement rib (If you can find one).... remove and relay it, and then refinish the barrels.... buy and replace the rotary bolt, and probably still need to TIG weld and refit the rib extension... plus shipping if you don't have a competent local double gun gunsmith nearby.
I'm betting the initial cost of the Sterlingworth you are considering, and the necessary work, parts and labor, will set you back a lot more than buying one that's ready to go, I just bought that Jason Peck Sterlingworth pin gun. It looks like a good one!
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,024 Likes: 25
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,024 Likes: 25 |
This is a good story with a happy ending. It's refreshing when things work out.
Bill Ferguson
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Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 104 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 104 Likes: 7 |
Btw, thank you to Keith for bringing that gun, and the whole For Sale forum to my attention.
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,343 Likes: 390
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,343 Likes: 390 |
My pleasure John. I hope you get many good years of pleasurable use out of your new/old Fox.
I've seen a number of guns sold by Jason Peck, and it always seems that his descriptions match his photos, and his asking prices are not out of line.
A true sign of mental illness is any gun owner who would vote for an Anti-Gunner like Joe Biden.
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