NY | Dogs and Doubles

If this 20g A.H. Fox Sterlingworth SxS is legit, it’s a steal …

August 24, 2015August 23, 2015 by Gregg

A.H. Fox Sterlingworth SxS 20ga 2 3/4″, Straight Stock, Skeet & Upland Game?

I’m not sure what we’re seeing here. Is this a rare, 20 gauge A.H. Fox Sterlingworth Skeet & Upland Game gun? Or is it just regular 20g Sterlingworth someone has messed with?

This gun is serial number — 270421 — which puts it around 1938. That’s near the end of the line for A.H. Fox, and three years into the period when the company was building their straight-gripped, high-stocked Sterlingworth Skeet & Upland Game guns. So there’s a chance this is one of those guns. If that’s the case, it’s a great deal.

A.H. Fox Sterlingworth SxS 20ga 2 3/4", Straight Stock, Skeet & Upland Game? — A.H. Fox Sterlingworth SxS 20ga 2 3/4″, Straight Stock, Skeet & Upland Game?

But here’s the thing: The stocks on Sterly S&UGs didn’t have the checkered sidepanels — or at least none of the ones I’ve seen, and the none ones Fox advertised in their literature, had stocks with checkered sidepanels. That detail was reserved for Foxes in B-grade and up.

So did the person who ordered this gun also ask for the panels? Did a stocker at the company add them as a way to kill the last few hours of a work week? Or was the stock a leftover intended for a higher-grade gun, and since A.H. Fox was nearing its end, the company wanted to use it up?

Of course, the other possible answers to this riddle are a restock — maybe by Savage at a later date or by someone else — or maybe even little custom work to the wood after the gun after it was delivered (I doubt this, though). But even if one of those are the case, this side-by-side is still a nice little double.

Fox Sterlingworth 20GA. NICE! Straight Stock!

Fox Sterlingworth SxS 20ga 2 3/4″
Action tight Bluing 85%. Case color 12%
Desirable 26” barrels
Straight Stock! Wood shows handling wear. Has recoil pad installed
Acouple shallow dings in the barrels from over the years
LOP – 15 1/8 DAC – 1 1/4” DAH – 2 3/8”
Great light weight gun weighing in at 6lbs 2oz
Middle barrel bead, double triggers, extractors, box lock

Price: $1,850

A sweet little 20 gauge Parker Bros. GHE double barrel shotgun…

January 7, 2014January 7, 2014 by Gregg

PARKER GHE 20 GAUGE SIDE BY SIDE SHOTGUN WITH 30" BARRELS — PARKER GHE 20 GAUGE SIDE BY SIDE SHOTGUN WITH 30″ BARRELS

In his book Parker Guns: The Old Reliable, Ed Muderlak said something like “Parker shotguns aren’t rare. But Parker shotguns with lots original condition are.” Ed was right- of course. I live within a couple hours of a few large gun shops. These shops always have a few Parker on their racks. But rarely are these shotguns very original.

Original condition is everything to collectors, and that’s why Parkers like the one you see here drives them crazy. Made in 1923, it’s a 20 gauge G.H. with unusual 30″ barrels and what looks like a ton of original condition.

PARKER GHE 20 GAUGE SIDE BY SIDE SHOTGUN WITH 30″ BARRELS: RIGHT BARREL BORE .616 CHOKE .011 IMPROVED CYLINDER, LEFT BARREL BORE .618 CHOKE .022 IMPROVED MODIFIED, 2 3/4″ CHAMBERS, DOUBLE TRIGGERS, EJECTORS, TWIN IVORY SIGHT BEADS, O FRAME, 14 1/4″ LENGTH OF PULL OVER DOGS HEAD BUTTPLATE, DROP 1 1/2″- 2 3/4″, 98% BARREL BLUE, 95% TRIGGER GUARD BLUE, 85% CASE COLOR, WOOD FINISH EXCELLENT, NICE TIGHT AND CRISP PARKER. PRICE: $10,999

Auction alert: 16 gauge Parker DHE double barrel shotgun…

September 24, 2013 by Gregg

Parker DH-grade Double Barrel Shotgun, the the The Parker Gun Collector's Association Site — Parker DH-grade Double Barrel Shotgun, the the The Parker Gun Collector’s Association Site

Here’s a tough 16 gauge side-by-side to find: a Parker Bros. DHE-grade double barrel shotgun. Also known as Grade 3s, Parker introduced its D-grade shotguns in 1875. With a price of $100, this model was the company’s least expensive “custom made” shotgun.

The DHE you see here was made in 1905 (the H is for hammerless, the E is for ejectors). It looks like it’s in nice condition. I’m not sure how many 16 gauge DHEs Parker made, but I can tell that you don’t see them on the market that often, especially nice shooters like this one. This one is online at Gunbroker.com and the auction ends 9/25/2013 3:15:42 PM ET. So if you like it, get on it now.

16 gauge Parker DHE Double Barrel SxS Shotgun: With steel 28″ barrels. 2-1/2″ chambers choked Imp. Mod and full according to my gauges. Bluing is thinning on barrels and stock has the usual dings and scratches for a gun this age. recoil pad is flat from sitting. 14″ LOP to the front trigger. Size 1 frame. Bores are great. Serial # 134521.

16 gauge Parker Bros DHE Double Barrel SxS Shotgun

Auction alert: great high grade Parker doubles in AAHE, CHE, DHE plus GHE, VHE

May 21, 2013 by Gregg

Little John’s Auction Service annual May antique and sporting guns auction starts tomorrow. There’s a lot of nice doubles there, including these Parker side by sides. Here a few that really caught my eye:

Lot 560: Parker AAHE Grade Pigeon gun, 12 gauge 2 ¾” chambers, 32” barrels: Serial number 205648. About 240 made. Excellent as restored condition by DelGrego. Barrels show Peerless steel marking. The interior of the barrels are very good plus with 99% plus of the proper color refinish. The action has been lightly polished. The trigger guard has been refinished. The stock remains in excellent as restored. LOP 14 ½”, 1 7/8” drop at the heel, ½” drop at the comb. Wall thickness .29 right and .25 left. . Est.: $35,000- $70,000.

Lot 600: Parker CHE grade 12 gauge double barrel shotgun, 30″ barrels: Serial #118334. English style straight stock, double triggers, auto ejectors, Titanic steel marked barrels, in very good+ to near fine original condition, . The barrels show 75-85% original blue; action retains 40-60% case hardening; the trigger guard has drifted to traces of blue; the stock shows a good grain and fancy checkering, with the forend almost fully checkered. LOP 14-1/2″. The gun locks tight, the bores are bright, and this is a very nice looking collector’s grade Parker. Est.: $6,000-$12,000

28 gauge Parker CHE double barrel SxS shotgun, OO frame

Lot 197: Parker VHE grade 20 gauge, SxS shotgun: Fine original condition. Serial #210670. The barrel’s measure 26”. 14 ¼” LOP The barrel’s retain 95% plus bright original blue, action shows 50% to 70% bright original case hardening. Trigger guard shows 50% to 70% thinning original blue. The gun is completely authentic and not abused. A collectors quality Parker out of a local estate. The barrels are both choked improved modified showing 2 ½” drop at the heel and 1 ½” drop at comb. Full 2 ¾” chambers and the ejectors work well. Est.: $1,400-$2,800.

Lot 176: Parker Brothers 12 gauge GHE grade Factory Skeet, by Remington: Serial #241791. In fine to near excellent condition. 26” barrels with ventilated rib, single trigger, auto ejectors, beavertail forend, pistol grip stock, skeleton butt plate. The gun shows 95% to 98% original blue and case hardening with just some slight handling and minor use. The stocks are also fine to near excellent showing a nice burled wood grain. The barrels are both choked cylinder or skeet. 14” LOP. Est.: $7,000 -$14,000.

Lot 1463: 28 gauge Parker CHE double barrel SxS shotgun, OO frame: Serial #184814. Barrels originally 30”, now 26”. English style straight stock, skeleton steel butt plate and checkered butt, serial number 184814. Old factory or Del Greco quality refinish of which and 90% to 95% of this blue finish remains showing good sharp edges and sharp markings with just a few small scratches, slight toning and minor losses. The frame is typically Parker engraved with fancy scrolls showing hunting dog on left and right with game bird on bottom. The frame shows 65% to 85% proper and old-style case hardened colors. Select checkered walnut stocks which of also been lightly refreshed and refinished. The action is tight and the bores are near excellent . Est.: $20,000-$40,000

See it for yourself: a real factory refinish on a 12g Parker VH double…

March 15, 2013March 15, 2013 by Gregg

Parker Bros. VH 12 gauge Double Barrel Side by Side Shotgun, 1950 Remington Refinish

Refinishing shotguns is like golf: Lots of people do it, few do it well.

The 12 gauge VH-grade Parker shotgun you see here is up for auction now (ending March 17, 2013 17:15:00 PT). This double was made in 1902 and refinished by Parker in 1950 (owned by Remington and located in Ilion, NY, by then).

It’s a great looking gun, and it’s interesting to see what the factory did and how well they did it.

The first thing that JUMPS out are the screaming case colors. Those are cyanide colors. Originally this Parker came with bone-charcoal case colors, and when it was new they looked more like this. By the 1930s, Parker was using cyanide colors on all their shotguns. Take a closer look at the pics to see just how nice these colors looks.

Overall, I have to say that the refinish on this VH-grade Parker was done well — and right. If you would like to add a Remington-refinished Parker to your collection, this is the one to get.

Good gun alert: a nice 12 gauge L.C. Smith 3E side by side…

March 8, 2013 by Gregg

12 gauge L.C. Smith 3E side-by-side double barrel shotgun

L.C. Smith shotguns get bad raps. Cracked stocks – that’s the most common criticism you’ll here about them. Finicky single triggers – that’s the other complaint people bring up all the time. While there’s some truth to these charges, the really only apply the post-1913 LCs.

Before then, these side-by-side were much more trouble free. The 12 gauge L.C. Smith 3E you see here is a pre-1913 gun, and it’s a good example of the kind of quality that the Hunter Arms Co. of Fulton, NY, was turning out at that time. The

In the 1900 Hunter Arms / L.C. Smith catalog, the makers claimed that the No. 3 Grade’s “…Nitro Steel barrels is considered by many to be the finest medium-grade on the market,” and that “This grade always pleases as in it we give so much of value.” I don’t know about the Nitro Steel, but their statement about value is right on. Here’s the rest of the story on the one you see here:

LC SMITH GRADE 3 12 GAUGE EJECTOR GUN: FINE ORIGINAL CONDITION. 30″ FLUID STEEL BARRELS ARE CHOKED IMP MOD AND IMP MOD. 2 3/4″ CHAMBERS WITH EXCELLENT BRIGHT BORES. AUTOMATIC EJECTORS. SINGLE SELECTIVE TRIGGER. PISTOL GRIP STOCK. 14 1/8″ LENGTH OF PULL. WEIGHS 7 3/4POUNDS. SERIAL #208XXX. VERY NICE HIGH GRADE SMITH. INCLUDED IS ORIGINAL LEG O MUTTON CASE IN GOOD CONDITION. SHIP TO FFL OR C&R. Price: $2,295.00

On Ebay now: an original 1937 “The Parker Gun” shotgun catalog…

February 4, 2013 by Gregg

1937 Parker Double Barrel Shotgun Catalog

Old gun catalogs from the original makers are one of the best places to learn about vintage shotguns. This Parker shotgun catalog on Ebay now is one of the nicest the company every produced. It’s also one of the most detailed and informative. If you’re really into Parker shotguns, it’s a must have.

This catalog is from 1937 – so well into Parker’s Remington period. I think it’s the final retail catalog Parker/Remington ever produced. With nice pictures, long descriptions and big pages (the catalog measures 11″ x 8 1/2″), it’s also one of the best. Ever single Parker shotgun available at the time is featured – from the A1 Special to single barrel Parker Trap guns. There are also accessories like butt pads and detailed instructions for ordering a new Parker side by side.

On the collector’s market, a catalog like this is a $400-$475 item, so if you can get this one for any less than that you’re going well. The auctions end on Feb 07, 2013 @ 17:30:18 PST, so get on it now.

Here’s part of the description of it from the seller’s listing:

“This is a all original Parker Gun Catalogue from when Remington took over production. The catalogue is in excellent condition with minimal wear , one small tear on one page…The catalog has all of the information when one was going to order one of these fine shotguns. It includes all of the grades from A1 Special to Trojan. It describes each grade in detail…”

A real nice Remington: 12 gauge FE Trap Gun…

January 24, 2013January 24, 2013 by Gregg

12 gauge Remington FE Trap Gun, side-by-side, double barrel shotgun

Remington used to a major player in the American double’s market. From 1873 t0 about 1909, they made 200,000+ side-by-side shotguns.

The 12 gauge FE Trap you see here was made around 1907. Remington introduced this model in 1906 and offered it for just three years.

Is this Ithaca 20 gauge double barrel really an NID Skeet?

July 14, 2012 by Gregg

The Ithaca Gun Company was one of America’s most fertile and successful gunmakers. From 1885 to 1936, they made 470,000+ double barrel shotguns, more than any other maker in America.

Of these, one of the hardest to find today is an original Ithaca NID Skeet gun, especially a 20 gauge. So if the gun you see here is one, it’s a very rare, and desirable, double.

The New Ithaca Double side-by-side (aka NID) — was introduced in 1926 and discontinued around 1948. The first Skeet models were offered in 1935. They came with a single triggers, ejectors, “SKEET” choking, a beavertail forend, and twin ivory beads. A vent rib and rubber recoil pad were optional.

This 20 gauge Ithaca does hase some of these standard features. The “cylinder” may be SKEET chokes. Even thought the straight-gripped stock looks skinny through the wrist, it may be original, too. The only way you’ll really know is to research the serial.

Unfortunately, this is going to be tough to do. As of today, this Ithaca was already sold and on its way to a new home. I wonder if its new owner knows what might have?

A closer looks a Remington Model 1882 shotgun

February 26, 2012February 23, 2012 by Gregg

Hammerguns are just plain cool, especially ones by American makers. Check out this quick video to get a closer look at one of my favorites, a Remington Model 1882 double barrel shotgun.