upland game | Dogs and Doubles

Scarce: A.H. Fox Sterlingworth Skeet & Upland Game…

September 22, 2017 by Gregg

I bet we would have liked Charles Davis. A dog breeder and grouse hunter, Mr Davis created “Shooting Around the Clock” back in 1920s to improve his shotgun skills and kill time between hunting seasons. By the ’30s, this game had evolved into Skeet and become the hottest shooting sport in the country. It had also become a sales opportunity many gunmakers were aiming to take advantage of.

The Sterlingworth Skeet and Upland Game Gun, was the SxS the A.H. Fox Co. made to target this new market. This model debut in company’s 1935 catalog. Here’s some info about these shotguns from the AH Fox Collectors Association website:

To meet the demand for a moderately priced skeet and upland game double gun we have produced the famous Fox-Sterlingworth gun in this new straight grip model with 26″ barrels bored: right skeet, cylinder, left quarter choke. This is a standard stock model possessing the features of skeet boring and stock design heretofore available only in custom-built guns

Barrels– Fluid compressed steel, 26″ length bored right skeet cylinder and left quarter choke
Action– Two trigger, extractor type
Stock– American walnut straight grip, length 14″, drop at comb 1 1/2″, drop at heel 2 1/2″
Engraving– Ornamented with line engraving on frame and guard
Weight– 12 gauge about 7 lbs, 16 gauge about 6 lbs, 20 gauge about 5 3/4 lbs

The following extras are furnished to order: Automatic ejectors, Fox-Kautzky Selective single trigger, Beavertail forend, recoil pad, Ivory sights

Of course, the one you see here is for sale. Here’s the listing for it from Gunsinternational.com:

Fox Skeet and Upland Game 12 bore SxS: Very nice, scare Fox Upland Skeet model Sterlingworth Utica, NY manufacture. 12 bore with .005 & .012 chokes in the original 26″ barrels. Bright shiny bores. 2 3/4″ chambers. Solid rib with ivory front and center bead. Extractor & double triggers. Case color in the protected areas with the balance of the receiver faded bright. Very nice original straight grip butt stock and semi beavertail for end. Good checking and finish and less than normal nicks and dings. 14 1/4″ LOP 1 1/2″ DAC and 2 1/8″ DAH. Lever falls to the center and has a tight lock up and is on face. Excellent original blue on the barrels and trigger guard showing only a few scattered freckles.
?matching numbers. An excellent scarce Fox for the shooter or collector. Price: $2,350

Auction alert: a real nice 20g Browning Citori, 28″, straight grip…

February 14, 2014 by Gregg

Here’s another nice looking Browning Citori O/U that’s up at Gunrunnerauctions.com now. The listing endd tomorrow 02/15 @ 19:05. Browning introduced their Citori over-unders in 1973, and the gun has always been made in Japan by Miroku. You can learn more about line here at Browning’s corporate site.

Browning Citori Upland Special 20 gauge Over Under Shotgun: Serial #15522PY123, Mfg. Japan. Excellent condition. 28″ vent rib barrels have nice bright bores. Tight action. Fixed chokes of M/F. 98% blue. Straight grip stock has satin finish and Deaccelerator pad. Very nice and clean! Engraved blue receiver. Perfect for pheasant popping this fall and clays this summer.

Gone! Dream Beretta AS EELL O/U sells in just a few hours..

August 30, 2013August 30, 2013 by Gregg

Beretta AS EELL Double Barrel Over-Under 20 gauge, 27 1/2" bbls — Beretta AS EELL Double Barrel Over-Under 20 gauge, 27 1/2″ bbls

SALE PENDING – that’s what the listing on this fantastic little Beretta said just a few hours after the little O/U gun on the market. It’s easy to see why. Of all the configurations that Beretta’s ASE over-under shotguns came in, this one has to be the rarest. I wish I hadn’t missed it.

BERETTA ASEL EELL 20 GAUGE O/U WITH 27 1/2″ BARRELS – GREAT ENGRAVING: Lovely deep cut floral engraving. Solid rib. Ejectors. Straight grip with long trigger guard. High condition. Plugged swivel holes – typical of ASEL guns. Barrel weight of 1,190. Mirror bores. Bottom barrel measures at .625 with 20/1000 choke (Mod) while top barrel is .623 with 28/1000 Choke (Full). Bottom barrel firing pin need replacement. Weight of gun is 5 LBS 11 1/8″ OZ. Shipping is $35. Stock dimensions follow. LOP – 14 5/8″ Drop at Comb – 1 3/8″ Drop at Heel – 2 1/8″ Price: SALE PENDING

Good gun alert: another nice 20 gauge Beretta ASE…

August 17, 2013August 16, 2013 by Gregg

1953 Beretta AS 20E Boxlock 20 Gauge Over Under Shotgun

I’ve written about these great little doubles a number of time before. They’re such great shotguns that very time I see one I feel obligated to let people know.

Back in 1949, Beretta introduced a line of O/Us that would become legends. The ASs were boxlock O/Us and Beretta built them as lightweight hunting guns. The shotguns came in 2 gauges (12g and 20g) and 3 grades (ASE, ASEL, and ASEELL).

Today, a lot of Beretta fanatics consider the AS-grades to be the best boxlock shotguns made by the Italian company. If you’re looking for a fantastic upland gun, the one you see here is hard to beat.

1953 Beretta AS 20E Boxlock 20 Gauge Over Under: 26 inch skeet and skeet chokes. This gun is 99% receiver 97% barrels and 98% wood. Double triggers. Serial # is 11xxx. WT 5lb 7oz DAC 1 3/8 DAH 2 1/8 LOP 14.

Good gun alert: a 12 gauge Beretta ASEL, double triggers, long bbls…

May 23, 2013 by Gregg

1956 - Beretta ASEL - 12ga, 27-5/8" bbls — 1956 – Beretta ASEL – 12ga, 27-5/8″ bbls

A fantastic O/U at a fair price — that’s what you see here. Beretta started making their AS-line of boxlock over & under shotguns in 1949 and they continued turning them out into the 1960s.

These were made for hunting (i.e., light weight compared to the later ASE target models introduced in the late ’80s). The ASELs were hand engraved and hand fitted. They eventually were replaced in the early 60s by the S5x series of beretta boxlock over/unders. The S5x series was manufactured to allow parts interchangeability without hand-fitting.

Beretta build these as hunting guns, and the company offered 2 gauges (12g and 20g) and three grades (ASE, ASEL, and ASEELL). Each grade featured hand engraving and all models were build with the quality that has made these doubles so great. Toady, a lot of serious Beretta fanatics condider any of the AS-grades to be the finest boxlock O/Us shotguns Beretta ever made.

Here’s more about this one from the seller:

1956 – Beretta ASEL – 12ga, 27-5/8″ bbls: 2-3/4″, Modified / Full (.018 / .041), Double Triggers, Solid Tapered Rib, Prince of Whales Grip, Checkered Butt, LOP 14-1/2″ with Drop 1-3/8″ to 2″, Weight 6 lbs. 13 oz. all Original Super Nice Condition – especially for a 1956 gun. A very lightly used gun that hasn’t been shot much at all. Perfect Bores. Sharp Checkering. Bank Vault Action. A Very Tight Gun! Price: Price: $4900

Breed of the Week: The Braque de l’Ariège

November 15, 2012November 15, 2012 by Gregg

The Braque de l'Ariège, Continental Pointing Dog, from Craig Koshyk — The Braque de l’Ariège, Continental Pointing Dog, from Craig Koshyk

The Braque de l’Ariège has had its ups and downs, and the fact that it exists today is a testament to how much passion of handful of men and women have had for the breed.

Even though the Braque de l’Ariège’s origins are disputed, what is agreed upon is that these bird dogs originated in southern France and that at least one of its ancestors was the Braques Français. Standards for the breed were established in 1905. Over the next several decades the popularity of these large, easy hunting white and orange pointing dogs spread. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm petered out, and in 1960 the Braque de l’Ariège was considered dead.

Fortunately, this isn’t the end of the story. To find out how the Braque de l’Ariège was saved, check out this post over at Craig Koshyk’s Pointing Dogs blog. Koshyk is the author of Pointing Dogs: Volume One, The Continentals. If you’re into birds dogs, it’s a bird you absolutely have to have.