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Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 5 Location: Bristol TN

Hi Folks,
My name is Rich and this is my first post. I started bird hunting, Ruffed Grouse primarily, under the mentorship of a friend back in 1994 when I was living in Rochester NY. I was 35 years-old and had never hunted anything. I was a creature of the suburbs. He hunted with a Lab and it was the interaction of man and dog that really captured my imagination. In 1997, I visited northern Wisconsin for the first time to hunt there. By then, I had moved to Bristol, TN but the bird numbers were poor then, even worse now locally. To help myself out and jump start my learning, I hired guides in Clam Lake. They hunted with side-by-sides and encouraged me to find one myself. So, I sold the 12g BPS Upland and found a 1916 Philly Fox Sterlingsworth in 16g on the internet. The Fox has been my primary gun since except for two seasons during which I was waiting for it to be restocked. I had dropped it while hunting in Maine in 2004. According to my elderly stockmaker, the stock already had been repaired twice and was beyond repair now.

This Fox had been opened to skeet 1 and skeet 2 before I purchased it. I generally shoot 2.5 inch shells in it. Most of my recent trips north to hunt have been late season when the grouse get up early and relatively far off. This has led me to a recent "ah-ha" moment when it occurred to me that likely my pattern is way too open by the time it gets anywhere near the bird. In any event, that would be a nice rationale for my crummy shooting.

I am not happy with the restocking job. My stockmaker is quite elderly, had many health issues during the time he had my gun, and I think primarily has restocked rifles. Also, I doubt that the elderly barrels of my gun can have screw-in chokes made for it. Should I hang on to this gun, or look to sell it for something else, perhaps a modern side-by-side? I have my oldest child starting college next fall, so keeping it and purchasing something else is not my most attractive option. On the other hand, I hate not taking it to the woods each year as it was meant to do. What are your thoughts and ideas? Thank you.

PS: In the past, I have purchased both a 16g Winchester 12 and a 16g Ithaca 37, but under a "one in the door, one out" policy I sold them both. That, I now know, was a mistake.

Richard

Welcome Rich,
This board is a wealth of knowledge and should serve you well. As far as the chokes on your Fox, my opinion is that skeet 1 and 2 are well suited for ruff grouse. You didn’t mention the problem(s)with the stocking job, so I can’t comment. Just a thought, if you pattern the shotgun at the ranges you expect to shoot, it could give you an idea of what the stock problem may be, such as point of impact and you will also see a graphic pattern display for each choke.

Welcome aboard Rich! I would think that the skeet 1 & 2 chokes would work well for grouse. I assume that the Fox has double triggers giving instant control over the shots. Having proper stock dimensions is paramount to successful shooting and a shooting instructor can help you with that. If your Fox was restocked to the original dimensions, then the stock is probably not optimal for you. It is hard to say whether you should sell the gun and replace it, or keep it. If it needs to be restocked, then it would probably behoove you to sell it.

My 2 cents

Welcome Rich
That restock is a shame Sad

To get it restocked and have new permanet chokes soldered and recut would be expensive. Gonna hinge on just how much you like that gun Very Happy

good luck

Guest

Bonasus maybe I missed it but just what is the problem with the stock, fit, finish or what? Have you patterned the gun for point of aim and pattern density? Using modern ammunition Skeet 1 will pattern about 55% of the shot in a 30 inch circle at 40 yards while Skeet 2 (light modified) will pattern about 65% which should be all that you need for Grouse, quail and pheasant over pointing dogs.

Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 5 Location: Bristol TN

Thanks guys for replies. The restocking job has poor metal to wood fit. And, it is too long. I don't figure to do anything about it until such time that I can get a proper gunfitting. At that point in my life, I will probably be able to look for something more recent. It looks like the consensus is that skeet 1 and skeet 2 are appropriate for grouse and woodcock. Dang, it must be my shooting Rolling Eyes

! I don't doubt that. I like the gun, and have had it for quite some time now. I think it will be reserved as my early season gun. Until several years ago, I always kept a used 16g pump around as my backup, assuming that sooner or later, a 1916 gun will fail to work. I sold the 16g model 12 and model 37, big mistake. It looks like most guys are liking their 16g BPS Upland models. My first shotgun was a 12g BPS Upland which I shot well (for a beginner) but I sold it as being too heavy to carry about all day. Perhaps I'll get one of the 16g Uplands as my late season and pheasant gun. And, I'll keep an eye out for a good used Ithaca 16g. Thanks again guys!
Richard

Hello Richard:

Welcome to the club .

Regards Charles

Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 190 Location: Washington State

Hello Richard, I'm another Richard also from Rochester, well, Irondequiot actually. Tho' I left back in 1970...

Can't help you with the Fox dilema, but I can vouch for the 16 BPS being a fine upland gun. I have the 26 inch hunter and around 8-9 notches in the stock (speaking colorfully that is...).

It also does a fine job on quail and pheasant, when properly loaded and aimed... Laughing

Welcome...whatever you decide to shoot.

Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 56 Location: wny

Welcome on--for the Fox, why not glass bed the head to get a better wood to metal fit...then cut to more comfortable length. Much cheaper than a new restock job. The grouse still fly well in NY. I have property south of Rochester, thru archery and slug season i have kicked out doubles and twice a triple. I am certain with 7 1/2's in the gun they will not be as willing to show ..usually the way isnt it....