Savage A.H. Fox C Grade 12 GA 28″ SXS Double Shotgun, MFD 1930 C&R
SOLD FOR: $5,326
LSB#: 240402GN025
Make: A.H. Fox
Model: Grade C
Serial Number: 33898
Year of Manufacture: 1930
Caliber: 12 Gauge, 2 3/4” Chamber
Action Type: Top Break Side by Side Box Lock Hammerless Shotgun with Ejectors
Barrel Length: 28”
Choke: The left barrel measures Full, Fixed. The right barrel measures Modified, Fixed.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a white bead fixed to the rib above the muzzles. There is a smaller white mid-bead fixed to the rib. The top of the rib is serrated to help reduce glare.
Weight: 7 lbs, 8.4 oz.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece checkered wood featuring a splinter forend with a black inlay tip, a capped semi-pistol grip, a fluted straight comb and a Pachmayr White Line ventilated recoil pad. The wood shows light nicks, dings, scratches and some minor handling and storage marks. The checkering is sharp overall. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 14 7/8” and 14 1/8” from the fronts of the triggers to the back of the recoil pad, and 13 7/8” and 13 1/8” to the wood. The recoil pad has some warping but remains supple. The drop at the comb is 1 /58”. The drop at the heel is 2 3/4”. The cast is neutral. The stocks are in Fine overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue and Case Color
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bores are semi-bright. There is a bit of stubborn fouling but no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates a 9 or 10 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This shotgun retains about 97% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows just a few light nicks, scuffs and handling marks. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this shotgun is in Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The barrel lockup is tight with no play to the receiver. We did not fire this firearm. We have cleaned this firearm and performed a mechanic’s check but expect many will want to clean the firearm again depending on their standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: Ansley Fox was one of the earliest American innovators with internal hammer double guns. In 1894, at the age of 19, he was issued a patent on a system of cocking the internal hammers of a break-action gun using leverage from the barrels with his design actually containing nineteen patentable features, according to the U.S. Patent office. Fox would continue on, making it his life’s work to produce “The finest gun in the world” (as well as the finest car in the world and a few other manufacturing ventures). He even gained the praise of Theodore Roosevelt who wrote to Mr. Fox in a letter “The double-barreled shotgun has come, and I really think it is the most beautiful gun I have ever seen. I am exceedingly proud of it. I am almost ashamed to take it to Africa and expose it to the rough usage it will receive. But now that I have it, I could not possibly make up my mind to leave it behind. I am extremely proud that I am to have such a beautiful bit of American workmanship with me”. The A.H. Fox Gun Co. would continue producing shotguns of various grades and chambered for various gauges through the late 1920s, when they fell victim to the Great Depression and were acquired by Savage Arms.
This example is a Savage-era 12 gauge CE Grade, produced in 1930. Today, A.H. Fox shotguns are quite collectible. As Fox’s reputation was built on quality, their success didn’t necessarily mean that a huge number of guns were made. This example needs a little work on its lever, but looks great with much of its original finish remaining and great bores. This shotgun can still serve, nearly 90+ years after it was made, to take down flesh or clay birds in style. It will also add nicely to a double shotgun collection. Please see our photos and good luck in your bidding!
-J. Ren
