barrel stamping AE 16 ga Fox

[davidboyles]

I have aquired an AE 16 gauge Fox serial #301143 that has restamped barrel serial number to match receiver number and on the barrel flats there is a large stamping "2nd" I was told by the seller this means the gun was restamped by the factory and was sold as a Factory Second. Can anyone tell me if this is a true statement and is valid from the factory? The barrels have been reblued and there is no barrel weight number marking on the barrels. They are 26" barrels.

[Twice Barrel]

Is the barrel marked with a "2" or "2nd". If it is a "2" it is the second set of barrels of a two barrel set.

[Don Ay]

I am curious as to what a factory card says on such a marked gun. there was a double gun journal article on guns marked seconds some years back
not sure your seller is correct about the ser.# restamp thu,, most times it only was in regard to fit and finish of the gun.

[Researcher]

I have pictures of an early A-Grade, serial number 2529 that is stamped three times on the barrel flats with a large 2ND, more than twice the height of the A and serial number lettering. We have noticed a goodly number of cards marked SECOND in the surviving records. Tom Kidd's article on seconds was in The Double Gun Journal, Volume Six, Issue 2, page 63. The guns Tom shows in his article are Sterlingworths, 93561 and 261104. They are both stamped SECOND on the right barrel flat in lettering about the same size as the serial number.

[davidboyles]

I want to thank those that responded to my question that there was such a marking on Fox guns. Now at least I know I haven't been deceived and that this is a valid marking. It looks like the last three digits of the number was changed only so maybe the stamper had an off day!!! I had another Fox collector from Oregon tell me for sure that there were factory seconds and they were stamped with the Large 2 then ND. Thanks again to all that responded.

[MARSHFELLOW]

I have seen 2ND and SECOND

[abner]

I have a Sterlingworth #89955 shipped in 1921 that is not marked "Second" or "2nd", but when I got my letter from Clark Roe, he stated the card was marked that the gun had been sold as a "Second". So, there is a third way the factory marked their guns and that is no marking at all, only on the card. I was surprised by Clark Roe's letter and wondered if calling a gun a "Second" was just a way to give a discount?