Inherited 1910 Sterlingworth, how to keep in use?

[Researcher]

It is not a 16-gauge. John obviously made a typo there. It is one of the very last The Sterlingworth Co. guns from right in the transition from The Sterlingworth Co. to the Sterlingworth Model 1911 being included in the A.H. Fox Gun Co. Catalogue No. 24. Your gun is the highest serial number I've recorded to still have the Baker J-spring snap-off/-on forearm fastening. I've recorded one Sterlingworth Model 1911 with a bit lower serial number and two The Sterlingworth Co. guns with higher serial numbers. October 1910 sounds perfectly reasonable for the shipping date.

[newatthis]

Thank you, I've just decided that too by weighing the gun. It weighs 7.4 lbs. Could it be possible the factory record is wrong? The letter also states a weight of 6.25-6.5 lbs. I suppose he could have just been thinking incorrectly and wrote down all the info for a 16 gauge. Barrel length and length of pull were correct. I'll have to write back for clarification.

It's been about 10 years since I've shot skeet and I used a modern over and under. I've never used a side by side. I'm really looking forward to using this for skeet and possibly turkey. Glad I didn't goof on the shells too. Thanks for all the information!

AJ

[George Lander]

No, 12 gauge shells will not fit a 16 gauge Sterlingworth. Something is wrong here (possibly the AHFCA letter) If the chambers were enlarged (God forbid) to fit 12 gauge shells I would not attempt to fire it.

JMHO, George

[Stan Hillis]

Kudos to you for researching all this carefully before using her. So many don't, and destroy a gun's originality. Well done.

Agree with Dave, this is not a 16 ga. gun. The breech ends of the barrels show no signs of the chambers having been recut to 12 ga. That is almost unheard of, IMO.

Your pics are good. Could you take a few more to include some of the top of the barrels, where the lettering is? I'd really like to see the barrel markings and the top rib matting.

Welcome to the board, too.

SRH

[newatthis]

Hi all, I wrote to Mr. Callahan asking for clarification with the letter. I also had to miss my appointment with the local Ithaca guy, who is going to look at the chambers for me. So, no news yet, but I did take a few more pics as requested. I think I'm going to have to get a pad for the stock as it's a little short for me to hold comfortably, I'm a tall guy with long arms. I like the look of the tie-on type, I'm not sure what they're called.

(These pics and those above all have larger versions if you click on them.)

[Researcher]

Early on, The Sterlingworth Company barrels were roll-stamped with an address of WAYNE JUNC., PA, U.S.A. --



Then a bit later they were using PHILADELPHIA, U.S.A. --



At some point they inserted PA when they made a new roll-stamp. By the time this gun was made it appears there is some kind of flaw between PA and U.S.A. that makes it almost look like PAT?

[newatthis]

It sure looks stamped, but it doesn't match the surrounding "PA" and "USA". Maybe someone at the factory thought it was supposed to read "PAT" for patent and added it? It's pretty well-placed to be a random mark on the steel. I also just noticed the first "N" on the top barrel is missing a leg.

I replaced the first pic in the previous post with one that shows all the lettering. It looks a lot like the the first "T" on that line, with the wider left side of the flat part of the "T", but not as well formed. Interesting, didn't notice either of those things before.