Just won a Sterlingworth auction

[kingston73]

I managed to win a 12 gauge, 30 inch barrel sterlingworth for only $305 and I’ve got questions. First, how was mine so cheap? I had a fox years ago that had been my grandfather’s but after some extremely rough times I let it go. (Yeah, I know, don’t ever sell firearms and I kick myself when I think about it now). This was pre-Covid and I sold it for maybe $800-ish. I have been wanting to replace it for years but could never justify the prices I was seeing. Is mine some kind of counterfeit or extremely low end version?

Second question, is there a way to date the manufacture year or just the general range of dates? It’s a 539xx serial number.

Third, how can I tell if the stock is original? I haven’t received it yet but the stock looks to be in pretty good shape for a shotgun that is potentially 100 years old.

I will post pictures when I receive it but I’ve included some pictures from the auction.
https://imgur.com/a/jzeBNJP

[Researcher]

Your gun is an early one from late 1910/ early 1911. You can get a letter from the folks at Cody.

https://centerofthewest.org/explore/fir ... ds/savage/

Your gun has a nice, serviceable, replacement stock, which probably cost about what you paid for the gun. The market is very soft for entry-level 12-gauge doubles.

[JasonR]

I was watching this one, surprised that it sold for that price. Nice win for you!

[Stan Hillis]

You did very well. It is not a counterfeit. No one could counterfeit a gun to the quality of a Sterlingworth and make a profit. Replaced wood, as Dave said.

I once bought a Sterly Ejector Deluxe that had been restocked. The wood was "full", or a bit oversized. I decided to make it look more like an original Sterly buttstock and forend. I chronicled my project here on the "Technicana" and Restoration Forum, under a thread entitled The shape of things ....., which is currently on page 8.

If you had the inclination and ability to do some simple reshaping you might be able to make it look much more "Foxy".