Fox Collectors

Hi, thanks for adding me to the forum. I recently purchased a fox sterlingworth 12 gauge at a flea market. I got a great deal, but upon further discovery; I found that it had been taken apart and the trip spring that holds the top lever back when the action is open was lost. if anyone could point me in the right direction to find one or has one that I could purchase, please let me know.
thank you.

Welcome to the group. I don’t have one, but someone might.

While I don't generally go inside these things, I have made a ball point pen spring work a for a trip spring.

Just so you know the trip spring doesn’t “hold the top lever back”. The spring pushes on a part I’ve long called the trip pin, and that in turn engages a shoulder on the rotary bolt when the lever is pushed far right.

You may be also missing the trip pin. Also fyi, used ones as found on E Bay etc are often worn on the surface that engages the bolt shoulder.

A spring from a ball point pen will work in a pinch but they’re generally too large in diameter to fit into the counterbore in the back end of the trip pin. In other words it's kind of floating around. Better to find the proper spring.

frank

Update I used the proper turn screw and took the bottom screw out of the action. I inserted a ballpoint pen Spring. the diameter and size fit but the spring itself was not the right kind of steel and was crushed under the pressure. To get the spring out I use the small awl. Also I put pressure on to the trip pin And it held open the top lever perfectly. Does anyone know what size spring could be used as a replacement part if an original one is not available? Thanks.

Another thing I noticed the gun seems unusually heavy for only a 2 3/4 inch chamber, 30 inch tubes choked full and super full. I was looking at the area where you would usually see the number for the barrel weights at it is marked HB. No barrel weight numbers. Any thoughts as to what that could be? thanks.

Jakethedog wrote: ↑Tue Sep 13, 2022 8:34 pm Another thing I noticed the gun seems unusually heavy for only a 2 3/4 inch chamber, 30 inch tubes choked full and super full. I was looking at the area where you would usually see the number for the barrel weights at it is marked HB. No barrel weight numbers. Any thoughts as to what that could be? thanks.

Jake,
What is the actual weight as determined by weighing it on an accurate scale?

It just might be in the ballpark for a 30 inch barreled Fox. Probably around 7 1/2 pounds (+/-)

I just used an extremely accurate digital scale and I get a reading of 8 1/4 pounds

As a comparative I have an LC Smith 32 inch long range and it weighs the exact same as the fox.

Jakethedog wrote: ↑Tue Sep 13, 2022 11:21 pm I just used an extremely accurate digital scale and I get a reading of 8 1/4 pounds

Yep, that sounds on the hefty side. Could be number 1 or number 2 barrels.

What's the serial number? Any additional marks on the barrel flat other than the serial number and proof mark?

For comparison, weigh a gallon of water in a plastic jug. Back in my science/physic class school days, we used 8 pounds and 6 ounces.

The serial number range is 71xxx

On the spring, I don't have any handy here to measure but if you can't find a good strong one from a kind member ..... just push out the trip pin, measure the ID and depth of the counterbore, and order a spring with slightly lesser OD and about 1/2" longer from a mill supply place. Grind to length after checking for good compression on the trip pin. Watch out for weak used springs; while they may work the lower compression will sooner or later cause the trip pin and/or shoulder on the locking bolt to lose bite and then you have a bigger problem. Same with trying to use ball point pen springs, etc. that are too large to center in the pin counterbore. frank

A weaker type spring such as one from a pen would work in a pinch, but they generally are not strong enough to make the trip work positively all the time. I recently had a customer with a Sterlingworth where this was the case. The trip barely worked and when it did, it would let go if you slightly touched it. I found that the spring in it was shorter and much weaker than the original spring. I put the proper one in and it was fixed.

I have a 12ga Sterlingworth from around mid-30's that needs a trip and spring. Any chance the Savage Foxes use the same part? The person who worked on the gun coated the receiver with a shellac, so before I crack the seal on the bottom action screw, I want to know a bit more.

Captain America wrote: ↑Tue Dec 20, 2022 3:03 pm I have a 12ga Sterlingworth from around mid-30's that needs a trip and spring. Any chance the Savage Foxes use the same part? The person who worked on the gun coated the receiver with a shellac, so before I crack the seal on the bottom action screw, I want to know a bit more.

Captain America, Sir:
If the gun is missing both the trip pin and spring (which means the top lever won't stay over to the right when you open the gun), ask the guy who worked on the gun. ie, "coated the receiver with shellac" what he did with them.

And if you have a mid 30's Sterlingworth, that would be a Savage Fox era Sterlingworth and should use the same parts. Or are you talking about a Savage Fox Model B?

The above discussion on that coil spring should give you some ideas. If the guy who worked on your gun before can't come up with the gun's parts, source the spring as discussed above. If you need a trip pin and you have another Fox, remove that trip pin and have a guy that's good with machine tools make you another one. Try that pin in your gun first to make sure it will work.

And, welcome to the forum.

Jolly