Curator's Corner: From the NRA Museums Vault - Fox Model B Shotgun

[@alexbuss3377]

Hey I have one of these it was my dads when he was a teen and he has handed down to me and it still shoots great after 30 years of use

[@Rareenergy]

I learned nothing about my model B, but interesting story.

[@wholeNwon]

The Phila. Fox with rotary bolting was a very solid gun that stayed on face over the years.

[@bobgarr6246]

Hey guys, I just returned from a trip to the National Firearms Museum. It was like a pilgrimage, words cannot describe how amazing it really is. Besides seeing firearms that I have seen in books and documentaries for decades up close, there were firearms that one NEVER gets the opportunity to see! A truly fine job. The WWI and WWII exhibits, the double guns, side x side and o/u shotguns and the Winchester exhibits were mind boggling in their attention to detail. I wish as much was devoted to Remington as was Winchester, but if you want detailed examples of Remingtons, well go up to Illion, they have an excellent museum. I am so very grateful to the NRA for the preservation of these culturally significant and historically important firearms, thank you. Every gun owner, or at the very least every NRA member, should afford themselves of the opportunity, and go visit the museum. Again, thank you.

[@jamesfarmer6004]

Shotgun Wednesday’s, September 14th Lake County Examiner depicted a vintage classic Fox Sterlingworth double-barrel shotgun. This shotgun is mentioned in Michael McIntosh’s July 1989 book: “The best shotguns ever made in America: Seven vintage doubles to shoot and treasure.” The Fox incorporated the Anson and Deely boxlock “hammerless” action which was patented in 1875, by the British firm Westley Richards of Birmingham, England. I love shotguns and always have. The online video, “Tales Of The Gun: Shotguns” via the History Channel is worth viewing. During the 19th century Western Frontier Era (1850-1890) the venerable, versatile, and historic 10 and 12 gauge double-barrel shotgun played a vital role , well into the 20th century, and even remains so today. Iconic examples were the Parker Bros, L.C. Smith, Remington, Ithaca, various cheaper Belgian imports, and of course British and European makes, the Italian Beretta for instance. Today the traditional “side by side” double-barrel shotgun has been largely superseded by “over and under” shotguns of which the Japanese made Winchester Model 101 and the new Browning B-725 Citori excel. The advent of the modern repeating shotgun had an impact in eventually displacing the classic double guns. An example is the John M. Browning designed Winchester Model 97 “hammer” pump action shotgun( 1897-1957). For the farmer, homesteader, trapper, miner, prospector, rancher, townsman, emigrant, settler, even lawmen, who settled America and Canada, a double-barrel shotgun was worth it’s weight in gold. It defined both “Homeland Security” and likewise putting fresh game on the table and filling the family larder. Be aware of pre-World War 1 (1914-1918) vintage shotguns with Damascus or “twist” steel barrels. These are dangerous to fire with modern shotgun shells which originated during the 1920’s utilizing progressive burning smokeless powders. James A. Farmer, Ashland Lake County Examiner: Lakeview, Oregon Wednesday, September 21, 2016 Letters To The Editor www.lakecountyexam.com Provided courtesy of Jim Farmer.