FOX B

[Builder Ken]

I picked up a nice old 16ga Fox B the right trigger did not work but the back trigger did so I took it apart and found about a pound of gunk on the trigger. A little solvent and some oil works great and I have a bunch of ammo for it.Ken

[gunsmoke]

The FOX B is a real nice side by side. I've never owned one but always admired them.

I've always had a strange attraction and affection for the 16 ga which is kind of neglected here in the U S. It is much more popular in continental Europe, I've just found the 16 to be a very effective hunting solution. One of my favorite hunting shotguns is a late 1930's production 16ga Browning A5 with a solid rib and modified choke.

[Builder Ken]

Never understood why the 16 faded it seems like the perfect all around gauge guess not every one thinks like us. lol Ken

[gunsmoke]

The 16 is very well balanced. Just looking at numbers it seems redundant both as to throw weight and velcoty. But in the field my experience is completely different. Every 16 I've ever had has patterned beautifully and consistantly with everything they are fed.

Honestly I think Americans have an odd affliction when it comes to the word MAGNUM. There not being a 16 ga magnum I think handicaps it in the larger market. It seems like every few years there is an investment in a whole new line of cartridges. Those with MAGNUM after their bore or caliber seem to be commerical successes whether or not they really offer anything new.

These cartridge/gun combinations become a compromise, that compromise becomes the sole reason for being and the sole selling point of some sort and people are convinced they need that compromise.

OH WELL SUCH IS LIFE...............

[gunsmoke]

Here is a nice brief article on the FOX B in case anyone is interested:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/fox_B_shotguns.htm

[kawalekm]

Congratulations on your find. I'm always impressed when someone can take apart something that doesn't work and fix it. I've always liked side by sides myself and bought one for hunting quail. Mine is a 20, but my local gun store also sells 16's, so you'd be covered here. Gotta show us a pic!
Michael

[Builder Ken]

I was told they are selling steel shot for 16ga I haven't seen it but maybe it will make a come back. I will use this gun for Dove and such if I knew how to post a pic I would, may have to get the kids to help lol. My next thing to buy will be a single stage MEC in !6ga. Ken

[Builder Ken]

gunsmoke Your comments on the "magnum" got me to thinking what do you think...... 150yrs ago when the hunter woke in the morning did he load his front stuffer according to the game he was to hunt that day or was it that he was familiar enough with his weapon that he loaded it and went on his way. I think we have become such a techno society that everything must be specialized and the words all purpose are never used. I think 150 yrs ago the hunter stayed very familiar with his weapon and depending on what he came across that day he had different approaches for each animal but they were all taken with the same weapon most likely. Our society has become lazy and if you wanted to take a bottle of asprin and pour it out and label part of them for headaches the other for your heart and some for joint pain you could double the price tag and sell all three. We just want the quick fix and do not have time to become familiar with whatever it is we are doing thus the need for "Magnum" shells. Ken

[deeker]

I was told they are selling steel shot for 16ga I haven't seen it but maybe it will make a come back. I will use this gun for Dove and such if I knew how to post a pic I would, may have to get the kids to help lol. My next thing to buy will be a single stage MEC in !6ga. Ken

There are several manfactures selling/loading steel for the 16ga. As well as Kent and their Matrix loads...Bismuth and a couple of others.

But to save you the stress of it all....best you send the FoxB to me.

You would be proud when I sent pics back to you of its purpose.....and I would enjoy the hell out of it.

How are you going to send it???

Kevin

[Builder Ken]

Kevin I think I better hang on to it for awhile to make sure it works okay but if I get tired of it I will let you know. Ya gotta love them ole dbls. Ken

[DM]

There WERE a few 3" magnum 16's built long ago, the idea didn't go over well, and they were soon gone.

DM

[gunsmoke]

Ken I think you're right. Way back in 1970 there was an older fella from Waco TX who came to town to work and he did some gunsmithing on the side, he was a machinist and had good equipment.

He only had 3 personal firearms a 1911, a WIN 94 SRC in .32 WIN SPEC and a .40 Muzzle loader he built from scratch himself. He hunted everything with that 94 including squirrels. He' "bark em" as he called it. Shoot the branch they were sitting on and let the bark and splinters kill the squirrel.

Now if someone had told me this I'd doubt it were true but I saw him take 2 squirrels one day this way.

He occaisionally used the ML to hunt deer, he limited himself to about 100 yds with it and would cast RB out of linotype. He liked spine shots on deer. I never went deer hunting with him but I saw several that he was dressing out.

I guess no one ever told him he needed a BAR in 7mm Rem Mag to hunt deer with? He just didn't know better.......

[dksac2]

The Fox is a great shotgun. They were lower priced, but you got a good value shotgun for the price. Anytime you can pick up a 16 ga in any shotgun, it is almost always worth more than a 12, 20 or .410 ga as there were fewer made. Enjoy your Fox. Hope it brings you lots of tasty treats.

Best Regards, John K