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I finally received my 16 ga Savage Fox BSE. (Don't ask what took so long) It is about 98%, looks brand new, and its 13 1/2 LOP fits my little George Castanza body type perfectly.
I don't know what it weighs but it feels great; probably 6 3/4 pounds give or take a few ounces. 26" barrels, IC & MOD, should make a great bird gun. I know it is not an expensive gun, but it is nice to see an older gun of any type that has been well cared for and hardly ever used. It sure is pretty.
XVI

Member Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 602 Location: western pa

I have a Sterlingworth, an Elsie, a Model12 and a plain B model (no ejecters).To tell you the honest truth,I shoot the B model a shade better than the pricey guns.I don't care how much you spend on a gun, if you feel the heft of a brace of roosters in the game bag at the end of a good walk;well that's what makes your day. Happy Hunting and enjoy your new gun.

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

LOP WAY TOO SHORT!!!!!!----HA Twisted Evil

Let us know how it/you shoot at the local club.

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

Congrats on the new addition. Now take it out and shoot it so we can get a field report on it. Very Happy

Joined: 19 Jun 2004 Posts: 1480 Location: Mpls, MN.

A friend bought the Fox model B 16 that Larry Brown warned us all about. The gun had a problem or three (ring bulge in right barrel, the name "JOHN KIMBAL stamped into the right side of the stock, lever way left of center, needs a serious cleaning) but, it shoots like the Dickens, and he took three stupid game farm pheasants with it.

He is happy (I might have dickered down the price, knowing the defects wouldn't change what I was going to use it for, but, the asking price was only $350) and the gun WORKS fine. Two triggers are best, and a 16 is better. The best part about the gun is no ejectors or single trigger, so it will work forever as is.

Not ready to trade in my Tobin 16, but such is life....
Best,
Ted

Member Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 1256 Location: Nebraska

A friend of my father's has a Savage Fox B 16 with two triggers and extractors. I borrowed it one day and had a shot at a grouse that was as close as feeling part of the gun as I've ever been. A bird went up to the left rear and followed the edge of a hillside away to the front. The gun came up very smoothly and it felt like I was tracking the shot out the right barrel and on to intercept the bird, driving him down among his loose feathers. I climbed up the ridge and never did find him although he looked like he'd been hit hard. No dog at that time, either.

I know it was a function more of the time and place, but I still like that gun and can remember the smell of the oil that Jack used on it--don't even have to close my eyes for that.

XVIg, I hope that gun frequently fits you like that one fit me on that day.

kgb

I took the 16 gauge Savage Fox BSE to the gun club today. I must say I am a little disappointed. I am usually a pretty fair skeet shot, but I just could not seem to hit well w/ it. It is definitely not a skeet gun. I do most of my bird hunting w/ side by sides and do judt fine. I don't do well at skeet w/ them either.
After two terrible rounds, I took the gun to the patterning board to see if it shot where I looked. No problem there, however, at 20 yards, both barrels shot very tight. The chokes aren't marked, but I assumed them to be IC and Mod because of the 26" barrels. Not so. An 18 inch pattern at 20 yards w/ the right barrel is not good for a bird gun. I then took the gun to station 7 and shot a box and a half of shells. The low house target was hammered when I let it get out a little ways farther than when you might normally shoot it. I will have my local smithy mic the chokes and then decide if they need the reamer. They probably do.
Now I have a question that really concerns me. I noticed that after firing the gun, the opening lever would move way to the right (it is quite a bit right of center as it is when closed). The gun didn't "shoot open" as it was still tightly closed and I could not force the gun open and had to push the lever the rest of the way to open the breech. Is this a problem? Is the gun unsafe? After firing a second shot the lever was no more to tha right than it was upon firing the first shot. Though in great looking shape, the gun obvously has not been cleaned in some time. Should it be taken apart and cleaned from all of the gunk that has built up over the years? Could this be a reason the lever is moving? I always thought that an opening lever right of center was a good thing, or could this be too much of a good thing? Is this an easy fix for a smith?
Give me some good news guys. I'm feeling really bad and disappointed. I need some cheering up. Sad

XVI

Member Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 134 Location: TEXAS

I bought a Fox B several years ago for cowboy action, and loved it. The pattern was tight, but when you hit dead on the target smokes.

My son took a liking to it, so I had to buy another.

I have never noticed the lever moving like you said, but I would start with a good cleaning.

If you decide you don't like it, I'll buy it from you, as I don't have a Fox 16.

Good luck,

HHH

Only one reply to my pleading questions? I feel you guys let me down this time. This is my favorite forum of all forums and when I was crying in my beer over my new gun disappointment and needed a hug, where were all of you? You were all talking about goofy made up societies and sharing a completely misunderstood knowledge of the Labrador retriever instead of trying to help a 16 ga brother in need. Shame. Shame.

Anyway, a call to the village smithy eased my mind. He said to bring the gun in and he would relieve the chokes. He also said he could reshape the angle slightly of whatever it is that holds the opening lever (my explanation, not his) and he could thus keep it from moving. He said it was not a big deal.
My wife and I headed to a local quail preserve today. She had her Fox Model B 20 ga and I had the above mentioned BSE 16. Man can she shoot that 20! She is faster w/ a shot gun than I am, probably because she is a few years younger. Anyway, the 16 hammered the birds I was on. I did miss a few that I normally think I would have hit. Got to be the chokes. All in all I really do like the gun. I think I will keep it.
BTW, the pointing Labs did great too.
XVI

Joined: 04 Apr 2006 Posts: 19 Location: Washington

I think you will notice a big difference in your scores when you get the chokes opened up. I had a belgian 16 that was choked tight modified in the right barrel and I would either cream birds to hamburger up to 25yds., or miss them completely. I had it opened to light improved, and I hit much more consistently with it. Hang in there with it, it sounds like a nice gun. Once you get it dialed in, you'll like it that much more, because you'll have more of yourself invested in it.

Thanks Mark,
I think I will get those chokes opened up. Will let you know how it works,
XVI

XVIgauge,
The problem was you said it was a B. If you'd of said it was a worlingworth, everybody and thier brother would have been on the bandwagon to help.
Please, next time embellish the truth, and says it's one of those clunky worlingworths, like teh one I'm turning inopt a clays gun, cause it's allready to heavy for the field...
tim

You are right Tim,
I just wasn't thinking. Me thinks I will use mine for a field gun as it balances well for me and weighs a couple ounces under 7 pounds. I don't know why, but I just love those clunky funny looking model B's.
(I own 3 of them)
XVI

XVI, I'm not really fimilar with the BSE, or even foxes, is that a pre311 style?

Tim,
I'm not really sure but I will tell you what I know and if I make a mistake someone with more knowledge, please jump in. I believe the Savage Fox Model B is an "upgraded" version of the 311 so it would be post 311. The BSE is an "upgrade" of the B in that it has a single non selective trigger, ejectors, a wide beavertail fore arm, and checkering, usually pressed reverse style, but sometimes cut. I also have a 12 gauge BD-E that was only made in 1964 and 65. It has a sliver chromed receiver and a gold trigger and safety and all of the features of the BSE.
XVI