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Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 13 Location: missouri

which would be a better field gun a fox b or a stevens 311.

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

I'd go with the Fox model B
Of course everyone is going to say whatever one fits you better. Smile

Pretty much the same gun, I'm sorry to say. The thing about Stevens and Fox B's is, the older the better! The late 311's are pretty awful; earlier ones are not too bad. The Fox Model B really is just a dressed up 311.

Fin

I have a Fox Model B 16 in near mint condition. It has 28" F/M barrels. It is a little bit slimmer and lighter than a comparable 311. Mine was made in the early 60's and is a very fine shooter. Death on doves when the wind is up and they are high and fast. I reckon I kind of stole it. A guy was selling a bunch of guns that belonged to his late father in law. I offered $250 for it sight unseen and he said "sold". I was shocked when I picked it up that afternoon and discovered it to be in near mint condition. I'm not sure it had ever been shot. He wanted the same money for an older 311 in 16 which was well used. I got the better end of this deal by chance. Probably should have bought both of them, but that was all the cash I had on me that day.

How much do these Fox Model B 16 ga. guns weigh with average length barrels? I've heard in excess of 7-1/4 pounds. However, If your not cruising the the cover behind dogs or walking up birds cold over long fields, its not too heavy. I've shot my share of doves from a chair. I used heavier guns than 7-1/2 pounds without a problem from more than a few blinds.

My Model B is a 12, weighs about 7-1/2 lbs. give or take. Early 60's model, 28" barrels, splinter forend, double triggers, but with a vent rib. Lots of the B's I see have beavertails and single triggers; not my cup of tea.

I found it for my father-in-law who wanted a cheap sideby; I think we gave about $275 for it. It was in great shape; nearly mint except for a blem on the stock that looked like something (solvent, etc.) had gotten dripped on it. One of the things he liked was that it "had some weight to it"! You don't often hear that in praise of a shotgun these days!

It appeared nearly unfired, and I doubt he put more than a box or two through it. Unfortunately he passed shortly after that, and my mother-in-law wanted me to have it. I've never shot it. Would be great in a duck blind; unfortunately I'm not a duck hunter. Maybe I ought to change that!

Fin

Do the 16 gauge guns weight that much? Someone should know. how 'bout it.

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

Almost. 16 gauge model B with double triggers here is 7 pounds even, when loaded. Unusual, in that it is a walnut stocked and checkered (!) gun. Not unusual,in that it is ring bulged in the left tube.
Best,
Ted

I always thought the Savage/Fox model B series were stocked with walnut.I remember the ads for them in the old "Outdoor Life" type mags saying they were stocked with American black walnut. It seemed a point of pride back in those post war days so long ago. They also could be had with one or two triggers. They also had impressed checkering and I think a grip cap too although I 'm a bit hazy on the latter. Most had a beaver tail forend. I might be confusing the model B for some other later gun, buit isn't the Savage/Fox model one and the same?

I know most Stevens and other cheaper models had birch or plastic stocks.

I have seen Stevens guns with birch (of whatever it is); don't think I've ever seen a Model B that wasn't walnut. Later ones did have pressed checkering but the earlier ones had cut checkering (as did Stevens). The Stevens Tenite model was the only Stevens made with a plastic stock; the earlier Stevens guns had walnut stocks as well. There's a thread on the Fox collectors' site with a chronology of the Model B; scroll down to Fox Model B question.

http://foxcollectors.s10.forumsplace.com/viewforum.php?f=1

Fin

See, I wasn't hallucinating about the grip cap. Laughing

. I always wanted one in 20 ga. when I was a youngster-- that, a Fox/Anshutz .22 bolt gun, and a Marlin 30-30. I eventually did get the Fox/Anshutz .22. It is the most accurate .22 rimfire I've ever shot--a real dandy with drop dead walnut. However, I discovered the 7x57 mauser round and the 16. ga. I hanker for niether the thutty-thutty, nor the model B no more.

I though I already posted the infro Fin mentioned but it seems to have been lost in internet space Rolling Eyes

The Fox Model B started life as a dressed up Springfield 311, added to the 1940 Fox catalogue put out by Savage. After WW-II the Springfield 311 became the Stevens 311. The Model B was offered in 12-, 16-, and 20-gauges and .410-bore, and had a color case-hardened frame. The retail price was $25. Through at least the 1953 catalogue it remained a double trigger, plain extractor, slim forearm utility gun. By the next catalogue I have, 1958, Savage added a Model BST which got a non-selective single trigger and a beavertail forearm.

By the 1960 catalogue the B and the BST got ventilated ribs. No change for the 1961 catalogue.

For 1962 a B De Luxe in 12-gauge was added with a satin chrome receiver, white-line grip cap and butt plate, checkered side panels, beavertail, ventilated rib, and gold plated non-selective single trigger. They also gold plated the trigger on the BST. No changes for 1963.

For 1964 the De Luxe became the BDE, and included automatic ejectors, and also was available in 20-gauge chambered for 3-inch shells. The B and BST remained unchanged.

For 1965 the B and BST 20-gauges got 3-inch chambers.

For 1966 the satin chrome BDE was gone. There was a BSE with ejectors, non-selective single trigger, satin black finish, white-line butt plate and grip cap, beavertail and ventilated rib. The Model B had double triggers, was case hardened, had a ventilated rib, and now a beavertail. Both guns now featured impressed stamped checkering. For 1967, 8 and 9 the offerings were the same. The gun control act of 1968 required Savage to start putting serial numbers on these guns.

I don’t have a 1970 catalogue, but by 1971 there was a gun called the Savage 550 which was just like the BSE but had a case hardened receiver, and was offered in 12- and 20-gauges. The text said it had precisely engineered barrels resulting in perfect balance. In the picture it appears to be a mono-bloc design?!? Also grip caps are gone from the B and BSE. Offerings for 1972 were the same – the 550 listed at $174.95, the B-SE listed at $164.95, and the B listed at $139.95.

By 1973, the BSE and 16-gauges are gone, but there is a 24-inch barrel B in 12-gauge and 20-gauge, both with 3-inch chambers.

For 1974 the Savage 550 is gone and the B-SE is back. The B-SE 12-gauge has 2 ¾ inch chambers and the 12-gauge B and 24” Fox B have 3-inch chambers. All the 20-gauge and .410-bore are 3-inch chambered. No changes for 1975, 6, 7, or 8. For 1979 the grip caps are back and the double triggered B is offered with ejectors as the BE.

For 1980, cut checkering is back, but the 24-inch barrel offerings are gone – B, BE and B-SE. In 1981 the BE was gone, but the FA-1 and the FP-1 Fox autoloader and pump appeared. For 1982 the Fox offerings were B, B-SE, FA-1 and FP-1.

For 1983 the only Fox offering was the B-SE. The B-SE remained through the 1987 catalogue when its list price was $525. By the 1988 catalogue the Fox name was gone.