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Savage Fox Model BSE

3K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Fuelburns1 
#1 ·
Not the lightest double around, but nicely balanced and a good pointer. Takes my cheek well and swings okay.

It's a 20 gauge, SN E131XXX, marked "Series H" and "Savage Arms Corp., Westfield, Mass." Also has "SP9" stamped into the top of each barrel, right at the breech. 26" barrels with 3" chambers. Vent rib with middle bead. Extractors and a single trigger that appears to be non-selective (at least, I couldn't see that the sliding top-tang safety had any barrel-selection capability and was anything more than just a safety). Quick check with a choke ***** read cylinder/IC.

Metal, including very nice case-colored receiver with an engraved fox head on the bottom, is at about 98%; wood is straight-grain walnut with cut checkering, fluted comb, and a beavertail forend, at about 95% (a couple of shallow dings/gouges that could probably be steamed or sanded out).

Locks up tight, lever at 5:30, bores clean and bright.

Shop is asking $499.

Anyone have any info on year of manufacture? Experience with this particular model? Things to look out for? Thoughts on the price?

Any and all info or advice would be most welcome. Might be my next grouse/woodcock gun.
 
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#3 ·
Don't be afraid to negotiate on price. Even if he doesn't budge you will at least know you couldn't have spent less for it. They are good sturdy guns, very reliable.
 
#4 ·
The current Blue Book lists the Fox B-SE as made from '66 to '88. Ejectors, single trigger, selected walnut and pressed checkering. $600 in 95% condition PLUS 20% more for 20 ga.
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According to the '67 Shooter's Bible, the Savage Fox B-SE had automatic ejectors, automatic safety, and a non-selective trigger(right first for closer range, then left for longer). A 20 ga. with 26-inch bbls. was choked IC and MOD. (The chart on the next page with the Stevens 311 says all Fox and Stevens 20 ga. double bbl. guns with 26" bbls. were IC/MOD. It also says 6.5 pounds, but who knows about that.)

I see the nice 12 ga. Model B's and 311's going for $500 around here. A good 20 ga. with open chokes would be a relative steal.

I wonder they mean by "selected walnut"? Did they select the good pieces or the not so good? :) Just kidding.

In '67 the BSE listed for $137.50.

I had the plainer Model B 12 ga. and it listed for $114.50. It was a good gun, but too much gun for a kid.

John
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the insight, gentlemen.

The only thing that gives me pause is the apparently non-selective single trigger; while it would be perfect for probably 80% of the typical shots I get where you kick up a bird at your feet, I've busted a lot of grouse out a ways, especially with a spaniel or when hunting alone, and would really like to be able to select the tighter barrel for that shot. This gun might see occasional use on gamefarm pheasants, too, and those occasionally bust far out.

I'll double-check the choking, too, to see whether it was indeed reamed out from the factory-issue IC/mod for that barrel length. I was kind of hurried while looking at the gun and plan to go back to give it a more thorough going-over.

If it has a barrel selector, would it be integrated into the safety? I regret not looking at it more closely, but my recollection was that it was a typical sliding tang safety that you slide forward to cover the "S" and thereby move it into the "fire" position.

Again, thanks for the observations and advice.
 
#6 ·
I'm not aware of any Savage Fox models with a barrel selector. Not that they aren't out there for certain, but I've seen about 12 of them and none had that feature.
 
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