Fox Model B lock lever left of center

AL45 · November 10, 2018, 10:14 PM

Recently I bought a Fox Model B 20 Gauge side x side off Gunbroker. I saw the gun right at the end of the auction and bid without carefully looking over the pictures. I assumed that since there were over 30 bids it must be a good deal and I have been looking for a side x side such as this. After placing the winning bid I went back and took a better look at the pictures. The picture that really stood out was the one that showed the locking lever left of center. I called the seller and got one of his employees. He said he checked the gun out and said it locked up tight. The seller has hundreds of very good reviews and no negatives and my FFL dealer is also a gunsmith and he said even if it needs repaired, it shouldn't be a big deal. This gun will be only used for a little Quail hunting. Am I looking at a costly repair on this particular gun, or do you think it's probably good to go as is?

FrankenMauser · November 10, 2018, 11:30 PM

If it locks up tight, it should be fine. Down the road, it may be a minor repair to tighten things up if it gets loose. But it's not a 'total rebuild' scenario that will cost more than a kitchen remodel.

ammo.crafter · November 11, 2018, 02:32 AM

Have the same sxs shotgun with a slightly left cant as well. It's never been an issue.

Do you know the manufacture date? !967-68 were made by Beretta in Italy and are fine shotguns.

Blindstitch · November 11, 2018, 02:43 AM

I have the 12 gauge model that had a slight locking problem and one thing I learned was the thing it's called a top snap/ lock lever was screwed in from the inside middle of the action. Sometime over time the screw backed out a turn or two so I tore it all the way down and replaced some of the parts and screwed it back together tight and it has worked great for the past 3 or so years.

The one thing that was a pain was you need a flathead allen screwdriver to put it back in.

These guns are work horses so things are probably fine.

AL45 · November 11, 2018, 02:50 AM

Thanks for the input. The gun was made in Chicopee Falls, which according to my research means it was made between 1948 and 1960. I don't have the gun yet and can't tell from the picture what the stamp is.

**44 AMP** · November 23, 2018, 03:58 PM

It may just be a bit dirty. Some crud not enough to prevent a good solid lock up, but just enough to prevent the lever from coming all the way back to center.

Something to check for, when you do get the gun in your hands...

Could be something else, no way to tell yet.

Pahoo · November 23, 2018, 04:25 PM

Quote:

locking lever left of center

A friend of mine showed me his father's old SXS and after inspecting it, I commented his father must have been right-handed. He was really surprised and asked me how I knew this. I showed him the locking lever and he just stood there looking at it, for a long time, then smiled and commented that he had never noticed that. Rather than a problem, it's a condition that is common to some older Doubles, left and right. I love these old guys and these have many good miles left in them. My buddy actually liked the way it was and decided to keep it as is.

Be Safe !!!

FITASC · November 23, 2018, 04:35 PM

My 20 needed that; it needed some new springs but they were unavailable, so the gunsmith had to make some and do some other alterations to make things right.

AL45 · November 24, 2018, 12:13 AM

Finally got the gun today. It is very left of center, but it locks up tight. I took the forend off and holding it by the barrels, gave it a good shake and nothing rattled and no movement. I tried twisting the barrels and again, no movement. I'm going to have a gunsmith check it out, but it seems solid. I fired four rounds through it with no problems.

Drm50 · November 24, 2018, 06:34 PM

I have seen and had Fox-B and 311 Stevens with off center thumb breaks. It
doesn't seem to prevent solid lock up. On gun of age of yours offset screw driver
is required to work on latch from inside the action.

Hawg · November 24, 2018, 09:17 PM

It's kind of self adjusting. As parts wear it takes up the slack so to speak. Nothing wrong with it until it gets to where the action is loose.

November 10, 2018, 10:14 PM	#1
AL45 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2012 Posts: 754	Fox Model B lock lever left of center Recently I bought a Fox Model B 20 Gauge side x side off Gunbroker. I saw the gun right at the end of the auction and bid without carefully looking over the pictures. I assumed that since there were over 30 bids it must be a good deal and I have been looking for a side x side such as this. After placing the winning bid I went back and took a better look at the pictures. The picture that really stood out was the one that showed the locking lever left of center. I called the seller and got one of his employees. He said he checked the gun out and said it locked up tight. The seller has hundreds of very good reviews and no negatives and my FFL dealer is also a gunsmith and he said even if it needs repaired, it shouldn't be a big deal. This gun will be only used for a little Quail hunting. Am I looking at a costly repair on this particular gun, or do you think it's probably good to go as is?

November 10, 2018, 11:30 PM	#2
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	If it locks up tight, it should be fine. Down the road, it may be a minor repair to tighten things up if it gets loose. But it's not a 'total rebuild' scenario that will cost more than a kitchen remodel. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

November 11, 2018, 02:32 AM	#3
ammo.crafter Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2006 Location: The Keystone State Posts: 1,970	sly fox Have the same sxs shotgun with a slightly left cant as well. It's never been an issue. Do you know the manufacture date? !967-68 were made by Beretta in Italy and are fine shotguns. __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading". --Thomas Jefferson

November 11, 2018, 02:43 AM	#4
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,692	I have the 12 gauge model that had a slight locking problem and one thing I learned was the thing it's called a top snap/ lock lever was screwed in from the inside middle of the action. Sometime over time the screw backed out a turn or two so I tore it all the way down and replaced some of the parts and screwed it back together tight and it has worked great for the past 3 or so years. The one thing that was a pain was you need a flathead allen screwdriver to put it back in. These guns are work horses so things are probably fine. __________________ NRA Lifetime Member

November 23, 2018, 03:58 PM	#6
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,804	It may just be a bit dirty. Some crud not enough to prevent a good solid lock up, but just enough to prevent the lever from coming all the way back to center. Something to check for, when you do get the gun in your hands... Could be something else, no way to tell yet. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

November 11, 2018, 02:50 AM	#5
AL45 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2012 Posts: 754	Thanks for the input. The gun was made in Chicopee Falls, which according to my research means it was made between 1948 and 1960. I don't have the gun yet and can't tell from the picture what the stamp is.

November 23, 2018, 04:35 PM	#8
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,440	My 20 needed that; it needed some new springs but they were unavailable, so the gunsmith had to make some and do some other alterations to make things right. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

November 24, 2018, 12:13 AM	#9
AL45 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2012 Posts: 754	Finally got the gun today. It is very left of center, but it locks up tight. I took the forend off and holding it by the barrels, gave it a good shake and nothing rattled and no movement. I tried twisting the barrels and again, no movement. I'm going to have a gunsmith check it out, but it seems solid. I fired four rounds through it with no problems.

November 24, 2018, 06:34 PM	#10
Drm50 Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2014 Posts: 1,377	I have seen and had Fox-B and 311 Stevens with off center thumb breaks. It doesn't seem to prevent solid lock up. On gun of age of yours offset screw driver is required to work on latch from inside the action.

November 24, 2018, 09:17 PM	#11
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	It's kind of self adjusting. As parts wear it takes up the slack so to speak. Nothing wrong with it until it gets to where the action is loose.

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