I have a Fox Sterlingworth in 16 gauge that is going to be a restocking project. Yesterday I bought a 20 gauge Sterlingworth that has been seriously bubbaed up. Most notably the receiver has been refinished and all of the engraving removed. It occurs to me that rather than try to get the receiver back up to par it might make more sense to fit the 20 gauge barrels to the other receiver. Both receivers are the same dimension and both barrels have extractors.

Any referrals? I would use Mark at MBAB, but his website shows him not taking new projects right now.

How close are they to fitting each other?

They actually come pretty close. The 16 ga barrels will lock on to the 20 ga frame, and the 20 ga barrels go about half way closed on the 16 receiver.

Close inspection of the barrels indicates that the groove for the hinge pin on the 20 ga barrels is not as deep as on the 16ga barrels. Were it cut deeper, I think they would fit. Whether they would be on face is an entirely different matter.

I have no experience with that on Sterlingworths, I have done it on Bakers, a Parker, and a couple lesser guns. Being on face has not been an issue. Usually that dimension is well maintained.