Having got the Remington 10 gauge in shooting condition, I set it aside to start work on the LC Smith 10 gauge hammer gun that the man in a brown van brought yesterday. It seems to be a very sound and solid gun with nice bores and solid lockup. The numbers match.
The major problem is that the stock is broken clean through under the locks - right through the bolt hole that runs from top tang to trigger plate. I think there is a good chance I can rejoin the parts with little evidence of repair.
The related peoblem is that the trigger plate is also broken. I've made a first pass at welding it back together.
That style lock was used from 1883 to sometime in 1897. After that it was a 6 pin lock, the 6th pin is taking the place of the block that the short leg of the mainspring rested on.
If the serial number is below 26,500 it should have L.C. Smith Maker Syracuse, N.Y. and would be from around 1889.
These were very well made, excellent wood, fine checkering even on the Qlty F (24 lpi). If from around that time period would have the vase shaped ebony tipped for-end.
Look at the way the receiver is milled out in the leg section to accept the bar action mainspring.
Not a pretty sight. This is my first pass at welding the broken trigger plate with MIG welder. I just hit this side with a light spot to get it stuck in right position. Looks like the position is good. I welded the back side more. I've cleaned off the excess and grooved out some places for a second pass. It's 100º heat index outside and at least 150 in the metal shed where I have the welder so the second pass will be tried when it's cooler.
Speaking of the action lever V spring, I have seen a YouTube viseo showing a fixture to compress the spring to install the trigger plate. Is there a procedure to compress the spring without making a fixture?
There are numerous ways but I find this to be the easiest.
I use a 6" c clamp that has a 3/32 drill blank that is 1 1/2" long mounted in the top jaw. Drill a 1/8" hole as shown in picture. Put left lock plate on and put pin of c clamp in hole on right side. Put moveable jaw over lock on left and turn handle until top lever is centered in trigger plate opening for top lever.
Hunter Arms Co. used a 3/32 punch with the aid of a wedge shaped screwdriver (the blade was notched to a V) and used this to push the punch over to align the two. If you just try the punch you will break the punch.
So...The V-shaped blade is apllied on top (outside) of the trigger plate aginst the punch that is in the hole? Thus you can push the punch over rather than levering it over?
Looks like when things start to align, you could put some down pressure on the screwdriver tool to push trigger plate down.
Every one of these old doubles are a puzzle to figure out.
Serial # is 147xx.
It takes a bit of practice to get barrels on the action with the rotating extractor system.
That is an early Syracuse L.C. Smith from around 1884.
Yes, that is the way they did it. I tried the Hunter Arms way with the punch and screw driver once. I didn't like it. If you slip the screw driver can slide across the metal and gouge the wood finger. The workers did this day in and day out and it was easy for them.
If you rotate the pin on the joint check to 5:30 and align it with the slot in the receiver it should go in the first time.
I do like how far these guns open when you break them, makes shell extraction very easy.
How about instead of a V, just drill a hole in the blade? Just thread the punch through the hole in the blade, hole in the plate and into the hole in the shaft?
Being made in Syracuse, that's to say it was made by Baker?
Here is my New Baker Syracuse 10 gauge on top, Baker Batavia Leader 12 gauge (before I repaired forend latch and cleaned it up) and Stevens 311A 12 gauge.
I've shot all three in cowboy action shooting matches. The Stevens is far more practical for the game. And no, I didn't cut the barrels. I bought it that way. I just cleaned it up and had chambers and forcing cones cut for modern 2-3/4" shells. I shoot roll crimped black powder loads in Baker Leader.
You could try that, but the wedge shape of the blade I think would work out better. Give it a try and let us know how that works.
In 1877 Lyman Cornelius Smith bought into the Baker Gun Co and formed the Smith Baker Gun Co. Guns now had on the barrels L.C. Smith Maker of Baker Guns, Syracuse, N.Y.
This gun is F grade. This one has been polished bright. What would have been the original finish on the action and barrels?
I'm thinking a longer screw of the same size and thread as the action latch post screw may be a better idea than sticking a puch in the hole. Less chance of damaging the threads.
There are no springs under the firing pins. Should there be?
The barrels are marked LC SMITH MAKER . SYRACUSE N.Y. on one and STUB TWIST BARRELS on the other.
There is one old gunsmith reasonably close that still may do color/case. I may take it up with him. It's going to be a real problem keeping these old guns up and running when so many of the old gunsmiths pass on.
I've not heard of that gentleman. I'm not planning to need a gunsmith on this project. I watch for old guns that need a repair that I can handle.
I keep adding to what I can do. On my Colt 1878 project it needed a top lever spring. Instead of searching the world over and paying out the nose, I bought spring stock and made it myself. I also made one for a Hopkins and Allen double.
I got the chunk of wood that was busted off the buttstock pinned back on this afternoon. It looks good. I'll let the Acraglas cure over night before continuing to other areas of the breakout that need attention.
My LC Smith restore project is inching along. As this is a hobby project, I work on it as time and mood strike me.
I'm well along with the buttstock breakout repair. I'm making video of the process. I have some more repair work but last evening I cleaned up the inlays for the top tang, locks and trigger plate. That is each part individually - not assembled.
To assemble the action over and over in the final fitting process, it would be much easier if the top lever was removed as the shaft has to be pushed over to assemble the trigger plate.
What is involved in removing the top lever and action shaft? And then reassembly?
No need to take the lever off. Removing the top lever spring will make assembly easy. Be careful removing the spring so it does not launch into some dark corner .
I tripped the action to lessen the tension on the spring but it's still had a lot of pressure. I don't see a clear way to compress it to remove it. Pry it up starting from the end that's against the action post?
When I'm faced with a possible flying spring, I try to work under a towl or if it's a small coil spring, by working inside a Zip-loc bag. Eye protection would be a good idea.
I'm always amazed at how strong the springs are in most all old guns.
I tap it lightly away at the post end until I can get a small screw driver under it . Then pry it up carefully till it is about half way out of the recess. Now compress and remove with pliers . Covering with a rag is a good idea. Always use glasses in the shop.
Getting down to the short rows on my LC Smith project. I got the trigger plate welded and dresses down. It doesn't look perfect but a guy has to know when to quit. I finished up some fill work with Acraglas and started some final fitting. Looking good. I should have stopped.
I made a post pushing tool similar JDW pictured but used a small bar clamp. The fixed end jaw of the clamp has a plastic shield that slips off. I just slipped off the plastic shield and drilled a hole in it. I cut back an 8d nail and slipped it through the hole in the shield and then reinstalled the shield onto the clamp plate.
With parts fitted and tool made, I started to assemble the action to the buttstock. A bit of a struggle holding everything inline and working the post pusher tool. It was working but not well. Then crack. The tool slipped and the nail in the hole split a crack in the stock. Not a major crack. It won't be hard to repair. But it's going to delay the project.
I think I figured out two things. 1) The hole for the pin to enter to push the post needs to be bigger and slightly further back than I made it. 2) The left sideplate needs to be in place so the clamp will have a uniform platform to rest the clamp on.
I got the LC Smith all back together this morning. Even though I fitted each part of the action as I worked on one area or another, it just didn't fall back into place when trying to assemble it all.
I took it into the local gun shop to brag and bost. None noticed the stock repair.
If there's any trick to the assembly of the trigger plate and battling that heavy top lever spring using the punch and V slotted screw driver method,,it's that you have the handle of the screw driver against your stomach and use that to push with.
That leaves both your hands completely free. The trigger plate should be screwed down at both ends enough to give it some 'bowed' tension against the top lever spindle. The spindle will then snap into it's hole when in place.
You are totally in control, no shaking wrists fighting heavy springs. No extra holes in the wood. Takes seconds to do.
This is the way it was done at the orig factory and at Marlin when they produced the LCS. The latter is where I was shown how in the early 70's in the Repair Shop.
The LC Smith is leaning against the wall. It's staged to load up and go with us to a cowboy action shooting match tomorrow and Sunday. Most will think I'm just nuts for shooting the big 10 gauge. But there will be a few that will appreciate seeing the old gun.
Expecting sunshine, high in the 70s. Getting out and shooting with the wife and friends. It's a winner no matter what I score.
I'm taking my action cams. I may get some video of it in use again.
Here is a YouTube video I made of one of the stages at our Cowboy Action Shooting match yesterday. Most of it is in 4X speed. The exception is the one shooter in the middle of the video that is exceptionally fast. I slowed the video down by half speed just to make him look mortal.
I'm the third shooter. If there was a contest for bringing the biggest shotgun to the match, I would have easily won!
It's too bad I didn't know you years ago. My first project gun was a 12 gauge Crescent hammer gun. After I got it back on face and shooting I wondered about it's horrible patterns. After measuring the barrels at both the muzzles and above the chambers and finding both ends measuring .701" in both barrels I realized that someone at the factory had forgotten to bore the barrels to the proper .729" diameter below the muzzles leaving a very tightly bored cylinder choked gun with very thick barrels. I can't think of a much better candidate for a coach gun than that old Crescent. I ended up selling it on consignment through a local gun dealer, hopefully it was turned into a coach gun.
