doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Speculative talk with no political ramifications!

I wondered what the masses thought about this gun. It was featured in the DGJ index and reader V2. I hope showing the pics don't upset anyone for copyright.
Described as a factory original 16 ga 0 grade gun. I am quite pessimistic of that assessment as I don't think we see anywhere near this level of variation in Smith guns, and I don't see specific characteristics of other smith guns in the patterns. What I do personally find most interesting is the amount of Lefever characteristics I see. I don't pretend to think for one second that it has anything to do with Lefever, but it is fine engraving and with the amount of shared work and freelance engravers at the time and in the industry I do wonder who did it, when, why, and how !

I wish it were mine. My first quick glance made me think B grade Baker.

Let me add that my doubt of factory originality is not relative to my like of the gun. I'd love to be in line should someone know it's whereabouts!

Are you sure this is an O Grade? I think O grades only had some very simple line border engraving. The scroll on the lockplates is reminiscent of a lot of Baker engraving. I think Lefever dogs are nicer. That said, I sure wouldn't kick this Smith out of the gun safe.

edit: here's a link to grades of pre-1913 L.C. Smiths. The pictures are kinda small, but it looks like this gun would be a minimum of grade 2, probably higher.

http://www.lcsmith.org/shotguns/pre1913grades.html

2nd edit: I believe the rabbit is running to the polls to vote for a pro-gun Conservative!

Wuv the Wabbit

Keith I am reading directly from the text.

You can never say never with anything L.C. Smith. They would do anything within reason, and that is a quote from Hunter Arms Co.

Most No. 0's had a line engraving around the perimeter of the lock and some did not have any engraving at all. L.C. Smith was either roll stamped or engraved on the locks.

That engraving if original to Hunter Arms Co. would have to be the customers request as to what he wanted on the locks. The rest of the engraving is very nice.
A No. 1 back then without ejectors was $50.00 compared to a No. 2 that was $87.00. That complete engraving back then was maybe $8.00 more and you had a nice engraved gun.

Here is a No. 1 that is mine, looking at it quickly you would think it was an A1.

The barrels are unique to this gun also, they are a type of Bernard and were usually put on higher grades.

We know this is not for sure a Syracuse gun, as the barrel lug has the front corners radiused. Nice gun indeed.IMO, the best of the LC Smiths were made prior to 1913--

Yes but David, your gun doesn't look dramatically different. A dog rather than a sunburst scroll. Don't you think the above example is quite a different precedent? I would consider it more embellished than a Grade 2 but also lacking any style cues from other Smith engraving? As you stated yours looks like A1 dogs, an obvious "upgrade" or special request within the established "hunter arms framework".

Someone got creative with this 1925 20 gauge Field E with pre-1913 No. 3 engraving (sorta) and a snapping turtle!