SKB, the hammer gun you had, was most likely a Syracuse era gun from 1886-1888. The Trap Gun butt plate was actually advertising that L.C. Smith, Maker, did to promote their guns as being suitable not only in the Field, but at the Traps.
Actually a hammer gun had a dog on point with it's right foot on a rock. The Trap Gun butt plate, dog looking a falling duck was on the Hammerless guns of that period.
L.C. Smith made a side by side Olympic Grade Trap Gun, only 26 were made, but they would make any gun to shoot the way you wanted. All you had to do was give them the type of shell you were using and tell them how many pellets you wanted in a 30" circle, at a certain distance for each barrel and they would make it for you.
As stated the Trap Grade model was just that,a grade model, and I have seen one listed as having 26" barrels, not an ideal Trap Gun.
As Miller stated, some were ordered with no safeties, most people call these Live Bird Guns, for a while a 3 position safety was used and in the 20's I believe it became an option.
Chuck, your 20 ga with the 32" barels, did you ever get a letter for it? I'm wondering if this gun was ordered for that Duck Club in California, I think they specialized in small bore long barrels, mainly Parkers.
There were not many 20 ga "elsies" with 32" barrels, quite rare.
Last edited by JDW; 01/13/10 10:15 AM.
