doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Thoughts on LC Smith Hammer gun.

....with low pressure ammo

BS.

I have to agree with jOe, low pressure, low velocity, these guns were not made for todays higher pressure shells. Most are made just below SAAMI max pressures.

The funny thing is Royal Steel was the cheapest barrel offered when Damascus and Stub Twist Steel were also offered.
I have a few of these and my favorite is also a 16 ga with Good Damascus barrels.

I would also do as Brother Drew suggested and have it checked out by a knowledgeable gun smith who is familar with vintage shotguns.

True, at the time. The Damascus and Twist were more expensive to made.
The Royal Steel were of higher strenth.

I may be foolish, but I have shot hundreds of off the shelf target loads through mine, at Trap and Clays. seems pretty stout. I did melt the solder in the rib shooting a "flurry" once. My son was loading for me, 2 Smith hammer guns. I was wearing a Kilt, that might have done it....Steve Bertram makee fixee...

I agree LD, My old Hammer Smith has had every type of 16 ga. load available, light and heavy and many, many reloads over the last 60 years, and no telling what before that. Still sound and locks up like a bank vault.

Sorry...if I were him I'd run out and get me some 2 & 3/4" baby magnums and let her rip....maybe even a few 3"rs just for good measure.

(That sound better.... )

Wow, step away for a few hours and you guys lose your heads.

I never shoot anything but Polywad in my old guns (fox and lefever). The Lefever has short chambers, the Fox's have been lengthened, but it makes me uncomfortable; both physically and mentally.

I passed on the gun, it was mechanically ok, but there were a few things that just didn't sit right. First off, I'll admit to not knowing exactly how LCs are put together... never owned one.

But the hammers seemed to have different screws, one of the hammers had a good bit more forward/back play than the other.

The locks look almost like they've been polished or something. Hammers too. I couldn't really see any polish marks, but something didn't look right. My lefever has no finish left and is basically in the white, but this one looked different. "L.C. Smith" stamp was in good condition though, so maybe this is just the way they look.

Second, what looked like a middle bead in the photo was the head of a modern machine screw that went all the way through the rib and into the lug that held the forearm in place. Maybe that's normal? But I don't recall seeing it in any other LC I have handled.

Anyhow, thanks for the help. The gun is on Armslist in Oklahoma and the guy is a nice kid if anyone is interested. Seemed to know where there were pheasant... that's more valuable right now in Oklahoma than any hammer gun!

Then you prolly made the right decision, sounds as if it had been cobbled...

You made the right decision. The top screw in the rib to hold the barrel loop is a problem. They are a two piece design and soldered to the bottom of the barrels. Either the screw that holds them together broke or the whole loop is loose. Could have been from using the wrong loads or barrels were refinished using hot blue.
The hammers should be a tight fit on the trunions also.
You will find another, maybe more money, but in better condition.
Good luck.