Adding to this thread......I bought the "Elsie" from the old girl. Gave her a fair price; quite a lot more than she wanted. I buy and sell antiques. And my business philosphy is to always pay a fair price; never steal something from an unwitting seller.
Anyway, I ended up with a field grade, 16 ga. featherweight LC Smith shotgun, in excellent condition. In my first post, I inadvertantly gave the wrong serial no. range. 178xxx is the correct range; making it a 1938 era gun, according to the data listed on this site. 28 inch barrels, double triggers, auto safety, middle bead, top lever to right, lots of original finish, to include case colors at about 75%. No cracks in the stock behind the sideplates, or anywhere else for that matter. Close to 100% blue on barrels; dare not look through the bores at too strong a light, they are so shiney. All-in-all a hardly used, properly stored old shotgun.
Was pleased with the slightly under 6 3/4 pound weight, and the willingness to come to the shoulder swiftly.
Never owned a single LC Smith in my 71 years on this earth. Will never stop at just one after adding this one to the safe.......
Thanks to all who answered my original post. Grant.
