Three of my Four 12 gauge L.C. Smiths were made prior to 1912-A OOE, 1906, a Pigeon with AE, and a Grade 2E-all with double triggers- all have been well used but well cared for, before they came into my custody- None have any cracks anywhere in the buttstock- the Pigeon has a straight hand grip- two of the three, as having ejectors and splinter forearms, have a slight crack at the rear of the forearm, the small set screw can sometimes cause a surface crack, more tension on the forearm anvil with an ejector gun than with the same gun with extractors, IMO- The 4th 12 gauge was purchased at the Sagola SC shoot in June 2010, Father's Day week-end- My Parker 12 GHE went "South" with the internal cocking slide- so I bought this Ideal FWE from a gun dealer- it is the only FW frame Smith I own at present-28" choked Imp. Cyl. and Mod- solid raised rib, first offered in 1939- and DT-It has replaced the Parker GHE as my numero uno side-by-side SC and also pheasant gun-No cracks anywhere either- I think and pouring Hoppe's oil down the muzzles, and standing the shotgun muzzles upward in the gun safe, the oil permeating into the stock head, is one possible cause of cracks-the other is using too heavy loads in a sidelock- if you want to shoot the big bang loads, get an Ithaca NID, a Model 21 or a A.H. Fox HE--not a Smith--
