doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com need help with research

Thanks, skeet-man. Very timely the NY Times 1979 article on Miss Hudson and the Backstrand connection and later nuptials in 1980. The groom's education and background recall to mind the character played by Dan Aykroyd (against that of Eddie Murphy) in that great movie "Trading Places". And along that line of thought, my current wife Mae (ne- accent grave please)Bontrager also hails from Grosse Pointe, and attending the same schools as did Miss Jean Hudson, all be it ten years earlier that Miss Hudson did--small world indeed, n'ces pas, mon ami?? Le Reynard!!

Hey RWTF:
How about putting up some pictures of the gun and case?
I expect several members here would enjoy seeing it.
Jim

I'll think about it. My daughter is the digital camera "ace"-I am not-- it is a sweet 12 3E with mint wood- 100% checkering, no cracks or splits anywhere in the buttstock, original 1904 splinter forearm, and the later added small beavertail forearm, with the post 1930 change from the "banjo" escutcheon to the rectangular style-

I have seen several later (post 1926-1939) graded 12 gauge Smiths put up as double trap or possibly live bird shotguns- 12 gauges 30" or 32" barrels- Trap, Specialty, Eagle-- etc-- with factory beavertail forearms- almost all with massive wood at the rear (where the forearm iron "anvil" is- to the heavy Germanic Schnabel at the front-- IMO- not pleasing to the eye- this is a way smaller in cross-section beavertail design, and as the ejector forearm metal is stamped 2, as are the barrel flats, denoting a factory fitted second set of barrels-

I have to assume the beavertail forearm was produced with the set of 32" VR barrels- at FWIWIP-- Mr. Backstrand must have also requested his name C.J. Backstrand also engraved in the same block upper case script on the original 26" Nitro steel barrels , at the factory is my guess- we shall see as this story unfolds--

Mr. Backstrand apparently was not a flyer shooter. Although Hegins was the biggest shoot in PA and just up the road from Lancaster, I could find no mention of his name in the participant list from 1934 to 1958.

Thanks for checking--possibly Mr. Backstrand used this 3E for doubles trap. Did the PETA and SHARK and save the Delaware River gruppen shut down the pigeon shoots at the storied Phila Gun Club on State Rd. in Bensalem?? I always amazed me why the "do-gooders" got their knickers in a twist about live bird shoots on a bird that flies and craps over everything in sight. In Ohio, where the old Blue Laws and no Sunday hunting prevailed when I was lad in the 1950's, you had to go across the river from The Queen City to KY to shoot flyers--but no restriction on barn raised "blue rocks"- we shot them until Hell wouldn't have it-still are my favorite shotgun target awing yet today.

Eightbore,

Thanks for looking up Kriebel in your sources. My gun is a transitional LC Smith Quality 2. The safety is pinned in the 3rd position. It has dropper points and an ebony diamond inlay in the fore end.

Jack K

Jack I hope you post some photos, would like to see it.

Gary,

Once I find the camera and get some new batteries I will.

Jack K