Back to the topic at hand...

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

I must confess that I shamelessly "snipped" these lovely photographic examples from the LC Smith webpage. Further, I must give credit here to J. David Williamson for these clear & lovely examples (of the early products of the LC Smith capitalist enterprise). Mr. Williamson mentioned the difference between the breechballs in the pre & post Fulton era guns earlier here, and I couldn't find a good example to illustrate that point until... this was just re-posted over on the Elsie site (by our good Dr. Drew BTW). The bottom photograph nicely details the differences in the bolsters on the bottoms on the actions as well. The 1890 Quality 1 Fulton-era photography I snipped and posted here earlier looks almost exactly like the Syracuse example shown on the bottom photograph (both have that square barrel lug), and my 1891 Quality 1 gun is shaped almost identically to the Fulton gun shown there as well (with the rounded barrel lug). I suspect that the bottom gun (identified here as circa 1896) is actually an earlier example than the date listed.

You know, I've handled and even measured a number of British "Bests"" over the years and they were (and are) truly-lovely guns (Purdey, Boss, Holland & Holland, etc.) but...I've never been much-tempted to actually pony-up the price-of-admission for such a gun (and it is unlikely now that my circumstances will ever allow me to go down that path). I would, however, be sorely tempted by an American "Best" gun now, such as a Syracuse Era LC Smith. These guns have been something of a revelation for me, I must confess (yet again). It's been fun learning about them.

Last edited by Lloyd3; 03/26/24 08:49 AM.