Lloyd, it is "fun" stuff and I am always looking for more information, unfortunately the "old timers" that knew about these guns are long gone, one such person was Russ Rupel and I forgot the name he used on here and I'm sure some out there know what it was. He had a few complete collections of shotguns and for the Syracuse line he had Quality 2-7. When I was researching hammer Syracuse guns and collecting serial numbers I was mainly interested in the hammer guns because at the time there was little information on them. Russ gave me his serial number of both hammer and hammerless which totaled about 45. After that I started collecting both hammer and hammerless and pictures when available. As of this day I have 153 serial numbers from L.C. Smith Maker of Baker Guns, Syracuse, N.Y. 1877-1883 of both double barrel and 3 barrel shotguns. From 1883-1884, I have 121 hammer guns all doubles no 3 barrels made. From 1886-1889* I have 403 hammer and hammerless gun serial numbers. The highest in my records that has surfaced is a Quality 2 s/n 23553 and most likely is an early 1889 Syracuse gun before production started in Fulton this same year.
There are Syracuse guns that were sent back to Fulton for various parts, such as barrels and these were made just like the guns of Syracuse and serial numbered to the original gun. There is another that was a Quality C hammer gun (shown in Houchins' book) without a forearm, this gun was sent back to Fulton and had a forearm made but also had a Quality 2 hammerless gun made with the same serial number to go with it.
Another is a Syracuse hammer gun s/n 12024 Quality D double barrel 30, right barrel 12 ga, left barrel 44-40.
There are others.
*Syracuse Gun Company was sold in 1888 to Hunter Arms and in the later part of 1889 production started in Fulton, but Syracuse did produce a catalog for 1889, basically the same catalog as 1888.
Lloyd, did you ever figure out why these so-called Transition guns of Fulton have all the attributes of a Syracuse gun? Let me know what you or anyone thinks.
Also Lloyd, to "time" that front trigger plate screw, remove it and slightly file around the whole bottom of the head, and I mean slightly. This will drop the head so it bottoms out and "times" it. And please use the right screw driver that fits the slot in width and length.
Last edited by David Williamson; 03/25/25 01:42 PM.
