That is a Gutta Percha grip cap. Clearly now a "transitional" 1891 Quality 2 gun with English 2-bar Damascus tubes (and likely an English walnut stock) with a later Fulton butt plate.
As to Dr. Drew's earlier question as to how early the bakelite dog's head insert was used on non-ejector forends, this gun would indicate that it was very early indeed (& that might be a worthy $10 investment here). It's had a hard life but has survived to this point relatively intact. Moreover, it is alot more gun than your average "field grade" Smith, much more "hand-made" than machine-made and mostly with parts sourced from England and then Syracuse, New York.
Kutter: You weren't being "weak" when you bought this one, your eyes and well-honed instincts were telling you something. One of the last of the American "small-shop" guns and well-worth salvation IMHO. Once you get it cleaned-up to your liking, a Jim Stubbendieck letter from the LC Smith archives might even be in order (this is a "graded gun" after all).
I'm curious, can you measure how much drop this gun has at heel? My early guns all have significant drop (3 1/4 to 3 1/2). Not unshootable, but I definitely have to "adapt" to them after shooting guns with more "modern" dimensions. This gun will also be fairly heavy (which I suspect they all were then).
Last edited by Lloyd3; 04/21/26 10:42 AM.
