Just stumbled across a pretty nice LC Smith Damascus hammer 12 today. Original case color is at least 90% and barrel pattern is 90% except for some blood etching on one barrel, so would probably need a refinish. Gun is on the rack as a 20 ga because the barrels have been internally sleeved to 20 ga. Chamber inserts appear to be a very precise fit, and the internal sleeves run all the way to the muzzles, with about a .005" rebate at the muzzle. Chamber and barrel sleeves appear to be steel, not aluminum, but I was told that these barrels were sleeved by Purbaugh. They appear to be somewhat permanently installed, but no visible solder or bedding compound. They don't look like any Purbaugh tubes I have ever seen. Aside from the blood etching on the barrel, the only problems with the gun are weight (8-1/4lbs), a crushed butt pad, and price ($1500 asking, so about $1700 out the door). I think it's an $800 gun, but the case color is very nice so I'll watch it as it languishes on the rack.

Does anybody recognize the tubes as I have described them? Could they be Purbaugh?

Edit: This gun is within driving distance of the old Purbaugh shop, so...?

A SMALL magnet on the tubes will tell whether steel or alum.
How are the extractors fitted?
Mike

All the Parbaugh tubes that I have seen were aluminum. I would try the magnet trick to see if they are steel. then I would take a real close look to see if they can be removed. Eight pound doubles are not that much fun to carry and none at that weight should be 20's.

I absolutely agree. I don't think the magnet trick will be definitive because the tubes are thin and surrounded by the steel barrels and chambers, but I'll try it. I didn't have any of my tools or gauges with me when I found this gun, but it will still be there when I get back to it. My thought would be to knock out the tubes and shoot it with low pressure 12 ga shells if the Damascus barrels are sound. It does not look like the tubes are removeable, and there is no knocker with it. Even if I wanted to take measurements and have a knocker machined for this gun, I doubt the shop would let me start pounding on the muzzles of a consignment gun. There are no ejectors, just what appear to be extractors. I did not have any snap caps with me and I did not pull the forend.

The case colors on this gun are the best I have ever seen on an original hammer gun, and the barrels are gorgeous except for the blood etching.

I'd agree that they aren't a joy to tote while hunting, but it would make for a pretty sweet, light recoiling clays gun.

There wouldn't be ejectors on any L.C. Smith hammer guns, the first style ejectors (1892-1900)on hammerless guns, used the hammer spring tension put on the cocking rods to eject the hulls. The second style, used coil springs in the for-end that were released upon opening the gun, and also used the cocking rods to re-cock the ejectors and re-ccok the hammers making them tough to fully open.

You didn't give the serial number, and after 1898, the F grade (cheapest) was offered in a choice of three barrels options. The cheapest gun with Royal Steel was $20.00, Stub Twist was $23.00 and Good Damascus was $25.00.
Since you say there is a pattern, that leaves out the Royal steel, the Stub Twist will be wrapped like coils, and the Good Damascus will have a varigated pattern. Unless the bores were heavily pitted and honed too thin, hence the re-tubing or else the owner felt, like many, that the Damasus was not safe to shoot.

Don't have the S/N, but will get it on next visit. Barrels are probably stub twist rather than good Damascus. No engraving on the lock plates, so probably the lowest field grade gun for the time. But, the case colors are wonderful, including on the hammer ears. I'll measure 20ga chambers and chokes and will try to measure the old 12ga chambers to see if they were machined to accept the chamber sleeves. When I have a little time, I'll pull out Brophy and Houchins and see if I can get a specific ID on this gun.

I believe if you put a small magnet just inside the chamber, you could feel if it is attracted by the tube, or not. I doubt anything is left of Purbaugh's place. Claude is dead and I think Bill and Jerry are out of the business, probably retired, like many of us. Like the others, I doubt Purbaugh made tubes of steel. He originated the use of aircraft aluminum for tubes, chamber and tube made from one piece. A total weight of 8 lbs. also suggests aluminum, to me.

If memory serves correctly, all Purbaughs used their own extractors, I don't remember them using the extractors as part of the tube chamber,like Briley or Kolar. So these may not be Purbaughs, unless it has a special extractor that works with the 20 ga rims cuts. Another thing to keep in mind, with the attached extractor guns, and I don't know about Purbaughs, is that a lot of the manufactures of the tubes cut a long forcing cone in the original barrels to get a beefier chamber on their tubes, to take care of pressures. I don't know if this long forcing cone would be desirable in a twist or damascus gun for use without the tubes. But, it does sound like a nice gun, and would be a pleasure with low pressure loads.

I don't have any pics of this gun (yet), but the extractors don't resemble anything I have seen on a Google search of Purbaugh pics.



I suspect that may be the case, but I can't tell without removing the inserts. That's why I want to mic the chambers at the breach end to see if they were machined to accept the chamber sleeves. If they are larger than standard 12 ga dimensions, then I guess the inserts and sleeves have to stay.

Another thought is that, if I can get the barrel sleeves out without damage and if the original barrels pass inspection, I could leave the current chamber inserts in the gun (cut off the barrel sleeves) and use 20 ga shells. This should lighten the gun considerably. Or, I could possibly use Chamber Mates or Gauge Mates in 12/16 or 12/20, although my preference would be to just go with low pressure 12's.

L.C.Smith hammer guns don't do much for me all the ones I've handled had mushy locks.

If you just have to have it a replacement set of 12 ga. L.C.Smith barrels ought not be too hard to come by.