I just bought a LC FW Speciality Grade 12 ga. Barrels retain maybe 90% blue, case colors have silvered out, only light light marks here and there. Bores are mirrors.
Here's my problem, someone put a white line pad on it (ugh). Length of pull is 14 1/4 over the 1" pad. I could restock it but since the wood is nice it would seem better to me keep it original. What pad is now available that wouldn't look out of place and incorrect?
Secondly, I can't find any marks indicating how the barrels are choked. I guess you have to measure them???
Thanks for any help,
Phil
L.C. Smiths have no choke markings. The only way to know for sure is to pattern them. Bores are generally a bit undersized by today's standards. Good period correct pads are available from Galazan's.
Depending on when your gun was manufactured, that White Line pad (unless it is marked Pachmayr White Line pad') could be original, as this was an option offered by the Hunter Arms Company. You can easily tell if the pad is original to the gun by removing same and checking the butt for more than two screw holes; but I agree, the White Pad does not suit my tastes either. Hunter Arms offered a variety of recoil pads over the course of gun production, but it seems that the Hawkins Pad is the pad seen most often on surviving Smith guns. Of the vintage recoil pads I personally prefer a period style Silver's Pad, but the choice is up to what might suite your personal tastes. As to chokes, rarely will one find choke designations on a set of Smith barrels; but period catalogs state that all were bored full and full unless ordered otherwise, so your only option is to have them measured.
Thanks for the info. Serial number is 905xx. Topgun, I'll pull the pad and have a look at the screw holes and get back.
Thanks again
Phil
I have a fondness for Specialty Grades
Looks just like mine. Took a look at the dreaded white line pad and it is in fact "whiteline by Pachmyer". Oh well, from what you guys said it appears the Silvers pad from Galazan is the way to go?????
Phil
I like the red Old English Pachmyer, looks good and functions like a recoil pad not like a red brick.
bill
I like that pad as well. It looks great in Brown.
Depending on when your gun was manufactured, that White Line pad (unless it is marked Pachmayr White Line pad') could be original, as this was an option offered by the Hunter Arms Company. You can easily tell if the pad is original to the gun by removing same and checking the butt for more than two screw holes; but I agree, the White Pad does not suit my tastes either. Hunter Arms offered a variety of recoil pads over the course of gun production, but it seems that the Hawkins Pad is the pad seen most often on surviving Smith guns. Of the vintage recoil pads I personally prefer a period style Silver's Pad, but the choice is up to what might suite your personal tastes. As to chokes, rarely will one find choke designations on a set of Smith barrels; but period catalogs state that all were bored full and full unless ordered otherwise, so your only option is to have them measured.
There are general advertisements that exists touting the “New White line pad” that date from the early 1930s. Manufacturers may not have been on board that early, but i suppose a customer could specify wanting one on their gun if they wanted to.
Well I learned today about WhiteLine pads on LC Smith guns.
Mine says nothing about pachmayer anywhere. Could it have been an option?
It sits on a 5E.
Red, many pads were finished with the stock. Lay a straight edge on the stock. If proud, maybe not. FWIW.
A 5 E would be a pre-1913 gun. Go to the LC Smith collectors site. There is a discussion and photos of correct pads. Leather covered was also an option.
Thanks for the help. If I sidetracked the thread, didn't mean to.
I collected LC Smiths, solely vintage 1901 - 1912, mostly 3E's, and one 4E. None had a white line pad. Most had a metal buttplate, but several were live pigeon/trap models with what appeared to be "Silvers" pad and one had a leather pad. I never saw any LC's from this period with a white line, but I did see some at some of the shows that were on later made models (after 1913).