doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How not to treat a beautiful Elsie 20

and 30" barrels on a 20, no less. Looks like someone actually tried to heat the right lock with it on the gun, or am I not seeing something?

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=269022004

What a mess :S

I think you're referring to the blackening of the stock. It doesn't look like it was from torching the locks, but it doesn't look consistent with oil soaking either.

All of the Smiths I own have flat-topped checkering, even the 1949 one. This has pointed checkering suggesting a re-finish to me, but someone who knows the guns better will chime in with a definitive answer. Perhaps the stock was badly oil soaked and had incomplete removal.

Lastly, the locks look like they had pitting, polishing, and re-case hardening. I'm no expert on torching, but that doesn't look like a torch job to me.

My take is that this is a post-13 gun with a refinish. It would be nice to see the center lever and know the serial number. It doesn't look like a $1600 gun to me, maybe $1200 is a better figure?

Rob.

Bad photography doesn't help, either.

From the factory L.C. Smith Field Grade guns had flat top checkering usually, but could be ordered with higher grade wood and checkering and often were, upgraded guns will Cody factory letter as such......from the Hunter Arms factory the Ideal Grade, Trap Grade and up in grade all had pointed checkering and more lines per inch........

When Marlin started manufacturing L.C.'s in 1946 the styles and patterns were all over the chart.......so anybody's guess......

I have a nice Field Grade lettered 16 ga. from 1931 with special order wood and 22 LPI pointed checkering....if you had the money, they had the time, like anything else......

The gun above appears to me to be Faux colored with cold blue and a cannister propane torch, that is why it looks blued/blacked at different light angles......?......Nasty indeed whatever they did to it........

Factory flat top checkering Field Grade 1926 .....

Factory pointed checkering Trap Grade 1914 ....

Factory pointed checkering Ideal Grade 1923 ....

The blackened wood looks like a patched in/repaired area.
Some fibreglass perhaps, maybe a less than proper choice of filler material/wood that took on more stain/coloring and finish than wanted for the final look and match they were going for.

You see the same look on quicky stock repairs to the toe area alot. Not as noticable there though.

Seller is located in "The Villages". FWIW, the Villages is reported to have the highest incidence of STDs of any zipcode in the country

Oh, no! Frightening.

Is there an obvious reason most L C Smiths are pistol-grip? I started on that type of stock in 1964 but years later tried a straight-grip stock and find they lift more naturally. I have a few Elsies pistol grip only and love them for what they are. Are my chances of finding a 16 ga Specialty grade FW with straight grip pretty slim?

Best wishes,
FM

I found one in 20 gauge, don't know how many were made, but you don't see them often. Mine was a gift from an old friend, bequethed to me after his death.



A friend of mine had a new tang welded up, and had a stock made up for his 20. That is the alternate option.

Fishn,

Your departed chum was a true friend, it still shows clear evidence, today.

Also seems slightly puzzling why so many of the graded Elsies are single trigger. My first double was a Stevens 16 ga in 1964 with double triggers and I quickly learnt these are a useful advantage shooting upland. Your 20 looks perfect!

Thank you,
Franco