doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com L C Smith. Field Grade.

Sell it to someone who worships at that altar. �I sure don�t need it� sums up how you will feel about repairing it when it does let go. There are guys that love �em like their first born, most of them clearly understand the design problems, and love �em anyway.

Nothing wrong at all with not being in that camp.

On any given site where shotguns are discussed, you can find some version of the LC Smith wood story.

Good luck with the sale.

Best,
Ted

Ted S,

The real reason many Gun Smiths do not work on L.C. Smith double guns, is they are not talented or experienced enough to do the work correctly, and there is no engineering design problem with any L.C. Smith shotgun. Your opinion is definitely wrong. I do not worship at any other alter than the Lords. I recommend you watch the Double Gun Videos The L.C. Smith Shot Gun with Master Gun Maker Nick Makinson and learn about America's best Sidelock double gun.

Freddie Brunner still works on certain people's double guns. I doubt he works on yours however.

Ryman Gun Dog
L.C. Smith Man

DLA,

If you are going to sell the 12 Gauge L.C. Smith for parts, PM me with some pictures and I will probably take it off your hands. Hate to see a good old L.C. Smith double gun waisting away in a closet some place. If it's a pre 13 gun, I will have it fixed correctly.

Ryman Gun Dog
L.C. Smith Man

Pictured below is a 16 Gauge 1913 L.C. Smith Field Grade on which Rich Painter installed a different set of L.C. Smith 30" Krupp barrels. If you want to have your 12 Gauge fixed correctly contact him at Economy Gun Smithing, Economy, Pa via the Net.

I wouldn�t call Dewey Vicknair inexperienced or not talented enough to work on LC Smiths. He�s probably made a considerable amount fixing stock cracks, broken stock heads etc. There are two kinds of Smiths: ones with broken stocks and those with stocks that will be broken. Dewey has a great discussion of their design weaknesses on his blog.

Beans, Again, for review:

http://vicknairgunsmithing.blogspot.com/2016/01/an-unbiased-look-at-design-of-american.html

The gunsmiths that I am referring to have all made a good living by being excellent gunsmiths, and have thrown in the towel on the Smith guns.

Guys like Dewey. Go ahead, and regale us with your tales of how Dewey isn�t talented enough or experienced enough to work on an L C Smith.

Go ahead. We�d all love to hear that one, again.

Fortunately, I can handle most of my own gunsmithing, Beans. The stuff I send out has gone to Kirk Merrington, Geoffrey Gournet, Randy Murray, and the checkering lady, Carol, at Ahlman�s Custom Guns in Morristown, MN.

I don�t believe any of the above will stand in line to work on a �Smith. Randy made a lot of money for a lot of years putting wood on, and doing repairs on LC Smith�s. Dewey did, also. Not so much, anymore. By choice, Beans.

It is a long way from �not experienced enough� to �I�m sick of fixing this junk, and won�t do it anymore�.

There are others, as well. None of them are amateurs, Beans. Despite what you imply.

Best,
Ted

Wow Dave, only 46 posts, and you're already rolling in the dirt with the rest of us heathens!

I still like my L.C. Smith guns, but I recognize their shortcomings and engineering deficiencies. Beyond the well known wood problems stemming from the thin sections in the fragile inletting, there is also the simplicity of the locks. Tough to do in practice, but make damn sure your L.C. Smith gun is pointed away from dogs or hunting companions if you take a tumble. They aren't the safest gun in the world. And Bill Brophy mentions in his "L.C. Smith Shotguns" book the number of Smith guns that are out of commission because the forends pop off and get lost while hunting.



Don't take it personally. I much prefer my Syracuse Lefever guns. But I recognize that they have their own design flaws as well, like fragile wood above and below the sideplates, and top lever springs that are prone to breaking.

Unless y'all have followed RGD's penchant for all things LC Smith, on the SSM site, you can't appreciate his hardheadedness regarding LC Smiths, and his hardheadedness in general. The particular website he is on at the time is irrelevant.

SRH

How many English Purdy under bite locking guns shoot loose ?
O.M

I guess you'd have to ask a Purdey Gunsmith how many of them he tightens. Never having owned a Purdey I have not the foggiest idea.

A long way from a Purdey but I have a Birmingham made J P Clabrough which is pre-1900. It has double underbolts & an unbolted Doll's Head. It is still tight & on face even though it has no built in wear compensation. Top lever stops at center, period, didn't start to the right & will never move to the left.

Personally I am firmly convinced that more guns "Wear" loose than ever "Shoot" loose.

RGD is no stranger on this forum. He was posting here when I started in the '90s. While opinionated, he usually has pretty sound opinions. Except maybe on Elsies...Geo