Testament to an LC Smith

[Richard Flanders]

This is the experience of a friend of mine had hunting doves with an LC Smith 20 he restored and restocked some years back. They killed 5500+ doves between them. I've related this story many times since he first told it to me.

"I am in possession of one, a 20 ga. live pigeon gun with both barrels bored modified. I bought it in the early 60's while at university, so you know it was cheap. It is engraved, ideal grade, with the light weight action. I used it in Argentina on doves to great effect. Five of us went down on package deal for a four day shoot. We took nine guns, 3 Brownings, 2 Berettas, 3 Rem 1100s and my LC. The only one that did not require some sort of maintenance was the LC. All 3 1100s failed, but robbing parts from the others we got one back on line, the Berettas failed completely with broken parts and the Brownings would not cycle and were used as single shots despite twice daily cleanings. We shot 14,125 rounds, but the LC, built in 1905, still ejected without any cleaning other than the bores."

[Kenny Graft]

The L.C.smith is a fine American SXS....heavy for its gauge if you walk allot hunting. Great target gun. Its only short coming is the fact that the rear stock at the action has its issues on many of the old guns??? I do not know if its a built in defect or lack of being maintained properly? (Stock kept tight to action) SXS ohio

[Dave Noreen]

Lot of holes in this story. If the gun is in fact an Ideal Grade, it wasn't made in 1905. The Ideal Grade didn't come out until 1913. Likewise, Hunter Arms Co. didn't introduce the 20-gauge L.C. Smith until 1907.

[Richard Flanders]

Thanks Dave. I'll relay this to him. He may be off on the gun age but is a serious "old gun" guy who has a house full of old single shots. He reloads for them, including paper patching when appropriate, and does all his hunting with them. For recreation he goes to Africa for a few months almost every winter and works in his favorite PH's camp and culls problem elephants for local villages using his old single shots. He's definitely my go-to guy for information on tuning up my Winchester High Wall .45-90. He definitely did the dove trip too, as I have his pictures from it. He's not that much of a shotgun guy though and could well be off on his LC.

[Brian Dudley]

Were the Brownings Auto-5s? Or a newer model?

[John Dallas]

The quality of Argentina shells has improved. When I went, about 10 years ago, we were shooting Fiocchis, and they were clean-burning and reliable. As I understand it, a few years prior, the local shells were dirty and unreliable and would gum up almost every gun. In our group, I shot a Beretta O/U, and the other guns were a M21 and and old Browning A5. All performed flawlessly.

[charlie cleveland]

lc smiths are great guns i too have never had a problem with any of mine but i ve never shot near the doves this guy has...all in all i would rate the lc smith one fine gun...charlie

[Richard Flanders]

Not sure Bryan. It was only about 20yrs ago so I'd guess they were newer than A5's. If I can find his pictures maybe I could tell.

[Brian Dudley]

I would think so. If you told me that multiple A5s in a single outing malfunctioned, i woukd tell you that younwere telling tall tales. :)

[Richard Flanders]

Here is the LC owners response. He would like the correct information on the gun if someone has it, which I'm pretty sure someone here has.

Rich:

Your friend could be correct. I am certainly not in anyway conversant on LC's. The date of manufacture was given to me many years ago by someone who had some sort of reference on serial numbers. And just possibly I may not have remembered it incorrectly. However, if your friend is a collector and has references the serial no. is 5221 with the barrel flat and frame marked 5221 E under scribed with 2. It is a Hunter Arms manufacture. Perhaps he could get me the correct description.

[James L. Martin]

LC Smith serial numbers can be very confusing, but it sounds to me like it was made in 1919 if its a Ideal grade

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Rich,Show us a picture of that winchester high wall, 45-90 has to be a butt kicker, do you load for them? Gary

[Richard Flanders]

I load for all my guns. I mold bullets for all the old rifles. I'm in Anchorage. Will post pictures next week. My high wall isn't anything particularly fancy but the bore is good and it shoots well. I have a new bullet mold that should improve on the 3" groups I've been getting at 200yds.

[Rich Anderson]

A couple of months in Africa culling problem elephants....be still my beating heart. What a great opportunity and if he ever needs any help please have him call me. It would be just the thing for my new Ruger #1 450-400 Nitro Express and I could take the 416 Taylor as back up.

[Richard Flanders]

Here's a couple of pictures of my High Wall .45-90. 1887 vintage, #3 bbl, I think. Very good to excellent bore. Shoots well. Nothing fancy but the bore is much better than many. Wish it had a set trigger. The rear barrel sight is a good item but not original to the gun and not even close to being usable; it's just a nice decoration. The tang sight is a beauty and unused before I put it on this gun. I love tang sights. I can't see bbl sights anyway. I got the gun from Jim Goergens in Minnesota; I'd guess he deals more guns like this than anyone. I told him what I wanted and he let me know when he got one.