Runs,

I rest my case.


DLH

Mr. Hoffard,

If you have an itch under your kilt, by all means - scratch it. But - please don't do so in public. I don't want to see it - and my guess is - no one else wants to scratch your itch, either. So please feel free to do so in private.

Not public.

My thanks,

John

What a great day for a hike in the woods and let the dog run.

Maybe you are right-
 

My point was- if Destry H. is on the masthead of PP, which, according to recent issue, page 7- he indeed is- as Associate Editor- and brother Romig, who has devoted many unpaid hours to the production of this fine magazine we share in the PGCA, and needs more articles, I was curious as to when his next article might be forthcoming. If Destry spent half the time writing another great story (with photos) as he did a while back about his trip to storied Beaver Dam as he did posting unkind and uncalled for remarks about brother PGCA members, we would all be far better off, at least, IMO. Also, what i said about a PGCA member asking me for advice about a M12 purchase, and then suggesting that I write an article (whether it might be published in PP or not) is true. It was brother David Ross in England, and I have invited him and Russ to hunt with me here in West MI next Fall, if their plans jell.

If you doubt this, and I suspect Destry might, which is his right- then, as the late Casey "Stinky" Stengall said when manager of the Yankees- re: stats and records in MLB-- "Well, you can always go and look it up somewhere"-- a checky-check of both my PM's and David's (open to all here) will so verify my statement.

Like all of us, I do have my faults, and I will freely admit that without reservations- But being disloyal to my friends isn't one of them!!!:bigbye:

Sorry Francis I still do not see your point. So Destry is listed as an Asso. Editor in PP so what, he has written articles in the past for the PP and given great accounts of his hunts on this board so why are you still trying to beat him up..? Sorry don't get it. Just leave this thread alone it's getting very tiresome listening to your posts :banghead:, I agree with Bruce maybe JD should just shut down this thread. It's getting old. I thought we were talking about near new or new in box shotguns and you have taken someplace else. Eric

I did not make it all the way to your "point".

As I told Mr. Hoffard - if you have an itch in your kilt - scratch it in private.

Thank you.

John

All BS aside the LC Smith is a wonderfull and rare gun indeed. It aspires to a certain buyer/collector being NIB. That genre is no longer my cup of tea but that doesn't detract from this wonderfull shotgu. I have had NIB guns befor, a couple of repo's and a Win M70 .358 FWT with all the paperwork. I sold them all and haven't regretted it as I want to "enjoy the color" befor the next caretaker does.

Oint well taken, Rich
 

I have gone the opposite route in my gun purchases (except for one- happened to be a LC Smith) as I ascribe to the Ernest Hemingway school of thought re: guns- that being- "A gun is to shoot" With the possible exception of his G&H Springfield, his Model 12 with solid rib, and a few Winchester .22's- he bought almost all his guns second or even third hand--

I was wrong to comment on the box and tag- I am a "doubting Thomas" by nature when it comes to spending my $- and tend to view some things as possibly being 'counterfeit' just because of the old adage- "If it sounds too good to be true, it ain't"!! I do see Galazan's advertising L.C. Smith hang tags- blank for about $35.00 and I wonder -why? But, there are those, and rightfully so, that want the original boxes, tags, instruction booklets as much as the near MINT gun itself.

About 4 years ago I bought a 12 Grade 1 LC Smith- DT- 30" that had been restored- supposedly by Turnbull, although the seller didn't have the provenance to prove it- looked like a new Smith- flawless- and I took it out a few times for banr pigeons and shot it very well- BUT- something about the "New" compared to my "wear with care" guns- so when a friend offered me about what I paid for it- I sold it to him. He's as happy as a lark with it-:cool::cool::cool:

I don't know how Smiths compare to Parkers in price, but I can say that Smiths are good guns and were popular during the hay day of the Parker. There are Smith collectors who would know more that Parker guys, I'd guess, but I'd be proud of your gun if it was mine. I'd also shoot it, but I shoot everything that I own.

Twenty grand? That's a pile of dough ray me.

Twenty grand- indeed, a big pile- even in Tens
 

-- Steve- may I suggest you get a hold of a copy of the great Houchin's book on the LC Smiths--what a bible of detail, great photos, celebrities who owned and shot Smith guns- he has a price and grade comparison table between Smiths and Parkers that might shed more light on your questions. Best--:bigbye:

As I've mentioned here lately I've been reading all of Sherman Bell's articles about testing damascus barrels. He took a Smith damascus double and had a smith hone the barrels to nearly paper thin. He took 9 ounces from the weight off of the barrels. Then he shot them using extremely heavy proof loads. Nothing happened. He couldn't get them to go until he jammed an obstruction down there.

While I love my Parker guns, I'm not a Parker gun snob (not that my fellow Parker brothers are) and any fine double gun starts my heart a pump'n.

And does any fine pumpgun get your heart A Dublin?
 

---I must admit, I am remiss, I have not yet read that Sherman Bell research article. Steve, can you share with us where you read it please.

I shoot Tower birds at an area club, and several members have Parkers, Purdeys, a Churchill, several AH Fox guns, etc. Those friends, to the best of my knowledge, are not PGCA members, and they are fine first class gents with superb gunning manners, both at the stands, and also afield later with the dogs for the pick-up hunts. Both my GHE 12 and my PH 12 are 'working guns", and I have never felt any bit of "snobbery' when shooting as a partner with someone with a Purdey. A fine shot and a solid sportsman is a human characteristic (IMO) and not the grade of gun he uses, or make of car he chooses to drive.

You might also enjoy a visit to our brothers in doubledom- vis a vis the LC Smith Collectors Group- I just recently read a very information thread there about the scarcity of LC Smith hammerless doubles in 10 gauge, both with Damascus and also with Nitro proofed barrels. I came away with the understanding that like the Ithaca Flues 10 gauge guns, they were all chambered for 2 & 7/8" shells, and not the later 3 & 1/2" shells as regards the Ithaca NID series guns! A great bit of information, and we are fortunate to have such a nice relationship with the Smith boys!!:cool::cool:

I do not own an L.C. Smith shotgun. As I speak there is an OO for sale down town, but she is in very rough shape and needs a lot of work and is not cheap. There is a Trojan too, but they want an arm and a leg for it. I saw a very flaky Remington in a very flaky antique store last week. It is damascus and cheap. I didn't get a good look at it. If it is graded it might be mine. It'll need about two grand to make it right. If it is a DE, well, might be worth it.

However that Trojan is sticking its tongue into my ear. But I'm gun poor now. I'm still pretty excited about this GH of mine. Need to fix it and buy some shells and give her a whorl on the clays range.

You can never go wrong with a Trojan Parker
 

Steve- I have owned two Trojan 12 bores- and both were fine pheasant guns- perhaps a tad heavy, as the 12's were always on the no. 2 frame- but what is the condition and the "arm and leg" price. Speaking of Smiths- Cabela's Gun Library has many- and they have finally lowered the prices on some- especially the ones with issues= FYI