L C Smith 16 bore with high rib

Cold Spring · 12-03-2017, 04:41 PM

Just wanted to share some pics of a L C Smith 16 bore. She's on the Featherweight frame and I'm thinking it's one of the last real L C Smiths ever made. Field Grade with 28-inch tubes and the "single sighting plane" rib that's almost like looking down a single barrel trap gun, high ribbed pump gun, etc. This one has 2-3/4" chambers, no need for short shells, and is choked close to Full & Full with 23 points in both barrels. Stock is 1-1/2 by 2-1/2 by 14" LOP, weight a tad over 6-1/2 pounds.

A nice old timer that got traded in on a modern wonder gun.

B. Dudley · 12-03-2017, 04:51 PM

Most smiths that i have seen from that period on to the end of production have had high flat ribs like that.

Scott Smith · 12-03-2017, 05:14 PM

That's a nice one Frank!

PML · 12-03-2017, 08:11 PM

It looks like a Marlin era gun. Is is stamped FW or FWS? Nice gun!

Patrick

Cold Spring · 12-03-2017, 08:18 PM

This gun is stamped FW and it has the regular L C Smith legend on the right barrel.

UPDATE 12/4 - I just had a call from a LCS gent, that caused me to recheck the s/n. I had misread the 3rd digit and the s/n is 2069xx which is somewhat higher than the last s/n shown in production stats on the LCS website. He's going to get back to me.

Another UPDATE - Since my earlier update I learned there were guns in various stages of assembly along with serial-numbered frames and parts in inventory when Marlin bought LCS. The guns were completed and frames/parts in stock were used in production until exhausted. Afterwards the Marlin-made frames were numbered with the "FWS" prefix.

The LCS gent from earlier today called back this evening to tell me he confirmed with LCS resources that the 16-gauge gun shown here is within single digits of the very last one made with a LCS frame. It was shipped to "an individual" in 1946.

Bob Kuczynski · 01-17-2018, 04:12 PM

could be made with a leftover rib, or a simmons rib. marlin incorporated simmons ribs on their last guns. quick way to tell is if its welded on or glued on.

Joe D. · 01-17-2018, 06:24 PM

I bought a 1940 16 ga. 26" twin to this gun (IC/Mod) at a local auction and did some reading to figure out what I had. In 1939 LC Smith introduced the "single sighting plane rib" in response to folks who said that sxs barrels interfered with their sight picture. They also introduced the "improved grip stock" which, best I can tell, is slightly thicker and more pronounced curl (similar to pump shotguns of the day).
Mine is both improved grip and SSP rib and, while not as sleek in profile as older Smiths, the gun comes up beautifully with its double beads in perfect alignment! I have to take it to Jerry Andrews to get the top lever tightened down a bit but can't wait to shoot it. Some guns you can tell you'll shoot well as soon as you pick 'em up.