Marlin L.C. Smith

[Eddie Kay]

Appear's to be the "Deluxe" model. Were they a decent shotgun?

[David Noble]

The L.C. Smith shotguns were considered in the top 5 American made shotguns. Marlin bought the rights to produce them in the 1968 to 1974 era. Marlin was considered one of the top 5 manufacturers of American long guns also. So yes the Marlin made L.C. Smith gun is considered a decent shotgun.

[Rodney Reynolds]

Marlin bought LC Smith in 1945 and produced them until the factory floor collapsed around 1950.

[nid-28]

It is not a deluxe model! Deluxe models had rather fancy wood and a Beavertail forum. As I recall, the standard models had a poly choke vent rib on them and the deluxe models had a Simmons rib on them. They only made 188 deluxe models as I recall.

[Eddie Kay]

So the only difference between field and deluxe was wood and a beavertail forend?

[Researcher]

Deluxe models had rather fancy wood and a Beavertail forum. As I recall, the standard models had a poly choke vent rib on them and the deluxe models had a Simmons rib on them. They only made 188 deluxe models as I recall.

That is what Col. Brophy's Marlin book states except 182.

[Bill Murphy]

Marlin bought the rights in the 1968 to 1974 era?? Who did they buy them from?

[B. Dudley]

These late Marlin Smiths that are made according to the original Smith designs and parts are just fine shotguns. Relatively speaking since it is a Smith.
They are not as finely finished as Hunter Arms guns. But neither are very late Hunter Arms guns.
All of these marlin made smiths that I have seen have vent ribs.

After they stopped making them from original parts, Marlin started importing guns with the Smith name on them. But these are of a completely different design and I am really not sure if they were or were not serviceable guns or not.

[nid-28]

Here’s a brief history of the Marlin firearms company and the LC Smith. Marlin purchased the assets of Hunter arms in 1945. From 1946 to 1951. Marlin produced approximately 56,000 post war LC Smiths. The serial number of those guns All started with the letter S. In 1951 the floor with the machinery on it collapsed and production ended. In 1969 Marlin resurrected the LC Smith. They built about 2500 field grade, 12 gauge, sidelock Guns in a standard grade and a deluxe grade. It was not a success and production ended in 1971. Once again in 2005, Marlin imported a new line of LC Smith shotguns from Italy. These were box lock guns with false side plates. They were made by Fausti Stefano. They were decent guns and they even made some in 28 gauge and some in 410 bore. As a sidenote, the original Hunter Arms never made any 28 gauge LC Smiths , with the exception of one prototype. Well that’s enough shotgun history for today. I hope it clears up some of the information that’s been sought.