Parker vs L.C. Smith guns

[Mike of the Mountain]

OK. I had three Smith guns. Two I didn’t shoot very well no matter what I did. The third was a two barrel set Specialty grade 12g. I did OK with it but it had the Hunter One trigger. I figured I’d move that gun before it had trigger issues as repairing a Hunter One takes a Swiss watchmaker.

I didn’t like the “feel” of the Smiths either. Parkers and Lefevers both fit me well and have that feel that put me on birds and turn targets into diesel smoke.

Another plus for Parker and Lefevers is most double-gunsmiths will work on them. Certain repairs I can do too. I know gunsmiths that will not touch an LCS gun for love or money.

I have good friends that shoot Smiths as well as other American made doubles. Their choice. As long as they’re shooting is what matters.

[Timothy Cicora]

Mike - Similar issue with a LC specialty grade double I had . I was in love with it because I shot it well and I liked all the features it had. I was warned by just about everyone about how finnicky those single trigger Smiths could be.

The trigger went sideways at our state shoot and thank the Lord I had finished shooting trap doubles and wobble trap. It started to only fire the left barrel !

I didn't want to listen to everyone telling me to convert it to double triggers . After someone explained and showed my how it worked , its not too terribly complicated.

You still have to have the parts and resources to fix it. I sent it out to Jerry Andrews and he sorted it out. He said he didn't know how it even worked for as long as it did. It's been wonderful ever since.

I still love the gun .... For now . You never know what may come your way. That's the fun of it for me.

[Craig Larter]

I enjoy collecting and shooting both, but I own 14 Parkers and two Smith's. I guess you would call me a confirmed Parker guy. Why, because I prefer the looks of a Parker and they were made in wider variety of gauges, barrel lengths and action types.
I have also made room in my gun collection for a bunch of Foxes and two Lefevers. From my experience Parkers and Foxes are the most robust, Smiths and Lefevers are not as robust.

[Bill Murphy]

Craig, I have a similar array of the American "big four". My question is why a Lefever or a double trigger Smith is not robust. I will admit that a single trigger Smith is a bit of a challenge.

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Craig, I have a similar array of the American "big four". My question is why a Lefever or a double trigger Smith is not robust. I will admit that a single trigger Smith is a bit of a challenge.

My Lefever is a plain jane I grade, but she is a real beauty. She is also light and quick. A really fine little shotgun, two trigger, damascus, all original. The safety is stiff. I've been to several gunsmiths with it and none of them will touch it. Liability they say.

[Lloyd McKissick]

Liability??? What a bunch of pansy bedwetters...

You need a real gunsmith, not some Gen Z weenie.

[todd allen]

I have never missed a target over double triggers, but I did miss a target with a single trigger when I slipped my finger behind the single trigger and tried to pull the back of the trigger guard

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by Lloyd McKissick

Liability??? What a bunch of pansy bedwetters...

You need a real gunsmith, not some Gen Z weenie.

Yeah, I thought the same thing. I've been futzing with the little Lefever today and I can get along with the stiff safety okay. It is a beautiful but plain shotgun. 12. Keith Kerschur did some work on it. I like G grade Lefevers, but do not own one.

[Lloyd McKissick]

My very first Damascus gun was a G-grade Lefever ( back in the early 90s) and the nicest American double I've ever handled was a C-grade Lefever in 16 with B-grade engraving.

They can be exceptionally nice guns.

[Stepmac]

I agree that my GH Parker is a better gun than my O grade L.C. Smith. And thank you for all of the imput I had from my post asking that question.

I bought my GH Parker from the Nosler gun store in Bend Oregon in 2011. At the time I was led to believe that the gun was a garden variety Parker. Now, and after a decade of reading about it I have deduced that it is a much better than that. My question is, is my GH a midgrade Parker?