L.C. Smith Won't Open Enough

[Bill Jacobs]

I am decidedly NOT a double gunsmith! I'll happily rebarrel or rechamber your hunting rifle, but I know my limitations when it comes to double guns. Having forgotten that bit of trivia, however, I spent several hours looking through reference books and combing the internet when an L.C. Smith came in that would not open sufficiently wide to load. The first photo below shows how the gun looked when it was opened. Finally I got my wits about me enough to call Bill Schwarz down in Georgia. He asked me a few questions, and I answered them best I could from what my customer told me.

Yes, the gun had recently been blued (badly, and likely in a caustic bath!).

Yes, the gun had a new forend, a beavertail that looked about as bad as a beavertail can look.


Bill then asked me to look at the end of the forend iron as you see it in the second photo. That shiny bit of steel has a knife edge on one end and is actually a wedge. The knife edge has to face the front of the gun. It was put in bassackwards. When I reversed it, the gun opened just fine as shown in the last photo.

Experience -- there is absolutely no substitute.

Bill Jacobs

[Mills]

Not pretty for sure. Probably needs a new and correct fore end

[B. Dudley]

Yes, your barrels were hot blued.

A perfect example of the situation where if someone else (who does not know what they re doing) works on a gun... ALL bets are off as to what a given issue can be.

At least you solved the problem on the shell extraction.

[Bill Jacobs]

At least you solved the problem on the shell extraction.

All credit to Bill Schwarz. You were next on the call list, by the way

[B. Dudley]

Originally Posted by Bill Jacobs

All credit to Bill Schwarz. You were next on the call list, by the way

I appreciate it, but I likely would not have been much help. I stopped working on smiths a while ago. I cannot stand them. I sold off my parts stash too. Of course I have acquired more since then. It happens.

[Drew Hause]

It's the Cocking Plate; courtesy of David Williamson

[Phil C]

Thank you for sharing. I have an LC Smith with the same issue ( not opening far enough) . I’m betting I will find the same condition on mine.
When I researched this issue on line I found many people stating this condition is normal on LCS guns to a host of other Fixes that flat did not make any sense.

[Richard Flanders]

I restored an abused LCSmith 12ga for a friend a few years ago. Removed about 30 dents from the barrels, refinished the stock, had new firing pins made by our own firing pin wizard. What a PITA to work on. Getting the spring loaded lever post lined up with the hole in the floorplate was the worst. Regardless of what suggested "trick" I tried it was still a hassle.

[Drew Hause]

Another reason for inadequate opening may be that the "Joint Check", used until about 1898, is bound

[Craig Budgeon]

Throw the Philips head screws away and install straight slot screws which are flush or below the surface of the cocking rod cutouts in the forend iron.