doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com L C Smth two barrel set

I ran across an unusual L C Smith two barrel set . A pigeon grade set with one set of barrels steel, the other damascus. I can only think this was a special order gun. All matching numbers. Any info about this out there?

It was not uncommon when it became common knowledge that pattern welded barrels were "time bombs" to return the gun to Hunter Arms for steel barrels, and the factory would stamp the original SN on the new barrels.
http://www.lcsmith.org/faq/replacement.html

Only way to know is with a Research Letter
http://www.lcsmith.org/shotguns/researchdivision.html

but there may be limited information depending on when the new barrels were fitted
http://www.lcsmith.org/faq/researchltr.html

Crown steel was used for the Pigeon Gun on introduction in 1893; Nitro steel after about 1898. Steel barrel replacement cost was about 1/2 of the cost of the gun (by grade), and some sportsmen elected to use the less expensive 00/Field grade Armor steel.

Leland,
I don't know where your set came from - I.e.if it would have been viewed for sale or online previously. In any case I have seen for sure two other Pigeon grade 2 barrel sets with Damascus/ fluid barrel options.
I suspect as Drew mentioned, especially with the higher grade guns, it was relatively common to return them for fluid steel barrels in the 10s,20s, and maybe 30s ( perhaps less so with the depression on?). I think likely more rare than the replacement is the Damascus set staying with it for 100 years.