doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com L.C. Smith quality ?

I found a LC Smith 20 gauge that needs a little TLC. Are these guns considered quality sidelocks?

Like other of the American "classics," Smiths were well made field guns; not necessarily fine, but well made nonetheless. Also like the other classics, and this may be what really defines a classic, the factory had the ability to finish and embellish their guns to an incredible level if you had the coin.

Smiths take some flak for wanting to split the wood behind the locks, and for their single trigger. That said, the basic mechanism is tough. It might be worth pointing out that they were enormously popular trap guns; trap guns get used hard but the Smiths had the reputation for being able to stand up to the use.

Whether or not all of that adds up to a quality sidelock is, I suppose, in the eye of the beholder.

I have an L.C. Smith 20 field grade, choked IC/F. To me, it's elegant in shape and simplicity with a place of honour among my guns. I use it anywhere grouse, woodcock and early-season ducks fly.

L.C. Smiths seem to be on a lower rating dollar wise than Ithaca, Foxes and Parkers of about the same grade.
A lot of people say the Hunter One Trigger is no good, only because they don't know enough about it, and the smiths that work on them that say the same don't know enough about them and so say they are no good.(just tightening the long side plate screw one turn can make it not work).
So to stick up for them, you should know that it was the most expensive gun ever produced here and abroad and in most of the grades outsold the Parkers by sometimes 2 to 1. The engravng on the higher grades by Galan and Kraus were surpassed by no one. Dogs looked like dogs, birds looked like birds.
As far as the cracks, most was done by negligence, people using modern loads in guns that weren't built for higher pressures.
So some, keep bad mouthing them and keep the prices low so I can get them.

"The most expensive gun ever produced here and abroad"? I'd probably have to question that.

Parkers, grade for grade, were always significantly more expensive, which might have something to do with Elsies outselling them. Example: In 1940, a VHE with DT sold for $140, while an Elsie Ideal, same configuration, cost $78. And as far as total production goes, over 50,000 Elsies were produced post-WWII, by which time Parkers were no longer being made.

David is correct comparing the Smith A3/Premier and the Parker A1 Special.
Year 1898 1908 1913 1918 1926 1931
LC 740 740 565 675 730 775
Parker - 525 400 725 675 750

The LC Monogram was also more expensive than the AHE
The LC Deluxe was listed at 1,025 in 1926 while the Invincible was POA

1926 Price List



I posted these in response to the question on another Forum

Thanks Dr.Drew, I didn't want to put any eye candy there for fear of drawing too much attention, but I will add another to see if anybody can top it.

Yep.......now where did i put those Lefever pics!

This Baker is kinda nice (I think it's Daryl's)

battle, I'll help you with an Optimus Grade circa 1905, this is
the better side. Still not a good looking engraving of a dog.


Baker Paragon, very nice.


This is a Syracuse "elsie" Quality 7, circa 1886-87 need I post more.