"L. C. Smith didn't mark their barrels with the choke constriction e.g. "mod", "full". "
As a general rule, Smith guns were not marked as to choke; however, an example will occasionally surface with the odd factory choke stamp. For me personally this has been two post-13 Field Grade Smith guns special ordered with the right barrel special ordered cylinder choke and stamped "cyl." on the bottom of the barrel tube.
As to factory chokes, unless ordered otherwise by the customer, period catalogs stated all guns would be shipped Full/Full; and a Smith full choke is very full.
As to shooting steel shot in a Smith gun, I'm sure someone has done so; but I personally haven't. Some years ago I experimented with factory steel shot loads in a 1907 vintage Fox Grade A gun; a gun that was heavy with thick barrel tubes, but its bores were rough. I figured that if steel shot did indeed scar/score a barrel tube, as was one of the advertised hazards of shooting steel shot in vintage barrels; it wouldn't matter in a gun that already featured rough bores. My experience revealed no additional damage to the barrel wall whatsoever; and I was surprised at the very mild recoil from those 3" steel shot shells (not at all like the old fashioned duck loads I grew up with). Now, prior to shooting that gun, I had it thoroughtly inspected by Buck Hamlin, opened both chambers to 3", and the chokes to improved cylinder/modified (manufacturers had cautioned against shooting steel loads in any choke tighter than modified). That said, I would NEVER shoot steel shot in a vintage gun that I thought a lot of, or that was valuable; too much at risk. And as to Smith chokes, always have them measured, then pattern your gun to see that it properly handles the load you want to shoot; and more importantly, that a load that is SUITABLE for use in a vintage gun. Chances are that your Smith gun is more than strong enough to handle any factory load of the correct length you might choose to shoot; however, your Smith stock may not be quite up to such a challenge. But of course, if you're not a novice you already know this.
