doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Lc.Smith question...

I have an old grade 2-12 bore ejector gun ,the gun is in good restored condition except for forend iron which don't fit tight to the radius of the reciever,although it will fit fine when clear of the barrel's , all number's match.

Any help appreciated

What do you intend to do with or to it?

It could be that the previous owner/s had taken the for-end off with the hammers let down, and upon putting the for-end back on they used it to re-cock the hammers and reset the ejctors putting a lot of tension on the wood and metal. It could be that the thin areas of the for-end that fit over the knuckle of the receiver are slightly bent even though they are case hardened. Are there any chips out of the thin areas to indicate this?

Need background
Which forend latch mechanism is on your Smith?



Assemble the gun, open and close to set the ejectors
Assess, did they set?
If so, take the forearm off the assembled gun
Remove the wood from the forend iron
Place the iron on the assembled barrel/frame.

1. Does it now fit in place better?
2. If not, can you pull back on the iron and does it fit better?

Please report back

Thanks
Mike

Mike, it is an ejector gun, Grade 2E, so your first picture would not be it as this stype of release wasn't available until the mid 1930's and the 3rd picture is for an extractor gun.

Pictures would help.

Newf, you first mentioned old Gr. 2E, does it have the clam shell for-end escutcheon or the banjo type? If it has the clam shell it is before 1901 and uses the first style ejectors which uses the cocking rods to activate them.

Since both sytles with the for-end release along with the "J" spring hold the fo-end snug to the barrels, one in the back of the loop and the "J" spring in the front. If the for-end is not loose on the gun when cocked, then I would use some prussian blue or lipstick and put it on the for-end where it mates to the knuckle of the receiver and see what kind of contact there is.

David,
Sorry for going OT, but I have a numbers matching O,E,H.O.T. from 1912 that has the leftmost fore-end release from the picture above.
Just as an FYI.
John

John Liles. welcome on your FIRST post
You will find this site, exciting and fun
Lots of knowledgable people here!!

YUP, just trying to encourage pictures
My extractor gun is a Grade 3 1893

Mike, if it is the same picture in Houchins book, that gun was sent back for an extra set of barrels and matching for-end.

The first ejector for-end release was the clam shell, used on pre-1901 guns, then a very seldom seen one used in only 1901 was a 7/8" round metal escutcheon with two small wood screws and the roller release. Then came the banjo shaped one used until the mid 1930's, and then the rectangular one used till the end.

Also, for those that might not know, Hunter Arms Co. started putting the banjo release for-end on non ejector guns from Ideal Grade up starting around 1918-19. This came about because the for-ends of non ejector guns were being lost. From a period of 1912 to 1918-19 non ejector for-ends were held on with the Curtis release, a push button release similar to the Anson style.
It was said this was a patent infrigement and so was discontinued when in my opinion, was a major cost factor to make.

Clam shell release


Release used in 1901


Forgot to mention that the last release was used on the second style of ejectors that had just come out. For-ends from now will have the June 1901 date on them.

Sorry guy's been busy all day ,thank's for the reply's thus far,
Jager ,I'm keeping the gun ...she's heavy but I like her.

The forend release is the middle one posted in the photo,banjo style I believe you call it,everything work's just fine ejector's cock and release in time ,serial #9830.

I've cocked the ejector's removed the wood, re-assembled and there's still a gap, and it won't pull back to fit , it's in my lap as I type,and another thing I noticed is that the forend is not completely tight up to the barrel's as it should be

Check to see if the iron is bent slightly, as I've seen the occasional bent fore iron strap; which is typically caused by someone trying to attach the iron with hammers in the fired position. With the Type II ejector design, this problem is more prevalent on the first variation (pictured above) with the round escutcheon secured by two screws, as the area where the strap is attached to the base is narrower. Later Type II ejector guns with the the "banjo" escutcheon have that base/strap area reinforced with additional metal; but it can still be bent with enough pressure.

And as to the shapes of the Smith escutcheon itself, David is correct as to normal standards; but on high-grade Smith guns it is not uncommon to see the forend escutcheon artfully and uniquely reshaped.