doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Another "what loads" post, 20 gauge LC Smith?

Drew, the picture I posted is a 12 gauge. For some reason they stamped 12's also. Kind of funny since 12 gauge "elsies" were always 2 3/4"

In that transition period for the 20 gauge 2 1/2" to 2 3/4" I have seen them stamped to let people know that the chambers were lengthened. The same for the 16 gauge in late 1939.

This thread made me curious, and the gun safe was already open, so I went and checked. My Marlin built 20ga Field Grade, SN FWS 9445 is not marked as to chamber length, but has 2 3/4" chambers. However another Field Grade, FWS 30601 and an Ideal Grade FW SN IE 31151 are marked on the barrel flat opposite the serial number as in the example that David posted. I have hunted extensively with 9445 and 31151 with nothing but 1 oz loads. The only time they see 7/8 oz loads is on the skeet field. Incidentally, I also have a 16ga built in 1933 that has 2 3/4" chambers and is marked with the chamber length in the style of the 3" markings on the LR/WF guns. My 1936 .410 is marked 3" with the same style stamp. Just proves again that you can never say never on an LC Smith.

Interesting. Must've been confusing Fox markings with LC's. Darn.

Re the conversion to 2 3/4", didn't happen on Elsie 16's, I'm pretty sure, until about 1939-40. I think they were about the last of the "classic" American doubles to change over to the 2 3/4" standard.

Larry, Tom has a 1933 that has 2 3/4" chambers marked, I have a 1939 with the Single Sighting Plane that still has 2 9/16" chambers. As Tom said, "never say never".

When that gun was built most guys were stuffing stout hunting loads in those Elsies, not lite target loads. I have put about 5,000 rounds through a couple of Elsies with no worries at all. All of mine have had the head of the stock glass bedded and I make sure the lock plates are not tight at the back end. Shoot those 1oz loads and enjoy.
Regards,
Jeff

Tom, I wouldn't say "never" on any of the American classics. But I'm pretty sure a 2 3/4" 16ga from 1933 would have been a special order. If you look in Brophy's book, Appendix C, p. 228, you'll find the Hunter Arms Co diagrams for "regular barrels". Chamber length for the 12 is 2.75"; for the 16, 2.5625". Drawing dated 4-6-38.

Larry: There is no doubt that the 1933 16ga is a special order, and I am sorry that I wasn't clear about that. I bought the gun because it was a field grade with ejectors, a somewhat unusual configuration. It wasn't until later, after some dis assembly that I discovered the chamber markings and that the receiver had been drilled in several places to remove weight, and that the barrels were older Belgian made tubes. Some old bird hunter knew exactly what he wanted and had it made up to the specs he desired.I have a friend who has an LC Smith with the lightening holes drilled exactly the same as mine.

Lightening holes on a Field grade regular frame 12g started July 1939, shipped November 1939

Researcher has made a good case that Parker and Fox held their chambers short by about an 1/8" So a chamber for 2-3/4" shells would be 2-5/8" long and a chamber for 2-9/16
would be 2-7/16" long.

Here is one of Researcher's posts about chamber lengths:

Link