You are correct- April 2019 Stan and I finished the deal on a 12 ga. 3E fully optioned L.C. Smith-He wanted the 32" F&F barrels, which were added later, matched to the frame at the factory. I dated it by 2 known Smithian factors or benchmarks-- The Smith ventilated rib was offered as an option sometime in the late 1920's- after Gifford Simmonds (Simmonds Saw Co.) had bought the struggling gun works from the Hunter Boys-- and it also had a factory beavertail with the later mid-1930's forearm release escutcheon, formerly the "banjo" shaped, changed to a rectangular shape, perhaps as a cost cutting move.. It was the smoothest deal, handled by Bachelder here in MI, since about 12 years ago, when my pal Brad was still with us, and I had him sell the 2 grade 6 12 bore Parker guns my grandfather willed to me.

I don't want to steal Stan's thunder here, or anywhere else, but fro my end, it was the smoothest gun transaction I have participated in-whoops, grammar time-better make that "the smoothest gun transaction in which I have ever been a part of" whew!! Stan is a first class Southern gent'man, and if it ever did work out, I would look forward to it like a boy at Christmas, hoping Santa brought him a Lionel train set.RWTF