Posted by John on July 23, 2008, 1:00 am
71.225.157.69
I have an old LC. Smith 12 ga. that dates from 1892 with twist steel barrels. I can't remember the model, someone once told me it was a "Model 00" but it pre dates that model by a few years. After looking through the grades/ID guide on this site I'm still stumped. More confusing to me is the extractor mechanism on this gun... On the lug where the barrels attach to the reciever there's a rotating disc/drum type device with two pins that some what resemble the lugs on the cocking rods. The pins slide into grooves/slots that are machined into the reciever, and this operates the extractor. When you open the action, the disc rotates a bit and pushes the shells up. Is this typical? I cannot seem to find a picture, or another LC. to compare this mechanism to. Could this actually be an ejector? It seems like it might be spring loaded but the whole mechanism seems to not function properly as the extractor doesn't have much force. Also, it can be pushed back into the closed position with your finger quite easily even if you haven't removed the spent shells from the chamber, which isn't the case with any gun I've ever seen before. Anyone knowledgeble about these things? I wonder if this is some kind of option, as this gun has an ivory sight, a three position safety. It also has a 32 inch barrel in Full/Full which makes me think it might have been special ordered as I know the sight and safety were extra price options. I'm not familiar with Smiths this old, mostly Field Grades from the early to mid 20th century. But one thing I notice is the reciever is much more intricately shaped than the later Smiths. Particularly on the bottom of the reciever which is sort of scalloped and carved out, with a trough on each side of the bottom, it's very pretty IMO. Newer models are typically more flat or rounded. Is that true of all Pre-13's or just some?
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