Re: No Serial # or proof marks on Barrel Flats?
There are thousands of Smith guns I've yet to see; but for what my 2 cents may be worth, I've never seen a set LC Smith Damascus barrels with proof marks. Not saying they're not out there; just haven't personally seen any. As to the barrels, your grade 3 barrels should be Chain Damascus, and Hunter never stamped or identified the Damascus steel type/pattern on the Damascus barrels used regardless of grade. Chain Damascus was the cataloged standard for Grade 3 guns unless fluid steel barrels were ordered. If your barrels were fluid steel, the steel type would be stamped on the bottom of the barrel tubes; or in some cases, engraved atop the barrels. On the Grade 3, the standard fluid steel tubes were usually marked Nitro Steel; but I've seen examples with Crown Steel and Krupp Fluid Steel barrels. And as the Grade 3 was a special-order gun, a customer could have special ordered Whitworth barrels if he was willing to pay the price. With Hunter Arms, there was the catalog standard; then whatever a customer wanted within reason and could afford.
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