Posted by SGT on May 10, 2008, 9:52 am, in reply to "o grade"
The serial number ledgers for guns in the 90xxx and above 46xxx have long since disappeared; so we can't accurately date your gun. That said, stub twist barrels on the Grade O gun were replaced with Damascus barrels very early in the Hunter Arms era; so its manufacture likely does date to the mid-1890's. As to the barrels, they are genuine twist tubes, Hunter never used etched pattern twist or Damascus tubes. As to shooting, handload 1 or 1 1/8 oz loads at pressures generating 6,000 psi or less and you should be safe. As to shot size, I wouldn't shoot slugs; but anything else should be fine, although you should always avoid steel shot. As to gun grading after 1913, grade stamps were always either roll-stamped or engraved on the top of the barrel on 1913 and late Smith guns, and were marked as follows: Field, Ideal, Trap, Specialty, Eagle, Crown, Monogram, Premier, and DeLuxe.