The L.C. Smith Collectors Association
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    Re: Blued Reciever and Side Plates Archived Message

    Posted by B. Miller on June 8, 2008, 8:44 am, in reply to "Re: Blued Reciever and Side Plates"

    To correct the nickeled plates and receiver story...

    I took two field guns to the original Ithaca before their closure in the mid 80's. My instructions were to give both guns a muzzle to butt restoration. Cost was not a consideration, nor did I worry about any effect on value as both guns are priceless... To me.

    The gentlemen in the Custom Shop disassembled both guns and immediately identified their individual maker. Apparently each man at Hunter left identifying marks or something of the kind.

    The men at Ithaca spoke of the men at Hunter as if they were merely out to lunch, not as if most has passed from this world several decades previous. Fact is, they pointed out equipment on the Ithaca floor which had previously served at Hunter. Equipment that had likely seen my guns years before.

    In the case of my nickeled gun, it was pointed out to me why the work had to be done at Hunter. Mostly a matter of fit. Nickel plate adds dimension to anything plated. Thus, either very professional masking is involved or certain dimensions must be changed to allow for the procedure. When I suggested "aftermarket" they just laughed and pointed out that the job was obviously factory as dimensions were all perfect.

    In fact, they knew the exact firm in Rochester that had done the work for Hunter. The irony being that the same firm having plated my gun in the early 30's was paid to remove the plate in the mid 80's. Yup! Still in business doing the same old thing fifty years later.

    The kicker... Before the gun left for de-plating I was shown the various components. Each had been masked to maintain vital dimensions previous to having been plated. Plates showed no sign of case colors on the inside surfaces. The boys at Ithaca said my gun was not in the least unusual and pointed out that the Great Depression led to many unadvertised options being offered by Hunter as a dollar here or there was most important.

    This is a recounting of what I learned and was shown. The men at Ithaca are now long gone as most of them were past retirement age then. Given that Ithaca was in about the same financial shape in the 80's as was Hunter in the 30's, I found their stories credible in that Ithaca would have done the same thing to make a few extra dollars.

    I've come to conclude the the word "never" must be used carefully when it comes to L.C. Smith. "Never advertised" is pretty safe. "Never such an option offered" may be true enough most times. "Never was such a thing" is likely untrue.

    If you ever come across a plated Elcee, I have some suggestions:

    Look the the lock fit to the stock wood. Make sure there is no cramping. The receiver should have a bare watertable and face. The locking lever must neither cramp nor show any play. Inside surfaces of locks must not be plated.

    So sayeth the boys at Ithaca.

    My bet is that upon request a client could obtain just about anything reasonable for a price. We look at ten dollars today as a pittance. In the 30's it meant something.

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