The L.C. Smith Collectors Association
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    Re: L.C. Smith Chamber Lengths Archived Message

    Posted by David W on August 14, 2008, 5:12 pm, in reply to "Re: L.C. Smith Chamber Lengths"

    I fibbed, I did have a lathe, it was an old Ames metal turning lathe my dad had. It doesn't have a carriage so you have to turn the compound parallel to the work. It hasn't been set up since 1996, and when we moved here 6 years ago I has it put away. Anyway it is together and running.
    First I made up two chamber gages out of aluminum and used the dimensions from (Brophy's book) Hunter Arms spec sheet and made them to the taper they specified, .014 taper to the length of the chambers. you really only have to make the last dimension but I made them both. I only made up a 16 ga and a 20 ga. The 16 ga. stops at 2 9/16" and the 20 ga. stops a little short of 2 1/2". I also have a 2 3/4" chambered 20 and that stopped at 2 3/4". Since the taper was made for the 2 1/2" chamber it stops at 2 3/4" but is loose at the head because of the taper.

    Next I made up bore gages, started with .730 as a start. Only fit one "elsie" a 1897 Grade 3 with 28 " Damascus barrels and the bore was .730-.732.
    Made others at .732, missed on .728, so got .727, .726 and .724.
    Used Longrange Wildfowl guns because Jason H was interested in bores, me too.
    First one a 1925 32" barrels right bore: .724 and went in 28 1/8" and stopped at choke taper.. Left barrel .727 and went in 28 5/16". Chokes on this gun mike at right barrel .709 left barrel .689.
    1927 Longrange 32" barrels right barrel .727 goes in 27 1/8". Left barrel .727 and goes in 29 7/16". Both of these chokes mike up .688.
    1919 Field Grade 30" barrels. Right barrel .726 and went in 26 1/4". Left barrel .724 and only went in 12". I have to make a .722.
    Next I will be making various sizes for 16 ga. and 20 ga. along with a 3" chamber gage, and a 10 ga chamber gage.

    Add .001 for bore size because size on size won't fit.


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