Posted by Frank Hosna on September 20, 2009, 6:34 pm
69.154.217.126

I just purchased an L C Smith Hammer Gun and I believe it is either a Syracuse or at least a transition gun due to the shape of the receiver but the serial # 26117 F does not come up in the research list. Is there any other information I can use to date this gun? It also has the Syracuse center draft hammers and lock. Patent date on receiver is Mar 29, 83. Any help dating this gun would be appreciated. Thanks.

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Posted by David W on September 20, 2009, 9:42 pm, in reply to "Syracuse Hammer Gun?"
68.83.121.114

Frank, The 26000 serial number range could very possibly be the end of the Syracuse line in 1888. The serial numbers from L.C. Smith, Maker, Syracuse, N.Y. were in the 15xxx, 17xxx 21xxx,25xxx and possibly 26xxx. Pictures might be the best way to tell. There are no markings on the top of the barrels near the breech? Also close-up pictures of the hammers. That patent date would be the only patent date on hammer guns, as it pertains to the joint check on extracting the shells. The center draft lock was used until 1898 in Fulton.

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Posted by Frank Hosna on September 20, 2009, 10:39 pm, in reply to "Re: Syracuse Hammer Gun?"
69.154.217.126

The barrels appear to be twist damascus with no markings on the top at all. The hammers appear to be original and the first type as seen in a thread that was posted earlier in the forum. The gun was not used very much, compared to its age and it still has a lot of checkering and very nice figured wood but was re varnished receiver and wood. I will try to figure out how to post some pictures, but I was also confused when I did not see markings on the top of the barrels.

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Posted by David W on September 21, 2009, 5:57 am, in reply to "Re: Syracuse Hammer Gun?"
68.83.121.114

The easiest way to tell, if a Syracuse gun it will have the long squared corner barrel lug, Fulton will have the one end rounded.

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Posted by Bill Murphy on September 21, 2009, 6:51 am, in reply to "Re: Syracuse Hammer Gun?"
173.66.192.148

My #26,644 hammer gun is apparently a Fulton gun but I can't remember how I determined that. It is a Syracuse style gun, transition, and unmarked barrels. It is a low grade gun with Twist barrels and is in new condition. I would suspect that the reason these transition guns are not marked "Syracuse" is that they are not Syracuse guns.

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Posted by David W on September 21, 2009, 7:47 am, in reply to "Re: Syracuse Hammer Gun?"
68.83.121.114

Bill, does it have the square lug? As noted earlier there has been discrepancies in serial numbers as to where made. A few have the Syracuse low numbers in the 16xxx but gun has Fulton attributes, Fulton name on barrel but have squared lug. These guns are Syracuse guns, whether the original barrels were damaged or a new set made. In order to fit the frame, the barrel lug on the Fulton barrels had to be made to fit the squared receiver of the Syracuse gun. This was in a previous post of a Hammerless Quality 4 with Syracuse numbers but Fulton barrels.

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Posted by Frank Hosna on September 21, 2009, 8:59 pm, in reply to "Re: Syracuse Hammer Gun?"
69.154.217.126

My barrel lug is fully rectangular, no rounded corners. The Hammers are original with matching serial #s on them and the gun has ornamental engraving on the top tang, around the sidelocks and such just like Syracuse Hammerless guns I have seen pictures of and the splinter forend has a hand bell shaped black/ebony tip. The barrel also uses the round/cylinder barrel lug for the extractors unlike my 1901 Fulton made L C Hammer Gun.

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Posted by Bill Murphy on September 22, 2009, 11:03 am, in reply to "Re: Syracuse Hammer Gun?"
173.66.192.148

David, are you referring to the rounded bevel on the front lug that protrudes through the action bottom? If so, my gun's front lug is bevelled. Would you be referring to 26,000 range guns in your last post when you stated "16,000"?

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Posted by Bill Murphy on September 22, 2009, 11:09 am, in reply to "Re: Syracuse Hammer Gun?"
173.66.192.148

Are you implying that any gun that has a rounded lug is considered a Syracuse gun even though it may have been assembled with Fulton barrels in the Fulton factory because the receiver was apparently made in Syracuse? I'm willing to accept that, if that is what I am to understand. However, Remington Parkers, made with a mix of Remington and Meriden Parker parts, marked Ilion, New York and built and sold by Remington, are not known as Meriden Parkers.

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Posted by David W on September 22, 2009, 12:15 pm, in reply to "Re: Syracuse Hammer Gun?"
68.83.121.114

Bill, the Syracuse guns, the lug that protrudes through the receiver is rectangular but the corners are square, not rounded like the Fulton guns. The serial number I was referring to was 16566, it has the rounded lug, dogs head escutcheon plate in the for end and has Fulton name on barrels. So where does this one fit in? The other attributes are a Syracuse gun.

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Posted by Bill Murphy on September 23, 2009, 6:43 am, in reply to "Re: Syracuse Hammer Gun?"
173.66.192.148

Thanks.

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