Blued action and side locks from fractory?

Posted by Thomas Kline on June 9, 2012, 3:54 pm
74.99.189.180

In browsing the internet to try to educate myself on L.C.Smiths, I ran across a seller of a Field grade, on an auction sight, claiming a rare blued action and side locks from the factory. Possible or typical seller BS?

Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?

Posted by Dick Miller on June 9, 2012, 7:32 pm, in reply to "Blued action and side locks from fractory?"
108.57.74.83

Possible, but unlikely. Ask him to produce a letter stating that it shipped with a blued frame.

Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?

Posted by Thomas Kline on June 9, 2012, 7:46 pm, in reply to "Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?"
74.99.189.180

Thanks , I am not interested in it. It just reminded me of the kind of baloney I hear at gun shops and gun shows. I recently bought a S&W 32 hand ejector, 3rd model. It had a really poor re nickel job. The seller told me it was silver plated from the factory, I just smiled and nodded. It was cheap and I got it for my nephew and I to play with, and I know he was full of you know what, but not being as savvy on L.C.s I thought I'd ask.

Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?

Posted by Tommy on June 23, 2012, 2:50 am, in reply to "Blued action and side locks from fractory?"
108.223.21.43

I have a field grade 20ga. 11486R that my grandfather bought new in 1915. My father gave it to me when i was six and it is always my first choise for Alabama quail or dove. It has a blued receiver and side plates. I ask both my father and grand father if it had ever been sent anywhere for repair and was told that was the way it was when my grandfather bought it. I have a 12ga. he bought in 1916 that is case colored with the R sufix. I always beleaved the 20ga. came blued by what my grandfather and father always told me. But i have never seen another or heard of one. I havent gotten a letter on either yet but don't know if that will tell anyway.

Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?

Posted by Bill Murphy on June 23, 2012, 9:21 pm, in reply to "Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?"
71.191.33.65

In 100 years of family ownership of a gun, it only takes five minutes for a kid (or adult) to swab cold blue over that gun. As a kid from seven years old to seventeen, I spent way more private hours with the family guns than my Dad did. By "private hours", I mean when I was home and he wasn't. I knew how to disassemble the family Luger blindfolded by the time I was eight. My Dad didn't even know I knew it existed. A blued Smith is bogus in 99 out of 100 examples.

Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?

Posted by David Williamson on June 25, 2012, 10:49 am, in reply to "Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?"
174.49.147.138

Bill, actually it was offered. In a Repair Price List of May 15, 1946, "Hunterize Locks and Frame" (all black) $10.00. In a September 15, 1948 Repair Price List it states "Blue Locks and Frame" $12.50 This was taken from a gun auction site, don't know the serial number, but it does look to have the Single Sighting Plane, which would date it to 1939 and later. (although one of our members has one on an earlier gun)

Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?

Posted by Tom Martin on June 25, 2012, 3:05 pm, in reply to "Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?"
98.16.93.73

David: The gun that you have pictured sure looks like a reblue to me, with the rounded edges to the locks and the dished screw holes. Of course, that does not mean that there were no factory blued guns. With Hunter's, and Marlin's reputation for doing whatever the customer wanted, I would be surprised if they wouldn't furnish a blued receiver on request.

Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?

Posted by patriot on June 25, 2012, 8:26 pm, in reply to "Re: Blued action and side locks from fractory?"
24.14.160.134

To me, those barrels look pre-39 with the sharp V at the end of the breech and rib where they join.