We know that there are no references to nickel plating in any Hunter Arms catalogs; and to date we know of no factory letters that discuss having such work done. That said, we know that Hunter Arms made bicycles and fans that used nickel plated parts; and that such work was probably subbed out as there are no references to a plating department at the gun works, so the company certainly had a source for such plating work. However, until we locate some original record clearly documenting that Hunter Arms offered this service to their shotgun clients, my position is that Smith guns featuring nickel-plated frames are not original and that this work was done after-market. And for what it's worth, perhaps the most hideous looking Smith gun I've ever seen was a nickel-plated CROWN GRADE single barrel trap gun.
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