The Marlin Firearms Company purchased the Hunter Arms Company in 1945 and began manufacturing L.C. Smith shotguns under the name of the newly created L.C. Smith Gun Company in mid-1946.

Relatively high levels of production and close inspection of the L.C. Smith Gun Company shotguns have resulted in questions about the quality/value of the Marlin-made shotguns with the FWS serial number prefix (1946-1950).