The L.C. Smith Collectors Association
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    Re: L.C. Smith 10 ga hammer Archived Message

    Posted by SGT on June 25, 2007, 2:49 pm, in reply to "L.C. Smith 10 ga hammer"

    If the maker's address is not on the barrels, we'd have to see photos and examine features to determine for sure; but with an "E" grade stamp on the frame, the gun would have to have been manufactured prior to 1898 when the original hammer gun grade designations (AA, A, B, C, D, E, F) were eliminated from catalog listings. As pre-1900 hammer gun serial numbers are not recorded below 27766, the ship date would be earlier than 1895; and given the fact that your gun is in the 17XXX range, I would suspect it to be an early Syracuse, NY example which would place the manufacture date prior to 1890. 10-bore examples from the Syracuse production era are much more common than those from the Hunter era. Also given the fact that most early Syracuse guns are grades E and F, one has to have an example graded D and higher to attract much collector interest.


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