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    Re: "The Leading Trap Gun of America" Archived Message

    Posted by H. McMurchy on November 7, 2014, 3:16 pm, in reply to ""The Leading Trap Gun of America""

    L.C. Smith shooters 1895-1898
    Fred Gilbert, Neaf Apgar, J. “147” Winston, Capt. A. Money, Noel Money, Wanda Lindsley, Charlie Wagner, Thomas Dando, Charles Grimm, W.D. Stannard, J.S. Fanning, J.J. “U.M.C.” Hollowell, “One Barrel Pete” (Peter Murphy), A.P. Pope, Harry Thurman, Charles A. “Sparrow” Young.

    Jack Fanning and Neaf Apgar courtesy of Chris Lien



    Jan. 23, 1897 Sporting Life
    J. “147” L. Winston, defeated Geo. Mosher, of Syracuse. N. Y., in a match for the DuPont trophy at Zwerlein’s grounds, Yardville, N. J., on Jan 16, by killing 87 to 85 out of 100 live birds. Winston held the trophy and Mosher challenged him for it before the last shot was fired in the match at Chicago, when Winston won the trophy from Geo. Roll.
    Winston used an L. C. Smith gun 7 14-16 pounds. His load was 3 1/2 drams of DuPont smokeless, 1 1/4 ounce No. 7 shot in Winchester Leader shells, loaded by the Austin Cartridge Co."

    Feb. 20 1897 Sporting Life
    Dr. Hinkins of Chicago, has an L. C. Smith gun that was formerly used by Rolla Heikes. This gun was fired 60,000 times while in the possession of Mr. Heikes and has had over 15,000 shots fired from it since that time by Dr. Hinkins. This goes to show what the L. C. Smith gun will stand, as it is still tight and strong us a new gun.

    Please note the pre-1900 loads used were usually 3 1/2 Dram Bulk Smokeless with 1 1/4 oz. shot.

    ”Smokeless Shotgun Powders” by Wallace Coxe and E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. reported the LUP pressure for 3 1/2 Dram Eq. 1 1/4 oz. loads:
    DuPont Bulk smokeless powder - 11,700 psi
    Schultze Bulk smokeless powder - 11,800 psi
    28 grains of Ballistite - 12,600 psi
    40 grains of DuPont Oval Progressive Burning powder - 9,400 psi
    Pressures were determined by lead crushers and modern piezoelectric transducer measurements would be about 1000 psi higher; well above the modern SAAMI maximal 12g pressure of 11,500 psi.

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