Posted by David Williamson on June 12, 2018, 5:46 pm, in reply to "Re: Hello all!"
Jim,your Grandfather's hammer gun is from 1889. It is what I call a 5 pin lock, (5 pins showing on the sideplates). It would have the first style hammer Type I and have a square lug showing where it comes through the receiver. The for-end would have an ebony vase shaped tip and be what is called a duck-bill tip (the end curves down). It would be an F grade and in catalogs of the time it would have cost $55.00. The barrels would be Stub Twist, the stock, English walnut with fine checkering. Catalogs list 10 or 12 gauge but some 8 gauges have come forward.
The latest serial number I have with L.C. Smith Maker on the barrels is 25470, does yours have L.C. Smith Maker Syracuse, N.Y. on the barrels? The ones with no makers name on the barrels, still are L.C. Smith's but are transitional gun meaning when Lyman Cornelius sold the guns works to James Hunter Sr. in 1888 and guns that were not assembled where shipped to Fulton, N.Y. and assembled there with no makers name on barrels. These were very well made guns and many of our members still shoot them after they are deemed to be safe and checked out by a reliable gunsmith that knows L.C. Smith's.