The L.C. Smith Collectors Association

The L.C. Smith Collectors Association
[ The L.C. Smith Collectors Association ]

L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side

Posted by C W Chute on January 25, 2017, 7:46 pm

Hello gents, this shotgun has been on the family farm for several generations, though I do not know when it was last fired. It looks to be in pretty tough shape as you will see in the photos. The serial numbers (FW 28415 I) all match, and from what I can tell, it was manufactured in 1920. On top of the right barrel it has engraved <- L.C. Smith Ideal Grade ->, and on top of the left barrel Hunter Arms Co Inc (worn)??????? USA. On the bottoms of both barrels are engraved LONDON STEEL and what looks to be an 8 over a 10. I have no clue what gauge this weapon is. The stock is a wreck, with what looks like an epoxy type fill repair and a wrap with electricians tape. The butt plate is broken on the bottom. At one point in the 60's, my grandfather etched his SSN into the stock and onto the left barrel (along with everything esle "of value" in the house, TVs, appliances, etc). Here are my concerns; 1) the stock, repairable or needs to be replaced? 2) can the SSN on the barrel be removed? 3) if you look at the 2 pics of the barrels, the left (right in the pic) appears to be out-of-round, repairable? 4) is it worth investing any amount of money into this weapon? Thank you in advance, Chris

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Re: L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side

Posted by C W Chute on January 25, 2017, 7:50 pm, in reply to "L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side"

Sorry picture link didn't work first time....http://s139.photobucket.com/user/cwchute/slideshow/L%20C%20Smith

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Re: L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side

Posted by stanley on January 25, 2017, 9:08 pm, in reply to "L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side"

Anything can be repaired for a price, but if it were my gun, I would clean it up and oil it, and then either hang it on the wall or put it in a display box. I would leave the SSN, the epoxy, the tape, the barrels, etc., as is. It's a wonderful piece of family history and can be enjoyed as such. If you want an Ideal Grade to shoot, you can easily find one in very good shape for considerably less than it would cost to restore this one. This is just my opinion and I'm kind of sentimental about family heirlooms.

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Good L.C. Smith Ideal Grade SXS To Restore

Posted by Jent P Mitchell III on January 26, 2017, 12:07 pm, in reply to "L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side"

Hello C. W. Chute, This is a great LCS to restore and save......The pictures show a LCS with a broken butt stock and nothing else of any significance......You can have the butt stock replaced with a butt stock custom made to fit you.....Are you a shotgun shooter????.....Do you shoot clay targets???....If you are a shooter then you know already that the butt stock must fit the shooter......WENIGS can build and fit a butt stock to your dimensions easily.....You can have this broken and original butt stock glass bedded back together and used as a pattern making butt stock to get the shotgun shooting like you would like it to shoot......There are several wood workers that can help you build the old original broken butt stock into a pattern making butt stock.....Jent

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Re: L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side

Posted by C W Chute on January 29, 2017, 6:28 am, in reply to "L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side"

Thank you Stanley and Jent. I appreciate your responses and thoughts. If I were to do any work to it, I think the stock would be the logical place to start, so how would I go about finding a qualified woodworker to do the job? Chris

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Re: L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side

Posted by C W Chute on January 29, 2017, 6:45 am, in reply to "Re: L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side"

Jent, I am a shooter, just not shot gun (yet). Money is an issue at this point, so for now I may just have to clean it up like Stanley suggested, but eventually I'd like to repair the original stock, if possible, replace it if I have to. Chris

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Re: L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side

Posted by stanley on January 29, 2017, 1:09 pm, in reply to "Re: L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side"

I've used Classic Gunstocks for stock repair work on an L C Smith in the recent past. I was very happy with the work. Their website has pricing information if you want an idea of what to expect. Jent undoubtedly knows of others.

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Re: L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side

Posted by Michael Harris on January 31, 2017, 10:09 am, in reply to "Re: L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side"

Chris, If I were you, I would get the existing stock repaired and shoot the gun. It was meant to be shot and not put out to pasture. There are several guys around that could put it back together so that you could hardly see the repair. If that is what you decide to do,just post on here.

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Dan May or Craig Libhart

Posted by Jent Mitchell on January 31, 2017, 1:32 pm, in reply to "Re: L.C. Smith Ideal Grade Side by Side"

Chris, You can send your L C Smith to Dan May or Craig Libhart to get the broken butt stock glass bedded back together......It will not be pretty but it will be solid and it will work......Call Dan May at 315-529-1518 or 315-216-6240.....Call Craig Libhart at 717-367-3414 or 717-333-0202.....Jent

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Re: Dan May or Craig Libhart

Posted by CWChute on February 3, 2017, 7:18 pm, in reply to "Dan May or Craig Libhart"

Thank you, gents, for the replies. Some great info and ideas. Just coming back from knee replacement, haven't been working, so cash is a little tight at the moment. But I at least have a better idea of my options going forward. Thanks again! Chris

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Re: Dan May or Craig Libhart

Posted by Bill Schodlatz on February 6, 2020, 7:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Dan May or Craig Libhart"

I am restocking a FW Ideal 12 right now. An amature did a modification to the comb of the stock but the head is perfect. Give me a call if you want a cheap UGLY fix
bill 318-251-9429

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Re: Dan May or Craig Libhart

Posted by Mark Britton on February 6, 2020, 7:13 pm, in reply to "Re: Dan May or Craig Libhart"

If you leave it as is it's still a great gun with family history ! Wish I had one ! Thanks for shareing !

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Repair

Posted by Jerry Andrews on February 9, 2020, 7:10 am, in reply to "Re: Dan May or Craig Libhart"

I just did one that was in 17 pieces. Yours could certainly be salvageable and it should like look correct when finished. I'd not give up her just yet. Reproduction buttplates are out there, I prefer to cast my own. Jerry

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Re: Repair

Posted by Mike Harris on February 10, 2020, 10:11 am, in reply to "Repair"

Gents, That thread was 3 years old. Mike

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