The L.C. Smith Collectors Association

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

Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro Mauro on January 17, 2019, 9:59 am
Edited by board administrator January 17, 2019, 10:36 am

Hello,I'm an italian boy and i'm looking to buy an L.C. Smith from years...now i found something on the italian market:
-a field grade 12ga,no ejectors,76 cm barrel steel from 1927
-a Ideal grade 12ga,no ejectors,76cm from 1918
Both in good but not perfect condition(let say medium condition)

Any advice?
Thank you in advance

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Carl Erickson on January 17, 2019, 12:15 pm, in reply to "Buying an L.C. Smith"

Look at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)on the
new page
There is much good guidance there. Good luck!

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Bill Schodlatz on January 18, 2019, 9:05 am, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

Field grade 12 grade guns of USA mfgr are loosing value. Buy only when the price is very cheap.

bill

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by stanley hackett on January 18, 2019, 10:38 am, in reply to "Buying an L.C. Smith"

You want an L C Smith and have been looking for years. I would think that very few show up for sale in Italy. If you can afford it, buy both. Carl Erickson above gives good advice. Also check some of the auction/sale websites for a reality check. Don't consider it an investment, but rather fulfilling a desire you've had for a long time. For hunting, I prefer a gun with no ejectors. FWIW.

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro on January 18, 2019, 1:20 pm, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

He want 350€ for each,but I really don’t know the conditions...seems not perfect but acceptable

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by lacy landrum on January 19, 2019, 2:03 pm, in reply to "Buying an L.C. Smith"

I'm looking into buying an LC smith from an old friend but the numbers are not matching with what I have found online. It is a 12 gauge marked LC smith field on 1 barrel and nothing on the other barrel and it has FW but the serial number is only 5 digits starting with S then the number 1? I cannot find any hammerless dougle trigger feathweight LC shotguns that are a 12 guage with only 5 digit serial numbers starting with the number 1. Any ideas Guys? your help would be appreciated.

renogirl24@hotmail.com

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by lacy landrum on January 19, 2019, 2:05 pm, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

my apologies that post should have said "Double" barrel shot gun.

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Drew Hause on January 19, 2019, 2:51 pm, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

Lacy, the 'S' prefix indicates that the gun was made after Marlin Firearms acquired Hunter Arms in 1945. The action flats should look like this

Could you please post an image of the flats so we can see the '1'?

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro Mauro on January 20, 2019, 7:35 am, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

Another question...One of them (Field grade) have chromed barrel,the Ideal have normal barrel inside...From the few photos that he sent to me seems that Ideal grade is more abraded inside the barrels,but the Field has more damages outside like in the wood...what you suggest to me?

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Drew Hause on January 20, 2019, 7:42 am, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

While commending your good taste and enthusiasm Pietro

, unless you have access to a gunsmith with the knowledge of and interest in Smith guns, I would pass.

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro Mauro on January 20, 2019, 7:57 am, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

That’s true,but just to understand what will be the more convenient for the feature...Let’s imagine that I’ll decide to restore the gun...Will be more expensive to regenerate the barrel or the outside components? And another question: the chromed and non chromed barrel are 2 kind of different factured barrels or are the same one (initially were chromed and then,because of the time and more use became “not chromed)?
Sorry for mine not tecnical lenguage

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Drew Hause on January 20, 2019, 8:41 am, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

It is extremely unlikely that the barrels were chromed by Hunter Arms. Proper restoration will cost much more than the ultimate value of the restored guns.

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro Mauro on January 20, 2019, 10:41 am, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

Sorry,but for chromed I mean mirror like inside

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro Mauro on January 23, 2019, 9:34 am, in reply to "Buying an L.C. Smith"

Some image to ideal grade[img]https://[img][img]http://

[/img][img]http://

[/img]http://i.imgur.com/DIcUMhk.jpg[/img][/img][img]http://

[/img]

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro Mauro on January 23, 2019, 9:39 am, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

Field grade[img]https://

[/img][img]http://

[/img]

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro Mauro on January 23, 2019, 9:44 am, in reply to "Buying an L.C. Smith"

I know,the photos quality is not good,but that's all what I recieved...i cannot go to see directly the guns so if I will buy one of them he will send to me through gunshop. So my question is toward the experts...which one of them you suggest to me? in therms of value (he ask me 350 euro for each) and from the photos in terms of shootability.
About my previous question: in the description he write that the field grade has internal barrel mirror- like and ideal grade no mirror like...this is a condition due to long use or originally it came out from the factory like that?
Thank you

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Mike Harris on January 23, 2019, 2:03 pm, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

So that would be just a little over $300.00 US. I would say that if the thickness of the barrels are good, I would go for the Ideal Grade gun. The barrels will probably just need cleaning or a hard scrubbing as long as there are no pitting. When you buy a gun, you basically buy the barrels. They are the most important part of the gun. Good Luck. Best, Mike

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro Mauro on January 23, 2019, 3:00 pm, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

Thank you Mike! The only thing is that photos give little informations and will be pretty much impossible to go and see the gun directly. If those are pits,is it possible to fix them by a gunsmith? And what about the small spots rear the chamber of The ideal grade? Means severe use of the gun,right?

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Stanley Hackett on January 23, 2019, 3:28 pm, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

At the 1/23/19 exchange rate, I think EU350 is roughly US$400 ($398). Both guns have been well used and show it. Ask the seller if everything works (triggers, safety, etc.) and confirm that there are no pits or dents in the barrels. I cannot tell the condition of the barrels from the photos, but it's very possible that both would improve dramatically with a just good cleaning. I do notice a crack beginning behind the lock of the Field Grade. This is not uncommon with older Smiths that have seen a lot of use, and it may not be a major problem. However, it will not get better by itself. If you are going to use the gun, you would want to get the crack looked at and probably glass-beaded. Last year I had a Field Grade disassembled, cleaned, glass beaded and reassembled. Cost was around $300. Other gunsmiths might charge less or more, but that's what I paid for a good job. I know there are extremely accomplished gunsmiths in Italy, but you will want someone familiar with Smiths to do the work. Reassembly can be tricky. That being said, given what I presume to be the relative rarity of Smiths where you live, and assuming they both "work," you might think about offering to buy both from the seller for something less than EU350 each. Never hurts to ask. If not that and you are determined to buy one of these guns, buy the Ideal. FWIW.

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Jim Cantwell@aol.com on January 23, 2019, 3:40 pm, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

Pietro. The "spots" near the chambers of the ideal are probably pitting & does not necessarily mean it saw severe use. Most likely it shot black powder shells and was not properly cleaned. That's typically seen pitting from black powder usage. . Regardless of choice, have a qualified gunsmith inspect the gun before you shoot it. Buona fortuna. Jim...

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Ken Descovich on January 23, 2019, 3:43 pm, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

Pietro,
I would ask the seller to run a patch down the barrel of the Ideal grade and take another picture, if there are pits in the barrels they would still show but if it is powder residue it should clean up. Like Mike said you are buying the barrels, and if the barrels are good on a Ideal grade $300.00 is a steal.
Ken

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro Mauro on January 24, 2019, 1:03 pm, in reply to "Buying an L.C. Smith"

Thank you very much everybody!
I spoke with the owner this afternoon... he said that those “spots” in the barrel are not incrustations but are,let say, corrosions

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro Mauro on January 25, 2019, 12:36 pm, in reply to "Buying an L.C. Smith"

I spoke with a gunsmith and he said that usually for corrosions and pits inside the barrel nothing can be done...is it true?

Re: Buying an L.C. Smith

Posted by Pietro Mauro on January 28, 2019, 2:12 am, in reply to "Re: Buying an L.C. Smith"

Any advice from experts?

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[ The L.C. Smith Collectors Association ]