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The L.C. Smith Collectors Association
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How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?

Posted by Stan Phipps on April 19, 2019, 1:55 pm

Hello! I am just trying to discover choke and which trigger controls which barrel on my 16 gauge side by side.
Serial #163661

Re: How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?

Posted by David Williamson on April 19, 2019, 2:34 pm, in reply to "How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?"

Stan, from the factory, the front trigger operates the right barrel, rear left barrel.
As to chokes, catalogs state unless ordered different full/full on most 28"-32". Shorter could be improved cylinder/modified. Later guns in the 1940's were sometimes choked modified/full.

Your serial number indicates it was made in 1938 for a hammerless shotgun. At this time the bores should be .660 and the chambers 2 9/16". Be careful in shooting 2 3/4" shells as you could build up more pressure with a higher payload.
The best way to check for choke is to have someone use a Vernier caliper, telescoping gage, or a bore gage like Skeets. I don't like the tapered brass ones as they are not reliable.

Re: How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?

Posted by Stan Phipps on April 19, 2019, 2:53 pm, in reply to "Re: How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?"

It’s an Fw Field grade with armor steel
Barrels. I was hoping to shoot a turkey with it using Federal Premium Upland Load.
2 3/4 “
1 1/8 oz shot
6 shot
3 7/8 dram EQ
1425 Mv fps

Should I rethink that?

Re: How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?

Posted by Charlie Brooks on April 19, 2019, 4:16 pm, in reply to "Re: How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?"

Stan,as David stated your gun will have the short chambers unless someone has opened them up.Shooting the longer shells in a shorter chamber is a good way to destroy at least the wood.Using the type ammo you talk about will up the chances of destroying the wood for sure and maybe the gun.They never had ammo of this sort back in the day these guns were made.Remember that this gun and wood are about 80 years old.I would reccomend using Ammo from RST.Their ammo will help your gun last longer and you too.For checking your chokes you will need someone with proper measuring tools.L.C. 16ga. guns had plenty of choke in those days.Charlie.

Re: How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?

Posted by Stan Phipps on April 19, 2019, 6:08 pm, in reply to "Re: How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?"

Thanks Gentlemen!

Re: How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?

Posted by Jim Cantwell on April 19, 2019, 10:24 pm, in reply to "Re: How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?"

Stan you have heard from two of the real experts in the field. However I would like to add my two cents. I have shot two 16 gauge elsies for more than 15 years. One a 00 from 1911 the other a field from 1945. I have shot numerous turkey with both guns, while the 1911 has also harvested turkey for my grandson and nephew, and hopefully this year by my son. I have used Estate Heavy Game load only in them for turkey. 2 3/4", 1 oz shot, 6 shot, 2 1/2 dram EQ, muz vel 1165 fps. For all other shooting I use the RST 2 1/2" vintagers. Where the rub comes, I think, is the experts shoot hundreds, if not thousands of rounds per year out of their guns. I shoot one or two shots a year out of my Elsie "turkey" gun
. I patterned it the first year with one shot of each barrel. And killed a gobbler at 20 yds with one shot. I can't believe that one or two shots a year will do serious harm to these guns. Also you can consider having it fiber glassed inside to protect the wood. I hope the "experts" whom I truly respect don't take offence at my comments. Jim...

Re: How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?

Posted by Stan Phipps on April 20, 2019, 10:29 pm, in reply to "How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?"

Jim, Thank you for the input!

it only takes once to crack or break the wood butt stock

Posted by Jent P Mitchell III on April 21, 2019, 5:22 pm, in reply to "Re: How can I know how my side by side 16 gauge is choked?"

In my opinion it only takes one time to break or crack the wood butt stock on an L C Smith SXS shotgun...... The stress is not accumulated on or in the butt stock.... The butt stock will hold until it meets the strain that breaks it..... I agree with glass bedding LCS butt stocks BUT this is done to make them fit as perfectly as possible to the metal and distribute the recoil over as much surface area as possible..... Good Shooting To You, Jent

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