The L.C. Smith Collectors Association

The L.C. Smith Collectors Association
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LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening..

Posted by Garrett Friedrichsen on November 18, 2020, 4:57 pm

***Edited to include my full name - sorry about that!***

So I'm finally getting to rebuilding an old 12ga Field FW Ser. 47xxx This will be a Frankenstein gun, not show piece.

I had to machine 'new to me' firing pins. Upon purchase, they would not fit. I basically
machined them until what seemed like the right amount would protrude through the breech.

Before I go further on woodwork etc.. I want to be sure this thing will fire. after assembling the gun, receiver, barrels & forearm and moving the top lever to open the gun, the gun opens slightly, then I experience resistance about 1/4 way into the opening process. Not grinding, but kind of a spring led resistance. Obviously I stop and close the gun up again. Forgot to mention, all else is original. Forearm etc...

Any thoughts as to what this resistance could be? I can cock the receiver levers fine without the forearm on.

Any ideas on troubleshooting this would be great.

Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening..

Posted by Drew Hause on November 18, 2020, 5:41 pm, in reply to "LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.."

Has the cocking plate been installed correctly?

Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening..

Posted by Gary Rennles on November 18, 2020, 8:45 pm, in reply to "LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.."

I was wondering if the resistance you are feeling , is from the hammers being reset when opening. You are compressing the hammer springs when opening the barrels causing the spring feeling.
just a thought

Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening..

Posted by Tom Archer on November 19, 2020, 8:53 am, in reply to "Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.."

Also, firing pins on Smith guns are not spring loaded so the extractor face moves those pins rearwards on opening. Thus the protruding ends of firing pins will cause some resistance on opening; and at this point you aren't sure those pins are the correct length, they could be too long? Remove firing pins and try opening the gun, if there's no resistance else where then the problem is with those pins. If there's still an issue then you'll at least know what it isn't.

Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening..

Posted by Garrett Friedrichsen on November 19, 2020, 9:01 am, in reply to "Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.."

Read my mind Tom! I'm going to try this today. When I machined the pins, it was for diameter vs. length so this could be it! Thanks to all!

Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening..

Posted by David Williamson on November 19, 2020, 12:58 pm, in reply to "Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.."

If the firing pins are retracted when opened and not sticking out, the length is fine. When the gun is fired they are hard to open as to what Gary has said. If the gun was not fired and opened it should open a lot smoother because there is no resistance.

Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening..

Posted by Garrett Friedrichsen on November 19, 2020, 4:44 pm, in reply to "Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.."

Drew, the cocking plate is intact. I hadn’t removed it.

Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening..

Posted by Garrett Friedrichsen on November 19, 2020, 4:52 pm, in reply to "Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.."

Hi Tom: results from my last efforts in the basement.

1. Removed firing pins. Gun will not open
2. Removed sidekicks. Gun will not open

So, thinking I assembled the forearm incorrectly after cold blueing a few parts. Pics below.

Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening..

Posted by Milt Fitterman on November 20, 2020, 6:48 am, in reply to "LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.."

Although the picture might be fooling me, the cocking plate angle looks incorrect - too vertical.

Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening..

Posted by Garrett Friedrichsen on November 20, 2020, 12:30 pm, in reply to "Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.."

Would that prevent me from opening the gun? I never removed the plate.. hmmmm

Cocking plate

Posted by David Williamson on November 20, 2020, 12:34 pm, in reply to "Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.."

Milt, you might he on to something there. The cocking plate looks too thick it should only be 1/16" (.062) thick and have a bevel on the one end like shown in the picture that Brother Drew posted.

Re: Cocking plate

Posted by Garrett Friedrichsen on November 20, 2020, 2:21 pm, in reply to "Cocking plate"

I suppose I'll remove the plate and see what effect that has on the gun opening.

Re: Cocking plate

Posted by Tom Garver on November 22, 2020, 5:27 pm, in reply to "Re: Cocking plate"

Garrett, I don’t think that I’ve ever seen a spring that contacts the “J” spring and the cocking plate. I think that spring is putting enough tension on the cocking plate to keep it from moving and hindering it from opening

Re: Cocking plate

Posted by David Williamson on November 24, 2020, 4:00 pm, in reply to "Re: Cocking plate"

Tom your reply is kind of vague, "I don’t think that I’ve ever seen a spring that contacts the “J” spring and the cocking plate. I think that spring is putting enough tension on the cocking plate to keep it from moving and hindering it from opening".

The spring on the early guns was a metal spring that put pressure on the "J" spring knuckle and the other end put pressure on the extractor activator. It was held in place with a machine screw in the center. There is no spring on the cocking plate, it is held in place by a short 4-40 screw that is countersunk in the cocking plate.
You can make a spring from a hacksaw blade.

Re: Cocking plate

Posted by Garrett Friedrichsen on November 25, 2020, 4:40 pm, in reply to "Re: Cocking plate"

Exactly what my forend looks like. I’ve isolated - I think, the issue to the forearm. Your picture is helpful. This is how I assembled my forearm ‘hacksaw’ blade spring.

Re: LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.. update

Posted by Garrett Friedrichsen on December 9, 2020, 8:55 pm, in reply to "LC Smith - Project - Resistance when opening.."

Extractor activator was hitting the barrel rib right before the extractor rod.

A little work with a file and no looking back. Test firing this weekend!

Thanks very much for the thinking and dialogue!

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