Hi guys,
Ian Doig here
Any thoughts on this particular Elsie?

Unfortunately the 23,000 - 30,000 SNs series has been lost. It is an early Grade 2 possibly dating to the first few years of Fulton production starting in 1890.
It should be evaluated by a double gun specialist before use, with careful attention to the damascus barrel bores and wall thickness.

Ian, without seeing pictures of the top barrels and the bottom of the receiver it is hard to determine if this is a late Syracuse L.C. Smith or a very early Hunter Arms Co. gun. Is there a makers name on the barrel, is the barrel lug a square rectangular or rounded corners where it enters the receiver? The only thing I see that favors an early Hunter Arms Co. gun is the breech balls are slanted whereas the Syracuse guns were rounded.
If there is no name on the barrels it is what I call a Transition gun, meaning when the L.C. Smith Gun Works closed the parts were sent to the Hunter Arms Co. in Fulton and assembled there.
From my records serial number 23078 Quality 5 has L.C. Smith Maker Syracuse N.Y. on center rib.

If you could give me gauge, barrel length I would appreciate that for my records, thanks.