The L.C. Smith Collectors Association

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

Safety Modification?

Posted by Michael Lundy on March 23, 2021, 4:26 pm
Edited by board administrator March 23, 2021, 4:45 pm

My 12g Field has the standard 3-position OFF/ON/OFF safety slide. A recommended LC Smith gunsmith says he ROUTINELY uses silver solder to modify the safety in a reversible manner (i.e., the solder can be removed) to convert to a more conventional/modern ON/OFF safety. What would be the downside of such a modification on a family heirloom which I have absolutely no intention of selling? I want a shooter which will always return to safety when opened, and on which there is no possible ambiguity -- back is ON, forward is OFF.

Re: Safety Modification?

Posted by Louis Rotelli on March 23, 2021, 4:49 pm, in reply to "Safety Modification?"

You can fill the slot with a piece of lead, which could be easily removed if needed

the LCS Safety is just a trigger Safety not a real Safety

Posted by Jent P Mitchell III on March 23, 2021, 7:02 pm, in reply to "Re: Safety Modification?"

The LCS SAFETY, all LCS SAFETIES, are just trigger blocks.... They are not real SAFETIES..... They do nothing to block the firing pins or hammers...... Many of us have the auto-safety setting rod removed and we set the LCS SAFETY our self...... The LCS SAFETY will not stop the hammer or a hammer from falling and firing the gun if the gun is dropped or some other upsetting condition should occur...... The 3 position SAFETY can be made to be a 2 position SAFETY but it is still just a trigger SAFETY not a real SAFETY..... posted by Jent on March 23.

Re: the LCS Safety is just a trigger Safety not a real Safety

Posted by Charlie D. Brooks on March 24, 2021, 8:50 am, in reply to "the LCS Safety is just a trigger Safety not a real Safety"

Jent, thanks for the safety information. I have been talking to a Mr. Bill Schwarz in Georgia about giving a newly acquired regular weight 12 gauge Field gun a good going over. The first thing I noticed about the gun is the safety does not return to safe when opened. Bill said he sees a lot of L.C.S. guns with the rod removed. I was going to have it replaced. Thanks.

Re: Safety Modification?

Posted by Tom Archer on March 24, 2021, 9:40 am, in reply to "Safety Modification?"

"What would be the downside of such a modification"

In my opinion there is no downside. I once owned a Smith gun with a 3-position safety, and I'm sure whoever invented the danged thing thought it was a wonderful idea; but in my opinion they are accidents waiting to happen. Double gun shooters are conditioned to "believe" that all the way forward means "fire" and one click back means "safe". And because that's so, it's simply too easy not to realize a 3-position safety is in other than a "safe" position; so I encourage you to move forward. Over the years I have converted many of the double guns used exclusively for dove and clays shooting to manual safety by removing the rod connecting the safety slide to the opening lever. I did so to either prevent the accidental loss of a target by failing to remember a gun is on safe, or to speed up my ability for a follow up shot. A competent shooter should be able to properly and timely operate the safety device on his gun; and of note is that the Hunter One-trigger unit seen on thousands of Smith guns is manually operated because there's not enough room for the connecting rod after the trigger unit is installed. Clearly Hunter Arms saw the auto safety device as something competent shooters could live without, and that goes double for the 3-position safety.

Re: Safety Modification?

Posted by Michael Lundy on March 24, 2021, 11:32 am, in reply to "Re: Safety Modification?"
Edited by board administrator March 24, 2021, 2:30 pm

Thanks all. I don't at all mind the auto "safety" feature. It was present on a Beretta Silver Pigeon I used recently, and I liked it. Didn't miss a shot due to that feature. But removal of the rod, if I understand it, would still leave me w a 3-position slide, and two makes more sense to me. I actually spoke w Bill Schwartz yesterday about this, and his approach is to leave the rod but internally block the slide from ever going to the rear "fire" position. With the limits of the "safety" itself being a significant safety hazard in and of itself, I'm thinking having three positions is only adding the possibility of confusion to the mix. I realize there are divergent opinions about what (if anything) to do with this matter.

Re: Safety Modification?

Posted by Tom Archer on March 24, 2021, 12:30 pm, in reply to "Re: Safety Modification?"

If you want to maintain a two-position AUTO safety; then Bill's suggestion is the correct way to go.

Re: Safety Modification?

Posted by David Williamson on March 24, 2021, 1:05 pm, in reply to "Re: Safety Modification?"

I've seen more than one 3 position safety blocked by having a tiny screw threaded so that the safety cannot be moved to the rear. Not so pretty but cheap.

I have a few that have the 3 position safety. In the field you have to keep your wits about yoyu and keep checking.
I'll let the next caretaker deal with it.

Back when Trap was coming into it's own in the 1880's, L.C. Smith advertised "No more lost birds at the Traps" because of their new safety (3 position)

Re: Safety Modification?

Posted by Michael Lundy on March 24, 2021, 5:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Safety Modification?"

Yeah, I had the same thought, but as you, thought "drill & tap and place a screw?" Ugliness might be reduced with the right size and shape of screw, but it's not very reversible.

Re: Safety Modification?

Posted by Steve Arnett on March 25, 2021, 8:36 am, in reply to "Safety Modification?"

In my opinion, the worst thing about the 3-position safety is that it is too easy to engage the safety between shots. If left in the rear position, my thumb would often engage the safety during recoil from the 1st shot. Since almost all of my shooting is on clays, this is another opportunity for an "unforced error".

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