I have always considered the Elsie 5E to be one of the most beautiful and elegant of the vintage American doubles, regardless of grade and manufacturer. Personally, the 5E represents the pinnacle of L.C. Smith collecting, as any grade above the 5E appears out of reach, which is just fine as I finally brought my 5E home.

She was made in 1904 and still locks up like a bank vault. She was used by her previous caretakers, and accordingly, the wood and barrels were very nicely refreshed at some point. The metal surfaces are all original and in my book that's the most important thing.

I have shot her a few times already and I'm smitten. She is choked XF and XF and while I thought that would prove to be a handicap at sporting clays it has actually been totally opposite. She just vaporizes clays and if I have a closer shot I just use RST's spreaders, which have worked very well. The other upside is when I miss, I just look at her and all is forgotten .

As I think pictures are the best part, I have included a few here along with Jim's excellent letter.

Happy collecting and shooting!
Bob

Bob,
That is a beauty and I also feel the grade 5 and crown grade are the best guns that can be bought at there price level.
Congrats,
Ken

Thanks Ken - Agreed and I should have mentioned the Crown along with the 5E. They are both beautiful guns.

I have noticed that many of the Crowns seem to be set-up for trap shooting, 32" barrels, vent ribs and beaver tails, etc. Maybe it's just me. My favorite set-up is 30" barrels with a conventional rib and splinter forearm (the cherry on top would be an English straight grip, but of course those are few and far between).

It is a joy to shoot.

Bob

My dream gun in 16 gauge. Glad to see you got yours. What a wonderful gun! Thanks for sharing it with us.

Hello Garry,

Thanks.

I hope you find your dream 5E 16 gauge! All I can say is keep looking, as you never know where she will show up. My 5E was sitting on a gun rack and had not even been listed yet. I was there to consign some guns and immediately changed plans and entered into a trade for the 5E, that took all of a few seconds to finalize...sold! The fastest gun deal I ever did and after the dust settled I picked her up to see what I had purchased. That's not the way to do it, but it worked and I could not be any happier! Better lucky than good sometimes.

Bob

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Bob, here is my 5E that I acquired about 10 years ago. I was able to turn it into a 2 barrel set upon finding an earlier set of 5E barrels with a forend. The barrels snapped on the receiver with no fitting and as with yours it locks up tight and is a great shooter

Thanks Tom.

I love the English straight stock, I wish they made more of them. It's also interesting to see the variations in the engraving.

Thanks for sharing.
Bob

The 5E Smith is indeed a very beautiful and desirable double gun, and many thanks for sharing. Way back in mid-1980's I purchased a Grade 5E, a gun advertised by Hershel Chaddick in the "Gun List"; the ad noted that this 32" barreled Smith gun had a few modifications but was a "great shooter, was tight and featured great engraving; price $795". In those days we didn't have the benefit of on-line pictures; but from studying the Brophy book, I knew I wanted a high-grade Smith, 5E's had beautiful engraving, were kinda' rare, and at $795 the price was just "right" to a bottom feeder collector like me when compared to other 5E examples priced at $2500 and up at the time. Well, when something is priced below market there's usually a good reason why and this gun was no exception; my new 5E was a wreck with more issues than I care to describe; but bores were excellent and the engraving was indeed "good" just as described! Any normal person would've returned the gun; but not me, I felt it my "mission" to restore and save this gun for the next generation. But I was also on an accumulation binge at the time and more interested in new acquisitions than restorations; so the 5E went to the back of the safe till one afternoon when it somehow became the topic of conversation with gunsmith Buck Hamlin. I'd also acquired a BH Grade Damascus Parker during this time frame, a pretty gun but with a stock too short for good shooting; and as we discussed those guns, Buck offered to trade a complete restoration of the 5E to include exhibition English walnut in exchange for the Parker. We traded and I was quite pleased with the end results; the Smith was beautiful, was stocked to my specs, and was a great shooting gun and I used the Smith with great success on late season dove because of its long barrels and tight chokes. Unfortunately I have no good pics of this gun; the poor photo below is dated 9/92 and shows the gun with a limit of mourning dove, but none of the beautiful engraving and Monogram grade checkering and ribbon work detail is discernable. On the other hand, one can clearly see some of the fantastic color and figure in its English walnut stock. This gun remains a significant part of the most memorable dove hunts I've ever enjoyed, and holds first place on the lists of the most amazing shots I ever pulled off; but I was never satisfied in those days and stupidly traded the gun away many years ago. I no longer have a clue as to its whereabouts; but if I ever see this gun again it'll be immediately recognizable!


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