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The L.C. Smith Collectors Association
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Long Range barrel bead or something else?

Posted by Mike Dean on March 27, 2022, 5:26 pm

Any Ideas?
I found this Long Range Field Grade for sale and it looks very good except for the "screw hole" in the barrel rib. The person who has it for sale said that it looks like there used to be a bead site there but it now looks like it has been broken/sheared off. I have never seen a mid-bead this close to the chambers. Is this something that I have never seen or heard of before. How difficult would it be to "heal" this wound?

Thanks
Mike

Re: Long Range barrel bead or something else?

Posted by Drew Hause on March 27, 2022, 6:07 pm, in reply to "Long Range barrel bead or something else?"

Possibly for a Nadar sight - double guns used a single hole

Re: Long Range barrel bead or something else?

Posted by Mike Dean on March 27, 2022, 6:24 pm, in reply to "Re: Long Range barrel bead or something else?"

That is a very plausible idea for that hole in the rib!! The location of the hole makes this device seem like the most likely attachment. I have never heard of that before. Thank you for the response and new fun fact!!

Mike

Re: Long Range barrel bead or something else?

Posted by Tom Archer on March 27, 2022, 8:29 pm, in reply to "Re: Long Range barrel bead or something else?"

I've never seen a double with a Nydar sight, but have seen several with brass or ivory beads in that area of the rib. I've been told that some shooters located a bead in this area of the rib to serve as a rear "sight" for more precise pointing when deer/bear hunting with slugs. They do not enhance a gun's appearance in my opinion, and I've idea if that reason is factual; but if the gun is otherwise a fine gun, I could live it at the right price. Personally, a mid bead should never be placed past the mid-point of a rib on a pistol gripped gun; but a mid-bead placed two inches past center towards the muzzle looks and functions very well on straight-gripped guns.

Re: Long Range barrel bead or something else?

Posted by Mike Dean on March 27, 2022, 9:48 pm, in reply to "Re: Long Range barrel bead or something else?"

Tom, thanks for the insight!!

So, two very plausible explanations. To anyones knowledge were there ever "factory" beads placed in this unusual configuration?

Mike

Re: Long Range barrel bead or something else?

Posted by Tom Archer on March 27, 2022, 10:07 pm, in reply to "Re: Long Range barrel bead or something else?"

The shipping records do not provide those details; those details would be found on the build sheet, which we do not have. But certainly the gunworks would locate a mid-bead where ever specified on the top rib. I have a late vintage straight grip Smith in my office as I write with a mid-bead ordered 2" past center towards the muzzle; just don't look right to me, but this is a custom high grade gun and the location was apparently specified by the customer.

Re: Long Range barrel bead or something else?

Posted by Mike Dean on March 29, 2022, 9:36 am, in reply to "Long Range barrel bead or something else?"

I found this image of the Nydar 47 sight. From the research into the mounting system on this device it looks like it takes several screws to mount it properly! (Minimum of two screws up to six).

I don't think one screw would do the trick. I am leaning more toward the notion that it was a bead mounted sight that Tom talked about. I don't think I will ever know for sure but it has been fun figuring it out.

BTW, you can still purchase the Nydar sights in very good condition on eBay for those folks that like to collect different related shotgun paraphernalia.

Thanks
Mike

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