The L.C. Smith Collectors Association

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

Griffin & Howe

Posted by Brian McMahon on February 16, 2026, 1:09 pm

I recently went to the Harrisburg Sportsman show. It is a great show if anyone gets a chance to go. I was with my grandson and I stopped at the Griffin and Howe booth. I talked to one of there people who work on the older shotguns. I asked him a question about my Model 3E 16 gauge which has a selective trigger. He began to tell me the single trigger design by LC Smith was the worst design ever made. He also told me it took him 17 hours to repair one. I told him once in a while my gun would shoot the one barrel then pulling the trigger to fire the other barrel it would hesitate firing. I asked him if he thinks it my need a cleaning. He said he wouldn't know and could not give me a price for just looking at it. I thanked him for his time and left. As my grandson and I went walking to look at other stuff he said to me Pop-pop I think that guy you talked to collects Parkers

Re: Griffin & Howe

Posted by john burns on February 16, 2026, 5:02 pm, in reply to "Griffin & Howe"

This site can recommend a good gun smith for your
problem. This fellow sounds like he was trying to
sell you something. Buck Hamlin is gone now but
there are others that can fix this problem.

Re: Griffin & Howe

Posted by Brian McMahon on February 16, 2026, 5:55 pm, in reply to "Re: Griffin & Howe"

Thanks for the response John

Re: Griffin & Howe

Posted by Ken Descovich on February 16, 2026, 7:17 pm, in reply to "Griffin & Howe"

I hear Jerry Andrew's is your man for single trigger fixing.

Steve Arnett

Posted by Steve Arnett on February 17, 2026, 9:04 am, in reply to "Griffin & Howe"

Brian, that's a funny story! I can understand that G&H doesn't want to work on HOT's, however, there was no need to trash them like that. I had them chase the lettering and engraving on my #4 barrels when Bill Graham refinished them. Chris Rossiter did a great job, and the price was fair.

Re: Steve Arnett

Posted by Brian McMahon on February 17, 2026, 10:30 am, in reply to "Steve Arnett"

The guy really didn’t bother me I think he just doesn’t like the design of the single trigger LCs. I still think they very reputable. I live in NJ and ur was close to home instead of shipping the gun I could drop it off. Thanks for response

Re: Steve Arnett

Posted by Tom Archer on February 17, 2026, 11:23 am, in reply to "Re: Steve Arnett"

Brian
The best Hunter One mechanic I know is Jerry Andrews. Years ago I purchased a 3E 12-bore at a gun show and got a deal on the gun because its HOT was not functional; otherwise the gun was outstanding. I'd heard of Jerry and his spill that he'd never seen a HOT he couldn't fix, even if one wanted to shoot the gun holding it upside down! So how could I go wrong with a claim that bold? I traded with Jerry and the gun was returned in time for dove season. At the first shot, the gun doubled so, so much for Jerry's claim! However, the gun never doubled or the HOT malfunctioned again; that was the best pass shooting gun I've ever owned and too late realized I'd been a fool for trading it away. In total I've owned 4 LC's with HOT triggers that I shot regularly; the above 3E, an A-2, a 5E, and an Ideal. The 5E was the first and it needed major work, so I sent it to Buck Hamlin for restoration. Buck did a beautiful job but in the process he converted my HOT gun to double triggers. Buck is gone now; he was a great friend and mentor, and was an outstanding gunsmith. I loved the man, but he absolutely hated HOT triggers; my point being that many gunsmiths just don't have the ability or aren't willing to spend the time required to get a HOT tuned correctly, and I believe that was the case with the individual you encountered. But the HOT trigger is a great trigger if not abused and adjusted correctly, otherwise Westley Richards would not have installed the HOT trigger on their dangerous game big-bore double rifles. I personally like single trigger double guns; and for what it's worth, the only SST gun that's failed me in the field was a 20-bore GHE Parker. That beautiful little gun found a new home after Del Grego failed twice in their efforts to make that trigger function properly.

Re: Steve Arnett

Posted by Roger Domer on February 17, 2026, 2:17 pm, in reply to "Re: Steve Arnett"

I have two Smiths with HOTs, and neither works consistently. I Get double fires fairly often which is a recoil surprise every time. Ha! One is a trap shotgun. As long as I shoot single targets, it works fine. I don't shoot doubles trap anyway. Beautiful shotgun - love it! The other Smith is one of the shotguns (field grade) sold to the military shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack. I view that one more like a collector shotgun being one of the early war civilian shotguns sold to the military. I have other Field model Smiths with double triggers that never fail. Fun talking about Smiths .

Thanks to all who responding to post

Posted by Brian McMahon on February 17, 2026, 5:20 pm, in reply to "Re: Steve Arnett"

Thanks to everyone for responding to my post. When things get warmer I will take out the gun and shoot it then decide what to do. This is why I am so glad I joined the LC Smith club back in 2018. The membership are made up great people. Charlie Brooks was the first one I met and went down to his house and he took the time talk to me (2 hours) about Hammer LC Smiths

Re: Griffin & Howe

Posted by Bill Lader on February 18, 2026, 5:04 am, in reply to "Griffin & Howe"

Just the other day I dropped off an Ideal grade to John Zimmerman in Epharta Pa. The gun has HOTs that will fire but hard to pull. The gun was fitted with a new stock and I'm guessing the stock and Triggers need to be twicked. If the triggers still give me problems I guess I'll switch it over to double triggers

Re: Steve Arnett

Posted by Doug Precourt on February 18, 2026, 11:29 am, in reply to "Re: Steve Arnett"

Love your stories. Thanks for sharing!

Re: Griffin & Howe

Posted by Bill Lader on February 18, 2026, 2:36 pm, in reply to "Griffin & Howe"

After it's Twicked I'll Tweak it a littlee

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