I just got a call and an old shotgun of my grandfather's is coming back to the family. The shotgun is an LC Smith SxS 16 gauge, I do not remember a whole lot about it as it has been since 1978 since I have seen it when my father gave it to cousin for some legal work he did for us. The shotgun was given to my grandfather by my grandmother on their wedding day back 1929. My father had it reblued back in 1978 before he gave it away. That's about all I remember about it and can't remember model or grade. Just trying to find some sources to get more information once we have it back in our hands. It has more sentimental value to us than anything else.

Start with the L.C. Smith Collectors Association. Their website is at www.lcsmith.org. There is also a great book out on L.C. Smith shotguns; L.C. Smith: The Legend Lives by John Houchins (2006) Jostens, Winston-Salem, NC.

One useful accessory is a tool made for recocking the ejectors if they are released while the gun is diassembled. Failure to recock them before reassembly can lead to them getting broken and they are a pain to safely recock without the tool. You will find it listed for $10.00 on the L.C. Smith Collectors website.

Also, L.C.s tend to crack the stock behind the locks. This is easily addressed by glassing the stock at the back of the locks.

One minor caution is that the older 16-gauge guns were chambered for 2-5/8" shells and are usually choked full and fuller. I suggest that you have a knowledgable shotgunsmith check it out. If it has the shorter chambers, the barrel walls at the chamber are typically thick enough that you can safely have the chambers lengthened. You may also want to consider lengthening the forcing cones. These two things will reduce pressures and thus wear on the gun. Also, opening the chokes really helps if they are tight. My favorite combination for an all-around gun is improved cylinder and light full.

L.C. Smiths are a classic and the 16-gauge is the classic American pheasant gun. (I am biased since my pheasant gun is a 16-gauge Ideal Grade built in 1918.)

Hope this gets you going in the right direction.

Dave

Thanks Dave. That website has a lot of information.

My grandad used his for his whole life and loved it. Grip is too small for me and trigger guard bruises my finger. Also three position safety takes some getting used to, to say the least. Still wish I had one of my own.

Just got the shotgun back and did a little research on the lc smith website. From the serial number it was made in 1925 and from the reading of the grades it is a ideal grade (grade on the right barrel is too faded to read) but it has the oak leaf engraving. I will try to take some good pictures of it in the next day or two and post them.

It is an "Ideal" grade gun built on what L.C. Smith considered their light-weight frame. It looks like the twin to mine.The condition looks to be such that it would be a pleasure to take out in polite comnpany, but you don't have to worry about hurting a pristine gun. Have fun with it; as I posted before, mine is my go-to pheasant gun.