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L. C. Smith Restoration Photos
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Just finished and delivered this 1920 16ga Hunter. Objective of project was not to make the gun look like new, but make it look like it'd been well taken care of. I want to thank Steve Hughes (SDH) for his book as it was a wealth of information on techniques I used on this project.

Here's a series of before and after photos.



















John Farner

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Posts: 2946 | Location: Corrales, NM, USA | Registered: 07 February 2001Reply With Quote
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Fine job! Wish I could have gotten my maternial grandfather's LC Smith and done the same with it.
 
Posts: 1615 | Location: South Western North Carolina | Registered: 16 September 2005Reply With Quote
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Wow, you guys do some nice work.

Cheers,
Andy
 
Posts: 3071 | Registered: 29 October 2005Reply With Quote
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Very nice work. Particularly salvaging the wood.

Curious about the trigger swap?
 
Posts: 312 | Registered: 12 June 2005Reply With Quote
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John, well done.


Chic Worthing
"Life is Too Short To Hunt With An Ugly Gun"
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Posts: 4917 | Location: Wenatchee, WA, USA | Registered: 17 December 2001Reply With Quote
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Just a great-looking job. I love to see an old firearm restored in that way.


Mike

Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer.
 
Posts: 13728 | Location: New England | Registered: 06 June 2003Reply With Quote
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beautiful.....


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"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."
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Posts: 28849 | Location: western Nebraska | Registered: 27 May 2003Reply With Quote
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Trigger swap? What trigger swap? Roll Eyes

I honestly didn't notice until now. I tried them both ways and they fit and worked a lot better the way I put them back in. I'll call him tomorrow and ask him if he minds. Thanks for asking.


John Farner

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Posts: 2946 | Location: Corrales, NM, USA | Registered: 07 February 2001Reply With Quote
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John, a friend of a friend of mine who works at Motel 6 asked me to ask you if you could provide a little clearer shot of that SSN por favor. Big Grin


_______________________________________________________________________________
This is my rifle, there are many like it but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend, it is my life.
 
Posts: 3171 | Location: SLC, Utah | Registered: 23 February 2007Reply With Quote
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Ah, sure; but not until I'm through with it, OK?

Story I got from the owner, son of the original owner, his Dad was real worried about the gun being stolen and had a vibrating engraver and...

As you can see I couldn't get it all off the wood without taking it way too low so I tried to make it look like a scratch. Draw-filing took it off the receiver nicely.


John Farner

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Posts: 2946 | Location: Corrales, NM, USA | Registered: 07 February 2001Reply With Quote
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Nicely ... and tastefully done. Lovely.

Man, there are talented smith's on this forum!!!


Mike

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DRSS, Womper's Club, NRA Life Member/Charter Member NRA Golden Eagles ...
Knifemaker, http://www.mstarling.com
 
Posts: 6199 | Location: Charleston, WV | Registered: 31 August 2002Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Toomany Tools:
As you can see I couldn't get it all off the wood without taking it way too low so I tried to make it look like a scratch. Draw-filing took it off the receiver nicely.


Looks good!


_______________________________________________________________________________
This is my rifle, there are many like it but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend, it is my life.
 
Posts: 3171 | Location: SLC, Utah | Registered: 23 February 2007Reply With Quote
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Nicely done, sir!
 
Posts: 9797 | Location: Missouri City, Texas | Registered: 21 June 2000Reply With Quote
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WOW!! The wood restoration and case color is awesome. Thank you for sharing that project.
 
Posts: 140 | Location: Southern Kalistan | Registered: 25 November 2007Reply With Quote
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Good job! Very nice work, and BTW I like the idea of restoring it to "well taken care of" condition as opposed to trying to make it look "new".

I have a lot of my wife's grandfather's tools and his shotgun. Like this gun most have his SSI # and many his name AND number. Once a common theft deterent we cringe at the idea in this age of identiy theft!


An old man sleeps with his conscience, a young man sleeps with his dreams.
 
Posts: 777 | Location: United States | Registered: 06 March 2006Reply With Quote
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Kudos, Sir! thumb
 
Posts: 450 | Registered: 20 August 2005Reply With Quote
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Excellent work, and very tastefully done.
 
Posts: 709 | Location: Oregon | Registered: 16 February 2007Reply With Quote
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Very nice job TMT.

It's a thin line between a major clean-up and a major tart-up, and you've done a lovely restoration. Great job with the super buggered screws too. Folks with skill and taste do not grow on trees.
 
Posts: 238 | Location: NY | Registered: 10 February 2006Reply With Quote
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Marvelous!
Smiler
Clemson


NRA Endowment Member
US Army Veteran
CWP Holder
Gunsmith
 
Posts: 339 | Location: Greenwood, SC | Registered: 06 February 2004Reply With Quote
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What type of finish and technique did you use on the wood?

It was tastefully done.


Craftsman
 
Posts: 1550 | Location: North Texas | Registered: 11 February 2001Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Toomany Tools:
Ah, sure; but not until I'm through with it, OK?

Story I got from the owner, son of the original owner, his Dad was real worried about the gun being stolen and had a vibrating engraver and...

As you can see I couldn't get it all off the wood without taking it way too low so I tried to make it look like a scratch. Draw-filing took it off the receiver nicely.


What a beautiful job Sir! In 1954 my Grandfather gave me a beautiful little 20 gauge L.C. Smith. Of three sons, my Dad favored my middle brother and resented my Grandfather giving the shotgun to me. My Dad took the Elsie and traded it for a new Win. Model 63 and gave to the "favored son".

I still look after my Grandfather's grave to this day as a grateful testimony of his genorosity to me. Of the three sons, only I am a firearms "loonie". Thanks...Bil.
 
Posts: 188 | Location: West Virginia | Registered: 14 March 2006Reply With Quote
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Did you do the color case hardening yourself, or did you send it out? It looks great.

Steve
 
Posts: 40 | Location: Brandon, SD | Registered: 05 March 2008Reply With Quote
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Color Case Company did the case hardening, but I did the polishing. The owner of Color Case made it clear to me he's trying to retire, but I guess he likes L.C. Smith shotguns so finally decided to do it.

I did all the rest of the finishing, using tips from Steve Hughes books and Gun Goddess bluing solution. Fixing up old guns like this really trips my trigger and is my favorite type work.


John Farner

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Posts: 2946 | Location: Corrales, NM, USA | Registered: 07 February 2001Reply With Quote
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I like it!
 
Posts: 1268 | Location: Newell, SD, USA | Registered: 07 December 2001Reply With Quote
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