Customer brings in an LC Smith. The shotgun is in well-worn original condition. On face, tight hinge, no missing wood crisp trigger action. Patent dates in late 1800's. Just a couple of easy to fix barrel dents....and....a blacksmith repair to the forearm lug. It obviously came loose long ago. The lug was welded to the barrels and caused a small weld sag into the bore of one barrel. According to the customer, the shotgun has been fired many hundreds of rounds since the repair was done back around 1960. My question is, given the firearm has already been extensively "bootstrap proofed", should I ream out the sag, polish the bores, replace to lower rib (wavy from previous resolder), and clean it up the finishes or tell her to it's time to put Elsie on the wall?

Yes, it's been 'field-proofed', BUT you're considering removing steel from an already-weakened area. Plus, according to your description, any future rupture would be more likely to occur at the welded area which is right next to the shooter's off hand.

Lots of potential liability there. IIWY I'd pass.
Regards, Joe

If its been fired "hundreds" of times with the imperfection, why bother tempting fate by messing with it? I'd also pass.

After a thorough bore cleaning, I found two very deep pits that close the case for the original barrels. Informing the customer, he asked about replacement barrels. I filled him in on what it would take to find another set, this is a 9xxx s/n made in 1902. He doesn't care if it takes a year or two, he wants this gun back in action. So...I am looking for a set of barrels, or a parts gun with good barrels, prefer 30" but will look at shorter. Any help finding a source for original barrels will be greatly appreciated. Will consider creative ideas using the original chambers and lump with replacement tubes. Veteran input welcome.

Mike,
I would sleeve it, unless the customer wants another original barrel set. I have a good source for sleeving tubes and ribs if you decide to go this route.

I know that Dennis Olson sleeves rifle barrels, I don't know about shotgun, but seems a good route to me.

Red

Red, sleeving shotguns is a different matter. You cut the barrels off just ahead of the chamber and machine out some of the exisiting metal. You use what is left as a monobloc and machine the new barrels to fit into the monobloc and then install new ribs and regulate the barrls. It is a rather expensive operation. It is not difficult to find Elsie barrels. There is a L C Smith Collectors society but their website seems to be down now. Same problem with the doublegunshop with its site. That would be the best place to find one or someone to install it.

Update: I put the word out on some other forums and I found a parts gun with a fellow who lives about 7 miles down the road from me. It's got some nasty looking wood and furniture. but the barrels are very good inside and out with just a few small dents that I can iron out. This is my first restoration on a finer shotgun and I want to get it correct as far as wood finish, metal finish, etc. The owner likes oil, but the original wood appears to be varnish. Was the original metal shiny or matte?
When this project is done, I will have a spare Elsie on my hands. This gets me to thinking...would the old Elsie be a good candidate for conversion to a double rifle? Or, should I rebarrel it as a shotgun using the monobloc process? Then, 12 or 16 ga? Decisions, decisions, decisions!

One decision is easy: 16 ga!

My favorite all around gauge.

quote:

would the old Elsie be a good candidate for conversion to a double rifle?

Sure - as long as it's a .22RF.

As far as a double rifle on an L.C. Smith, look at the one in .45-70 on Duane Wiebe's web site. As to finish, buy a copy of the 2006 book "L.C. Smith: The Legend Lives" which has lots of great photos and info.

Dave