April 24-25, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/24/2019
The "Crown" grade was L.C. Smith's most popular high grade gun. Many were made as target guns. This attractive specimen is in field configuration with 28" barrels with narrow game rib engraved "L.C. SMITH CROWN GRADE" and "MADE TO ORDER BY THE Hunter Arms Co Inc. FULTON, N.Y." on tops. Barrel flats are stamped with serial number, grade, and proofs. Bottoms of barrels are stamped with nitro steel logos. Splinter is of reinforced type. Case hardened featherweight action with non-automatic safety and selective Hunter One trigger is engraved in usual "Crown" style with 60% coverage sprays of scroll surrounding floral bouquets. Lockplates with more scroll and flowers within geometric borders surround nicely detailed oval vignettes portraying pairs of gun dogs in various poses; setters on left and pointers on right. Backgrounds are etched providing depth. "L.C. SMITH" is on banner at front of each lockplate. A gold crown is inlaid on top lever pivot. Blued trigger guard with more rose and scroll on bow, has serial number on tang. Dense, crotch figured American walnut straight grip buttstock measures 14" over hard rubber buttplate. Grip checkering has fancy border at rear. Matching short splinter ejector forend is near fully checkered, has contrasting wood inset tip, along with usual J-spring release with knurled secondary catch in ovate escutcheon. CONDITION: Fine, mostly original. Barrels retain most of what appears to be an old re-black with subsequent wear. Action and locks retain most of their original case hardening color which was never very bright. Trigger guard retains most of what appears to be its original blue, augmented at grip. Stocks retain most of an old oil refinish, and are fairly dark. Checkering has not been re-cut. There are 1/2" incipient stress cracks behind each lockplate. Bores are very fine to excellent, lightly frosted. Action is tight. Ejectors are in time. Trigger appears to work well. Factory letter states that this gun was started in 1931, and shipped in March 1932 to Bob Smith. There were just under 900 of these fine guns made by L.C. Smith. A classy and very shootable L.C. Smith! MGM 23.
Barrel Wall Thickness
(L) .032 (R) .034
Choke
(L) .023 - Mod (R) .009 - IC
Internal Bore Diameter
(L) .729 (R) .729
Model
SXS Crown Grade Featherweight