So I recently acquired a L.C. Smith field grade shotgun with a 2 barrel set with all matching serial numbers. Ive been doing some online research and have hit a roadblock. I can't seem to find another set like this anywhere. I believe the gun to be made in 1898 and only close to 800 made of the 12 Ga variety, yet none with 2 barrel sets. Can anyone give me some insight as to what i got and what it may be worth

Very interesting. It is a Quality A1 probably made in 1892, the first year offered. Note the ribs at the bottom of the action. A similar gun is shown on p. 157 of Houchins' L.C. Smith "The Legend Lives".
Dr. Jim's L.C. Smith Production Records lists 713 12g of which 7 were supplied with extra barrels.
Hunter Arms referred to the barrels as "Very find Damascus" and they are indeed very nice 3 Iron "Turkish".
The initial price was $150 which would be equivalent to > $4000 today + the extra barrels which were usually 1/2 of the price for the gun or $75.

Unfortunately it appears that the wrist was broken through and inexpertly repaired.

I would suggest obtaining a Research Letter from the LCSCA and looking around the site
https://lcsca.clubexpress.com/content.a ... _id=245742
The shipping records from 1892 have limited information but might include the original purchaser. Prior to introduction of the Pigeon Gun in 1893, A1s were popular with Live Bird and Inanimate Target competitors, and it might have been ordered by a known shooter.

The interest today in well used and in need of repair higher grade vintage doubles is not good. If you intend to sell the gun you might list it will a major auction house like Morphy or a dealer like Steve Barnett Fine Guns

I started a thread on the LCSCA Forum
https://members.boardhost.com/lcsmith/m ... 18085.html

ONLY as a LCSCA member may you list the gun for sale on the site, but will also get a discount on the Research Letter.

Thank You Mr Drew for the info on the gun I joined the LCSCA and am in the process of getting a letter.

Welcome Please let us know if the letter documents the original purchaser and I'll try to find some information about him in the Sporting Life archives.

Mr Drew my letter has arrived

Thank you.
Dr. Jim already discussed the entry in the shipping ledger with me, and it was very hard to decipher the last name. I had no luck with Tipp, Tupp, nor Tripp.
There was a well known competitor from Indianapolis E.H. Tripp, who used a Smith; Sporting Life however was quite careful to include "Dr." with the names
https://digital.la84.org/digital/collec ... 7317/rec/8

I'll keep an eye out for him.

Thanks for sharing this beautiful gun. I enjoyed the thread.

DnbSharky,

A1's are nice old high grade guns, no matter who ordered them. They are definitely not field Grade Guns. If you intend on using it in the field to hunt with, you might consider having Briley Sleeve one set of the Damascus barrels, in this manner you know the gun is safe to shoot. I would still use RST low pressure shells in the old A1 to safe guard the gun.

Have fun with your A1 L.C. Smith double gun! Remember you are shooting a gun built in 1892, made 128 years ago, with Damascus Barrels. If I owned this particular L.C. Smith gun I would not use modern type Nitro shells in it, until I had the gun sleeved by Briley, even then RST low pressure shells would be used in this gun if I owned it.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Thanks Dave I’m not planning on shooting it. I may try my luck at selling it. Who Knows.

Beautiful gun! That would be fun to shoot with old black powder shells.

If you decide to sell it please contact me

Thanks
dtowers
I'm at aol

Hey dtowers what is your email address

I'd try dtowers at aol.com ...remove spaces and sub in the @ sign for at.

Tried that got sent back

It was worth a shot.