L.C. Smith Hunter Arms Field Grade One Trigger 16 GA 28″ Shotgun 1937 C&R

SOLD FOR: $1875

LSB#: 220106RP002

Make: Hunter Arms Co. for L.C. Smith

Model: Field Grade

Serial Number: 161957

Year of Manufacture: 1937 (Pg. 120 of “L.C. Smith Production Records” by Stubbendieck)

Gauge: 16 GA with 2 3/4” Chambers

Action Type: Top Lever Opening Sidelock Double Barreled Shotgun with Single Trigger

Markings: The top of the right barrel is marked “<-L.C. SMITH Field GRADE->”. The top of the left barrel is marked “HUNTER ARMS CO. M’F’R’S FULTON, N.Y.”. The bottom of each barrel is marked “ARMOR STEEL”. The bottom of the left barrel has a faint crown over “F” and the bottom of the right barrel is marked with a faint crown over “IC”. Each side of the barrel flat has a proof mark, the left barrel flat is marked “161957 / FIELD”. The right barrel flat has a faint “C”. Each side plate is marked “L.C. SMITH”. The right side of the water table is marked “FW”, “161597″ and “FIELD”. The trigger plate is marked “HUNTER / ONE / TRIGGER”.

Barrel Length: 28″

Choke: Left: Full, Right: Improved Cylinder, both fixed.

Sights / Optics: This shotgun is mounted with a white bead at the muzzle and also has a small white midbead. The rib is checkered for glare reduction.

Weight: 6 lb., 11 oz.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are checkered walnut with a splinter forend, capped pistol grip, straight comb, and serrated black hard rubber buttplate. There is a thin crack on the left side at the rear of the lockplate and there is an even thinner crack on the right side at the rear of the lockplate. There are some scattered compressions, scuffs, scratches, and areas of thinning. The checkering is mostly strong. The drop at comb is 1 1/2? and the drop at the heel is 2 1/2?. The length of pull is approximately 14″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The cast is about neutral. The buttstock stock rates in Very Good overall condition.

Type of Finish: Blued & Case Color

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bores are bright with no erosion.

Overall Condition: This shotgun retains about 85% of its metal finish. The receiver has thinning but there are still areas of strong case color. There is finish loss on the bottom of the receiver. There are some scattered little oil marks and spots of frost on the receiver. There is a light scratch on the right lock plate. There are some nicks and spots of oxidation on the forend iron and trigger guard. There are some scattered little marks through the finish on the barrel in addition to some little spots of minor oxidation and little scuffs that have thinned the finish. There is thinning on the barrels at the muzzle. The markings are clear except for the proofs which were applied prior to final polish and finish and are incomplete. Overall, this shotgun is in Very Good-Fine condition.

Mechanics: Often the trigger fails to reset, otherwise the action functions correctly. The barrels lock solidly to the frame. We have not fired this shotgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: The history of the L.C. Smith firearms is quite interesting. L. C. Smith formed a partnership with L. H. Smith and W.H. Baker to manufacture a three-barrel gun in 1879. L. C. Smith took over the company in 1880 and in 1884 began manufacturing hammer shotguns. Smith became interested in a new-fangled invention called the typewriter, and sold the company in 1888 to John Hunter. Smith went on to form the Smith-Corona company and became a world leader in the manufacture of typewriters. The L. C. Smith shotguns manufactured by Hunter Arms went on to become some of the highest quality shotguns made in the United States. When Marlin bought the Hunter Arms Co. in 1945, they began manufacturing the same guns under the L. C. Smith Gun Company title. This is an L.C. Smith Field Grade shotgun chambered in 16 gauge and made in 1937. It has a lot of its finish left and the finish that has been lost is mostly on the bottom of the frame from handling. This example has the Hunter One Trigger. L.C. Smith introduced the Field Grade in 1912 but didn’t start keeping record on special features until 1918. After 1918 they only made 410 of the 16 gauge with the Hunter One Trigger so this would be a nice pickup for the L.C. Smith collector. Please see our photos and good luck!