1405

*EXCEPTIONALLY RARE CASED 20 GAUGE L. C. SMITH MONOGRAM GRADE TRAP GUN.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:12,500.00 USD Estimated At:25,000.00 - 35,000.00 USD
*EXCEPTIONALLY RARE CASED 20 GAUGE L. C. SMITH MONOGRAM GRADE TRAP GUN.
SN FWE40626. Cal. 20 ga. 2-3/4" Chambers. This very scarce, small bore L. C. Smith with only 26 being made in this gauge and grade, has 28" bbls marked "Monogram Steel" and "MADE TO ORDER BY THE" "Hunter Arms Co. Inc. FULTON, N. Y." on tops. Raised, matted, concave rib is engraved "L. C. SMITH Monogram GRADE" in front of gold divider. Left bbl flat is engraved with SN and "M". Small case hardened action features non-automatic safety and single, selective "Hunter One Trigger". Water table is engraved with patent information, SN, and "M". Action is engraved in atypical Monogram style having medium scroll with rose highlights surrounding unusual etched oval vignettes of flying pigeons on each lockplate. A duck flies through engraving on bottom of action. Each lockplate is engraved "L. C. SMITH". Blued trigger guard with matching engraving has SN at grip. Fully flame figured American walnut capped pistol grip buttstock with fancy bordered fleur-di-lis checkering at grip, with flourishes toward comb, measures 14-1/4" over ribbed composition buttplate. Matching splinter ejector forend has inset ebony tip, and secondary knurled release wheel in guitar shaped escutcheon. Interior of iron is engraved with ejector patent information and SN. This gun is listed in Brophy as a "featherweight, single trigger, trap gun". As the Monogram grade was always a special order gun, these specifications could have easily been changed by factory at time of order/ sale. (There are no ejectors and most trap guns had beavertail forends.) Bore diameter: left-.612, right -.611. Bore restrictions: left -.006 (IC), right -.008 (IC). Wall thickness: left -.025, right -.021. Drop at heel: 2-7/16", drop at comb: 1-7/16". Weight: 6 lbs. 3 oz. LOP: 14-1/4". PROVENANCE: Hang tag and handwritten description from Walt Schiessl with his appraisal of this gun, dated 4/8/2000. CONDITION: Very fine, as partially refinished. Bbls retain nearly all of a satin re-black, engraving slightly softened, with a couple of light subsequent spots. Action and lockplates retain a considerable amount of their orig muted case hardening color, perhaps 30%, the balance faded and slightly worn to a very pleasant light silver gray. Trigger guard retains most of what appears to be its orig blue with forend escutcheon retaining nearly all of its blue. Stocks retain most of what appears to be their orig finish, with some oil rubbed into buttstock, over a few light handling marks. Checkering is excellent with slight wear. Bores are excellent, very lightly frosted toward breech ends. Action is tight. Ejectors are in time. Trigger works well. Modern take down case is exceptionally fine with very little wear.ÊÊWith probably as few as two made in this configuration, this lively little gun is a treasure. 4-49371 MGM280