No. 5 | Dogs and Doubles

This week’s good guns: Powered by Gunsinternational.com…

March 1, 2015 by Gregg

Parker DHE 28ga SxS Skeet Gun (Remington Era): A beautiful RARE 28ga DHE Skeet gun has 26in barrels skeet in /skeet out has a 00 Frame single trigger Beavertail straight english stock to a checkered butt gorgeous wood one mark otherwis mint silver oval no initials 98% easy case colors and blue. Price: $49,000

BERETTA – SO5 / SO3EELL – Hand Detachable Locks – Checkered Butt – Like New: 1970 – 12ga, 26″, IC / IC (.008 / .011), LOP 14-9/16″, Drop 1-7/16 to 2-3/8, Neutral Cast, Weight 6 lbs. 6 oz. 100% Coverage – Hand Engraved. Hand Detachable Sidelock. Gold Crown Inlay. Pierced Top Lever. Hand Filed Rib. Ivory Sights. Single Selective Trigger. Checkered Butt. Excellent weight and chokes for a 12ga Upland Game Gun. Condition is “Like New.” Price: $8,500

LC SMITH Model 5E SXS 12 GA: Serial #205881, 30″ bbls, F&F, 2 1/2″ chambers, Hunter one trigger, Straight Grip, Splinter Forearm, Matted Concave Rib, Casehardened Receiver, Game Scene Cameos Engraving, Vintage Hawkins pad, EXC. Condition, 7#15oz, 1 1/2″ x 2 5/8″ x 14″ with 1/8 cast off. This is a high condition original gun. Price $8,000

A. H. Fox, A Grade, 20 Gauge, Side-by-Side – Gorgeous: 26″ BARRELS, FULL & MODIFIED, 99% BRIGHT BLUE, MIRROR BORES, TWIN IVORY SIGHTS. ATTRACTIVE DEEP CUT ENGRAVING, SOME BOLD VIVID CASE COLOR. ROUND KNOB GRIP STOCK, BEAVERTAIL FOREARM, ABOUT PERFECT WOOD AND CHECKERING, 100% TRIGGER GUARD BLUE. GREAT DIMENSIONS 1 1/2″ X 2 3/8″ X 14″, 6 POUNDS 2 OUNCES. GORGEOUS LITTLE FOX MADE IN 1922. Price: $6,500

ITHACA 1916 FLUES HAMMERLESS 4E GRADE 12GA. 3″ SHOTGUN 98% PLUS ORIGINAL CONDITION: ITHACA 1916 FLUES 4E GRADE HAMMERLESS 12GA. SHOTGUN,S/N 2719XX. 28″ SOLID RIB BARRELS WITH EXCELLENT BORES AND 2 IVORY BEADS.3″ CHAMBERS,CHOKED MODIFIED (.017) CONSTRICTION AND IMPROVED CYLINDER (.007) CONSTRICTION.99% ORIGINAL BARREL BLUE.FIGURED AMERICAN WALNUT WITH BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL FLUE DE LEA CHECKERING WITH BLACK TIP FOREARM,PISTOL GRIP CAP AND GOLD SHIELD.L.O.P. IS 14 1/2″ OVER SOLID RUBBER PAD,D.A.H. IS 2 7/8″ AND D.A.C. IS 1 7/8″ WITH NEUTRAL CAST.GUN WEIGHS 7 LBS. ORIGINAL GOLD DOUBLE TRIGGERS WITHOUT ANY WEAR.GUN LOOKS TO HAVE BEEN FIRED EXTREMELY LITTLE.ENGRAVED RECEIVER WITH 85% PLUS ORIGINAL VIVID CASE COLOR REMAINING,HAS DOG AND BIRD SCENES.A SUPER ORIGINAL CONDITION 4E 1916 12GA. SHOTGUN. Price: $4,250

Auction alert: a rare & nice 12 gauge L.C. Smith No. 5…

February 12, 2015 by Gregg

LC Smith Number 5 Unrestored Unmolested Original Matching #s Elsie 5, Mfg 1903*No Reserve* Very Rare

Here’s a great looking American double that’s very hard to find. It’s an L.C. Smith No. 5, and it looks like it’s in excellent original condition. Best of all, it’s on Gunbroker.com now at no reserve. The listing ends Thursday, 2/12/2015, @ 5:30:45 PM ET – so if you like what you see, you’ve got to move right away.

The No. 5 was L.C. Smith upper middle grade gun, comparable in cost to a Parker DHE or CHE (even though the L.C. has much finer engraving). Hunter Arms built them from 1894-1912, and in all, they made just 523. Every one was made to order, so engraving patterns vary a bit by shotgun.

From the L.C. Smith collector’s website:

“Our No. 5 Smith Gun meets the views of the patron who is in need of a gun handsomely finished and elaborately engraved. We embody in this gun much of beauty. This grade has always stood well ahead”

LC Smith Number 5 Unrestored Unmolested Original Matching #s Elsie 5, Mfg 1903*No Reserve* Very Rare: 12 gauge, 30″ bbls I have a 1903 Elsie number 5 that has been in the gun safe for years and is now time for some else to enjoy her! This gun is matching numbers, original number 5. The silver receiver is in excellent if not perfect condition, the butt stock has a couple minor scratches with no cracks top or bottom which is rare for this gun. The fore stock is in excellent condition and locks the gun up tight and allows for the ejectors to work. The Damascus Barrels very bright and shiny and are in great shape with a small repairable rap about 1/4″ round located 6 inches from the end of the left barrel.

Good gun alert: a 12 gauge L.C. Smith 5E…

November 14, 2012November 15, 2012 by Gregg

12 gauge L.C. Smith No. 5E double barrel side-by-side shotgun

High grade L.C. Smiths side-by-sides are some of the nicest double barrels ever made in America. Just check out this 12 gauge No. 5 to see what I mean.

In their 1900 catalog, the Hunter Arm Company wrote that the L.C. Smith No. 5 was designed for shooters “in need of a gun handsomely finished and elaborately engraved.” The actions were filed up in the usual Smith style, and then finished with elaborate engraving of dogs, flowers, and scrollwork. Patterns varied, though, because No. 5s were custom-made shotguns and customers could specify what they wanted to see.

L.C. Smith made just 484 shotguns in No. 5 grade: 1 in 8 gauge, 11 in 10 gauge, 414 in 12 gauge, 37 in 16 gauge, and 21 in 20 gauge guns. That mans the one shown here is rare. When you factor in its original condition, it gets even harder to find.