L.C. Smith 2E 16 – 85% FACTORY CASE COLOR 1908. CONDITION!

THIS L.C. SMITH IS FACTORY ORIGINAL IN ALL WAYS, RETAINING 85% CASE COLOR, 95% BARREL BLUE, 55% TRIGGER GUARD BLUE, AND FOREND IRON ESCUTCHEON BLUE.  Only the wood has been restored in the last 116 years.  My collection consists mostly of Fox guns and pre-1913 L.C. Smiths.  I love the early Elsie graded guns with superior fit and finish and classic engraving.  The early guns had removable firing pin bushings, finer sculpting of the frame, more detailed and artistic engraving, more attention to details, nicer wood and checkering, and better inletting.  This fine Elsie, sn210247 built in 1908, is very special.  First, it is one of only 793 total Grade 2 guns made in 16ga. and only about 250 with the Hunter One Trigger (selective) and ejectors, likely less than 150 or so left on the planet with all factory original finishes on the metal.  THAT IS RARE.  Second, it is a beautiful original gun with strong case color, finely hand cut engraving, and well figured factory French Walnut stocks.  The 28” barrels are tight on the hinge pin and breech face, bores are mirror shiny, ribs are tight, sterling silver decorative strip on top rib, lettering and rib matting crisp and clear.  The action has perfect screws, ejectors strong and timed, trigger pulls are crisp, and the safety functions properly.  THIS IS A “VFI CERTIFIED GUN”, meaning we stripped the forend iron and receiver to the smallest parts, ran it through the Ultrasonic cleaner, inspected all parts for integrity and function, then lubricated and reassembled (a $450 service).  VFI CERTIFIED guns carry a 90-day mechanical warranty.  We have lengthened the chambers to 2 ¾” and extended the taper of the forcing cones from 5/8” to 1 ½” taper making the gun shoot softer and have better patterns with today’s readily available modern loads (a $440 service). The wood is original to the gun with no cracks, awesome modern shooting dimensions (see specifications below), and a beautiful VFI Purdey style leather covered pad. Leather covered pads not only look beautiful on a fine shotgun, they have the perfect amount of “slip” while bringing to shoulder, and the right amount of “stick” once there.  The LOP is measured from a rear position single trigger. If it were a two-trigger gun this same wood would provide a LOP of 14 ½”.  The stock will fit nicely for average height shooters.  This gun has it all. NOTHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO THE GUN EXCEPT TAKING HER FOR A WALK AFIELD OR AROUND YOUR FAVORITE CLAYS COURSE.  Look the photos over closely.  This is an awesome gun, about the perfect pheasant gun, and would be an incredible sporting clays gun as well.  You hardly ever see pre-1913 graded guns for sale, and they are very sought after.  A great opportunity to have an excellent, investment quality example of what an L.C. looked like in their heyday!  Thanks for looking!