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Long barrel LC Smith for SASS shotgun?


Diamond Jake

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I'm always on the lookout for interesting guns.  Today at a Cabelas I found a Field Grade LC Smith 12 ga with 30" barrels.  The action was so tight and crisp I almost fell in love.  And the price: $599!

 

I'd just hate to cut the barrels or do any other SASS-related mods, even though the collector value is no big deal.  The stock is a little short, but I could add a leather buttstock cover with hidden pad.  I'm also worried that the possibly 100 yr old stock may be weakened under the side locks, and might not hold up to heavy use and throwing it down on staging tables, etc.

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I used one like you described for awhile. Mine would not fall all the way open after firing and required a little extra umph to get it open all the way. It is a normal function of the gun in my experience with the three I have had, do not know if a gunsmith can "fix" that. I turned mine into a very nice Cowboy trap gun. I would not cut the barrels on mine, they do not make them anymore, but that is just my opinion

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I have been at several ranges that have stages that have shotgun targets on both sides of a post so that the shotgun needs to be pulled in while getting around the post. I have seen shooters with long barrel shotguns have issues getting safely around the post. The wear and tear would be a concern.

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On occasion I use my wife’s hammered 103 year old LC Smith that was here grandads and dads gun. The only reason I’ve never cut it is the sentimental attachment that goes along with this particular gun. The 30” barrels won’t win any agility contests, but they aren’t as big a problem as they seem once the timer goes beep. I have had the chambers reamed for modern 2 3/4” shells and run light cowboy and trap loads in it without any issues. You should check and verify that the barrels are steel which will be stamped something like “Royal Steel”on the underside. 
I enjoy shooting ours and am aware of its liabilities and shortcomings. If your planning on throwing it down on a semi regular basis I can’t help you with that, as any long gun is gonna suffer from rough treatment and LC Smiths aren’t immune. :)
 

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I only shoot long barreled doubles and have never hit a prop in over fifteen years. One step back and the prop is out of the way. I have a Stevens model 235 that works just fine. Shoot what works for you but get out and have fun. My rifles are 24” and revolvers 8” so I guess I am the odd one out. Enjoy the game with what you bring. DC

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Lots of folks shoot long barreled shotguns.  Sawmill Mary is one.  She's deadly on shotgun targets with her Stoeger Uplander.   

 

Cutting the barrels will make it even harder to open as it won't have the weight to work with. 

 

The chambers need to be recut with longer forcing cones if you plan to shoot new factory ammo. 

 

If you're hand and take the gun apart,  you can inspect the wood at the action for existing cracks and repair with pins and Acraglas.  

 

As for throwing down guns on the table,  I watch slow shooters deliberately drop there guns from a distance as if it helps them.  I watch the fastest shooters and they are so smooth in transition that the returning gun takes very little shock from being laid down.  

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My normal main match shotgun is a 30" barrel 97.  My alternates are a 30" barrel 87, or a 30" Parker with F/F chokes.  I just like longer barrels, I don't miss with them.   I do have a 20" 97 and an 18" Parker, but I don't use them all that often since I switched to longer barrels.

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Good input here guys.  Thanks.

 

After thinking about this overnight, I might buy it because I love old guns, but it's not what I was looking for for SASS.  I handload my shotshells with Black Powder, fiber wads, and roll crimp, so the chamber length and steel won't be a problem.  But eventually I need to shoot factory loads to get more hulls for BP.

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Tennessee Snuffy uses a 30" rifle, 30" or 32" shotgun and God Only Knows How Long revolvers' and he seems to have no problems.

TN Snuffy Revolver.JPG

TN Snuffy Long Rifle.JPG

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13 minutes ago, Diamond Jake said:

But eventually I need to shoot factory loads to get more hulls for BP.

 

12 gauge hulls are abundant and often free.  (Stick around and dump the trash buckets.)

 

A good alternative is brass hulls.  MidwayUSA has Magtech in stock at this moment. 

 

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1657554245

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6 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said:

 

12 gauge hulls are abundant and often free.  (Stick around and dump the trash buckets.)

 

A good alternative is brass hulls.  MidwayUSA has Magtech in stock at this moment. 

 

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1657554245

Clay ranges often have abundant, free, once-fired Gun Club hulls.  I reload them once with black powder and toss them.

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2 hours ago, Diamond Jake said:

Tennessee Snuffy uses a 30" rifle, 30" or 32" shotgun and God Only Knows How Long revolvers' and he seems to have no problems.

TN Snuffy Revolver.JPG

TN Snuffy Long Rifle.JPG

 

That looks so cool! But I don’t think I’d clear the holsters :D

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2 hours ago, Diamond Jake said:

Tennessee Snuffy uses a 30" rifle, 30" or 32" shotgun and God Only Knows How Long revolvers' and he seems to have no problems.

 

The revolvers look like they have 12" barrels.   They are actually more manageable than you would expect.  Of course,  I tend to pair mine with this...

1751187076_123.thumb.JPG.158b1b9376e8ba5046b2d96299f8700e.JPG

 

When I use the Buntline, I pair it with the nickel sheriff.  

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I’ve seen lots of folks with more than one shotgun in their cart.  Use the one appropriate for the particular stage.

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I shot a Remington Model 1878 (made in 1879) 12-ga "Lifter" for 4 years.  Grade 1 fluid barrels, not Damascus.  Solid gun.  I figured that it was not shot since WWII when 2-9/16" shells became rarer.

Worse thing that I did was cut the 30.5" barrels.

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10 hours ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

If you're asking if you can...yes.

 

If you're asking if it's anywhere  near practical for this game...no.

 

Phantom

 

well put , i shot a long barreled stevens when i started , went coach as soon as i could affords a new one , had i been well enough off then to own a nice LC i probably would not have wished to abuse it that way , 

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I have 4 L.C. Smiths, and find they work fine after you do a few firing pin mods so that they don't drag on the back of the shells when opening. Except for one, mine are all well worn shooters and I don't feel it is abuse to shoot them,  anymore than guys shooting real Colts are abusing their guns. Rather get them back in action than have them sitting in a safe somewhere. All of mine have 26" or longer barrels. I am 6' 2" tall, so they don't seem overly long to me.

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Beware ... the locking lugs on LC Smiths are not made to take the shucking punishment we put them through. I now have an LC that is a parts shotgun and it didn’t take long to brake the lug. :angry:
And if you brake it, it is a custom custom repair and be prepared to spend big bucks

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Funny, I have been using 2 different LC's and my wife uses another, and we have had no problems for 21 years.. Sure you aren't talking about a Stoeger? Those break the barrel lugs all the time, going by what I read here, and yet they are recommended all the time for new shooters. Although the 2 my kids have been using for the last 5 years have worked fine.

   JB, when you "brake" the lug, does it "stop" working?

   

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I use several Stevens 28"-30", have never used a short barreled shotgun.  It does take 2 sundales to time me though.  With the long barrels I never have a knock down that don't bounce when it goes down.  I do use 60gr to 80 gr of Goex black powder in my shells.

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