Elsie experts
A friend of mine just purchased an Elsie that has me baffled. It's a Skeet Special 12 with 30" barrels, serial number indicates 1928 manufacture, is a standard frame, double triggers, extractors, and has a factory buttplate. Here's my dilemma
my Smith book says that 1) 28" barrels were the longest, 2) "the Skeet Special was introduced in 1929", 3) all were featherweights, 4) Hunter One single trigger and ejectors were standard, and 5) came with checkered butt. I've checked LOP and it's correct--further, I removed the buttplate and there's no evidence of filing to remove the checkering. The gun shows no evidence of having been monkeyed with and is an 80-85% piece. By the way, my source is Brophy's book. Is this a weird special order gun, or does someone out there have information that would contradict Brophy's specs ?
my Smith book says that 1) 28" barrels were the longest, 2) "the Skeet Special was introduced in 1929", 3) all were featherweights, 4) Hunter One single trigger and ejectors were standard, and 5) came with checkered butt. I've checked LOP and it's correct--further, I removed the buttplate and there's no evidence of filing to remove the checkering. The gun shows no evidence of having been monkeyed with and is an 80-85% piece. By the way, my source is Brophy's book. Is this a weird special order gun, or does someone out there have information that would contradict Brophy's specs ?
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Hunter Arms... A small company with very few employees and new products had to start somewhere. Mid to late 1928 is as good as 1929 as serials and dates were somewhat flexible at Hunter.
That your gun doesn't quite fit the mould... Not to worry. Look at two field guns and one will have beautiful checkering and its sibling will have coarse work of much less quality. And some will say that field guns never came with a recoil pad... Not quite the truth as there were such animals in the Hunter roost. Triggers? What was available?
I can't say that your gun is exceptional, nor can I say that the difference increases or decreases value. All I can say is that "different" shouldn't surprise you too much. In the mid 80's the guys at Ithaca Custom Shop could have told you who made your gun just by some of the characteristics and internal finish marks. Too bad they're mostly long gone now.
Elcee fanciers will understand. And who really cares if no one else does?
Nord0 -
Nord, thanks for the insightful response 0 -
I also remember reading that variations were miriad on L.C. Smith shotguns. I just can't remember where, maybe Zutz Double Shotguns book.
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-- Thomas Jefferson0
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