I've got a 1948 LC Smith Field 16 gauge that was restored by Turnbull last year. I got very lucky and won it in a raffle. Estimated value is ~$5-6k. Maybe a little more for some people, since it's engraved with some stuff that is specific to the club I won it through. https://www.turnbullrestoration.com/gun/l-c-smith-field-grade-shotgun/
A few questions for anyone with a somewhat educated opinion:
*Would you use this shotgun as your primary upland hunting tool?*
--I have been and of course I'm extremely careful to always clean/oil it after every single use. But this means it's going to get a few dings here and there over the years. Literarally the first time I took it to the field last year, I banged it against a fence post as I climed over some barb wire. It left a small mark. I took it out 20-30 more times and never did any more damage. I'll never forget making that dent in it...but let's face it, things like that happen with tools you use in real life.
--I was in the market for a break open gun when I won this. I was going to get a Browning Citori but decided not to after winning the LC Smith. I ended up having to buy like $500 worth of stuff to go with the LC Smith (cleaning supplies, case, ammo) so I decided not to buy the Citori. Thus, this is my only break open gun.
*Would you ever shoot non-toxic shot out of it? If so, what kind?*
--I'm not crazy enough to take this to the duck blind every weekend. But I did take it out once--on a clear weather day--and shot a few ducks with Bismuth loads. It was really cool to use it for that, but those shots are almost $2/each. When I go out west to hunt in a couple months, some places require non-toxic shot even for pheasant/quail since the area becomes a wetland in the spring. So I need to pick some non-toxic loads to have with me on that trip.
*What kind of case would you get?*
--I got a $100 case that seemed good when I bought it. But the latches turned out to be made of really low grade brass and one of them already broke just from light jostling in the cargo area of my truck. I want to get a really solid, waterproof case. Do I need to get a Pellican or are there some other options out there?
*Would you ever shoot slugs out of it to hunt deer?*
--I've got a scoped Mossberg 500 that I usually use for deer hunting. But at one of my stands, I never get a shot that is over 20 yards. I was thinking it'd be cool to take the LC Smith out for that and maybe shoot some rifled slugs.
*Would you as a general rule, try to not use it for trap/skeet, and other activities like that?*
--I have been doing this because I want to be proficient with my hunting weapon. Some guys at the range think I'm crazy to be "wasting" it on skeet shoots.
*Would you wax it?*
--I hear so many conflicting opinions on this. One friend who is a major collector of antique shotguns takes his 19th century Charles Daily guns duck hunting in the rain and just waxes them to protect them. Good plan? Anything to be aware of if I wax it?
*Ballistol?*
--I use Ballistol exclusively for all of my guns. I don't really use any other products, except occassionally Hoppes #9 for a black rifle that has no wood on it. I got this idea from Hickok45. Do I need to be using another product at all? I use ballistol on the whole gun, wood and all, and it seems to be doing fine.
As you can tell, my philosophy is "guns are for shooting, not for sitting on the shelf." Some of my friends think it's unwise for me to be taking such a valuable gun out into the environment but to me, the gun has no value if I don't use it! What do you think?
A few questions for anyone with a somewhat educated opinion:
*Would you use this shotgun as your primary upland hunting tool?*
--I have been and of course I'm extremely careful to always clean/oil it after every single use. But this means it's going to get a few dings here and there over the years. Literarally the first time I took it to the field last year, I banged it against a fence post as I climed over some barb wire. It left a small mark. I took it out 20-30 more times and never did any more damage. I'll never forget making that dent in it...but let's face it, things like that happen with tools you use in real life.
--I was in the market for a break open gun when I won this. I was going to get a Browning Citori but decided not to after winning the LC Smith. I ended up having to buy like $500 worth of stuff to go with the LC Smith (cleaning supplies, case, ammo) so I decided not to buy the Citori. Thus, this is my only break open gun.
*Would you ever shoot non-toxic shot out of it? If so, what kind?*
--I'm not crazy enough to take this to the duck blind every weekend. But I did take it out once--on a clear weather day--and shot a few ducks with Bismuth loads. It was really cool to use it for that, but those shots are almost $2/each. When I go out west to hunt in a couple months, some places require non-toxic shot even for pheasant/quail since the area becomes a wetland in the spring. So I need to pick some non-toxic loads to have with me on that trip.
*What kind of case would you get?*
--I got a $100 case that seemed good when I bought it. But the latches turned out to be made of really low grade brass and one of them already broke just from light jostling in the cargo area of my truck. I want to get a really solid, waterproof case. Do I need to get a Pellican or are there some other options out there?
*Would you ever shoot slugs out of it to hunt deer?*
--I've got a scoped Mossberg 500 that I usually use for deer hunting. But at one of my stands, I never get a shot that is over 20 yards. I was thinking it'd be cool to take the LC Smith out for that and maybe shoot some rifled slugs.
*Would you as a general rule, try to not use it for trap/skeet, and other activities like that?*
--I have been doing this because I want to be proficient with my hunting weapon. Some guys at the range think I'm crazy to be "wasting" it on skeet shoots.
*Would you wax it?*
--I hear so many conflicting opinions on this. One friend who is a major collector of antique shotguns takes his 19th century Charles Daily guns duck hunting in the rain and just waxes them to protect them. Good plan? Anything to be aware of if I wax it?
*Ballistol?*
--I use Ballistol exclusively for all of my guns. I don't really use any other products, except occassionally Hoppes #9 for a black rifle that has no wood on it. I got this idea from Hickok45. Do I need to be using another product at all? I use ballistol on the whole gun, wood and all, and it seems to be doing fine.
As you can tell, my philosophy is "guns are for shooting, not for sitting on the shelf." Some of my friends think it's unwise for me to be taking such a valuable gun out into the environment but to me, the gun has no value if I don't use it! What do you think?