My dad gave me his LC Smith 12ga.  He is still alive so maybe a living inheritance.

Anyway, I don't want to damage the gun and it is in fine working order.  I figured perhaps skeet rounds or could this shot gun take a bit more?

Attached File

Talk to these guys, they might be able to help. I have an old Ithaca that can't stand high pressures.

The barrels don't look to be damascus...so, assuming they aren't-

What is the chamber length?

Does it have any proofs on it?  It should say what it is rated to...

Ballpark guess...2 &3/4 lead, nothing crazy...no super duper pheasant loads or similar.  Regular 2 3/4 #4,5,6,7.5,8...and you would be good to go.

Biggest question will be chamber length.  

You could buy a choke gauge from Brownells and check the choke as well.

Plus, inspect bore...pitting is bad.  Clean, lube, and never let the action fall open.  Always catch it softly.  Doubles get loose and loose is all bad.

A good gunsmith is your friend   Personally I would not shoot it at doves. Kicks like a mule.

Thanks for all the input fellas.  I will pull it out of the safe later this evening and check the markings for 2 3/4.

I can say the lock is very tight.

I'll get a couple more pics too.

Take it out and pattern it at 40 yards.  That will tell you what you need to know about the guns choke with modern ammo.

In the old days mfg's had their designs and processes for choking a gun to get the right pattern at 40 yards.   Choking was an art more than just ratio of muzzle to bore.   When that gun was made ammo was loaded with card wads not full length plastic cup wads of today.  It will pattern differently than marked, likely tighter iirc.  My old 1930 ish fox ae patterns imp mod x imp mod with modern ammo.  I think it was mod x mod as ordered by my grandfather.

Article about chokes and patterns here:   Patterning a shotgun


From the article there are a couple ways to classify choke: 70% in a 30" circle at some yardage, or percentage of shot in a 30" circle at 40 yards.

Idealisticly we are looking for shot and choke combinations that produce the following results when patterning.
Extra full choke delivers a 30 inch, 70% pattern at 45 yards.
Full choke delivers a 30 inch, 70% pattern at 40 yards.
Modified choke delivers a 30 inch, 70% pattern at 35 yards.
Improved cylinder choke delivers a 30 inch, 70% pattern at 30 yards.
Cylinder bore delivers a 30 inch, 70% pattern at 25 yards.

Or:
Choke is roughly determined for all shotguns by the amount or percentage of shot it delivers within a 30" circle at 40 yards.
Cylinder bore will deliver 40 percent of its shot load within a 30 inch circle at 40 yards.
Improved cylinder choke will deliver 50 percent of its shot load within a 30 inch circle at 40 yards.
Modified choke will deliver 60 percent of its shot load within a 30 inch circle at 40 yards.
Full choke will deliver 70 percent of its shot load within a 30 inch circle at 40 yards.

Two good ammo choices:

Win AA Low Recoil

Federal Extra Lite

I particularly like the Federal option (Fiocchi makes a very-similar shell). Low report and muzzle blast and hammers clays and birds. Even cycles my Benelli M2.

Pattern it first (and I take it you know no steel shot ever).