Tulsa Gun Show (November 14-15, 2009)

The later dates of November 14-15, 2009 for the Wanenamaker’s Tulsa Arms Show at the Expo Square on the Tulsa State Fair Grounds conflicted with the opening dates for hunting seasons in surrounding states which decreased the size of the crowd but not the enthusiasm of the attendees. The show is billed as the world’s largest gun show.  The building covers 11 acres, and it was filled to capacity sales and display tables.  The LCSCA exhibit of L.C. Smith shotguns from all eras of production drew a lot of visitors.  Shotguns were provided by Don Hosey, Brad Slone, and Jim Stubbendieck.  Individuals helping to answer visitor questions included Don and Jonathan Hosey, Carrie Elliott, Brad and Duane Slone, and Jim and Cheryl Stubbendieck.  A few of the visitors were Cliff White; Wes Dillon, James Julia Auctions; Jim Clark, Simmons Gun Repair (see the event photographs); David Kennedy, Oklahoma Historical Society and formerly Curator of the Cody Firearms Museum; and Steve Fjested, Blue Book of Gun Values.

Sixth Annual Turkey Shoot (October 31, 2009)

The Sixth Annual L.C. Smith Turkey Shoot held at the Prince Georges Trap and Skeet Center was very successful.  Fun and camaraderie were running rampant all day long.  We had twenty five eager shooters and several guests in attendance.  The overcast day and a few sprinkles discouraged some, but when every thing was said and done, the weather made little difference.    

We had a challenging course, but our hardy and skilled L. C. Smith shooters came through with excellent scores.  The event winners were:  Charles Brooks - Sporting Clays, Hammer Gun Skeet, and Doubles Skeet.  Charles almost had a clean sweep, but John Wiles took the Five Stand prize.  The High Overall Trophy Winner was Charles Brooks with 102 crushed targets out of 125 possibles.  That’s darn good shootin’, folks.  The three turkey winners were Charles Brooks, Jr., Anne Mauro, and Kimball Ferguson.  Congratulations to all of our fine L. C. Smith Shooters and to the turkey winners.  

This was my second year coordinating the Turkey Shoot.  Each year I strive to improve the product.  Already the guys are thinking of fun shooting games for next year event.  If any one has suggestions, please email me and I’ll pass along suggestions to the gaming committee…..that’s ‘gaming’, not gamey committee.  I know, I know, that’s a pretty lame joke.  Sporting clays and 5 Stand are staples of the Turkey Shoot.  We are considering interesting games, e.g. Chinese trap, Chinese wobble trap, Skee-Trap, and a bird flurry of some kind.   Yes, these are real shooting games, folks.  If enough guys get together with fine L. C. Smith shotguns and plenty of ammunition, you can bet that some kind of interesting shooting concoction will pop up.  Send those cards and letters and all suggestions will be considered for the Seventh L. C. Smith Turkey Shoot.  

I hesitate to start naming folks that make events like our Turkey Shoot a success, but thank yous have to go to all of our L. C. Smith brothers and sisters that participated.  Bob Trefry, our coffee and doughnut guru, Frank Finch for asking the right questions at the right time,  Jim Stubbendieck and the folks on our fantastic web page, the team at Prince Georges Trap and Skeet Center who make all the machines work when all the right buttons are pushed, and the Three Brothers caterers, who we never have to worry about showing up with all their delectable Italian goodies. 

The folks in our Club are very special.  These shotguns that we collect and shoot are valued companions.  They served are fore fathers and fore mothers well as they do us.  We thrived as a nation, partially due to these wonderful tools built by craftsman of yester-year.  So, let’s carry-on with their legacy and let’s use them to whup those Parker Boys next year at the Southern, the year after, and every year after that.   

Best to all, Roger Domer

Vintage Cup (September 24-27, 2009)

The Order Of Edwardian Gunners Vintage Cup was held at Pintail Point near Queenstown, Maryland, on the beautiful Eastern Shore. The LCSCA exhibit was a new design and concept. The new design was a free standing exhibit of pre 1913 L C Smith Guns of varying grades and gauges used for upland game bird hunting. Many of the shotguns on display were quite unique, with some one-of-a-kind guns being shown along with beautifully mounted game birds. Many of our visitors complemented us on our new display and expressed that they felt it was "the best at the Vintages." Many of our members enjoyed the different shooting events over the weekend. A special congratulations goes out to our new Life member Ms. Anne Mauro for her finishing Ladies Second in the main event. A special thank you is expressed to Chris Baumohl, SFC Chris Dunlap, Dick Miller, and Jent Mitchell for their hard work in helping to assemble and to take down the new exhibit, and to all the LCSCA members who contributed guns from their collections for the exhibit and those members who gave their time to man the new display.

     EVENT PHOTOS

Ohio Gun Collectors Show (July 18-19, 2009)

The OGCA Show was held July 18 and 19 at the Roberts Centre near Wilmington, Ohio. The exhibit featured "Father and Son" combinations of high grade L.C. Smith guns in 12 and 20 gauges. The combinations included; Monogram, A2, Eagle, Grade 5, and Grade 3 guns. Also, featured was a highly conditioned Syracuse Quality 4 and the L.C. Smith vs. Parker Challenge Cup and Hammer Gun Challenge Awards won by Team L.C. Smith at the Southern Side by Side Classic in April.  Cliff White displayed very rare Hunter Arms memorabilia including  a Hunter Arms First Place Prize NC Tobacco Jar. Bob Trefry, Larry Moore and other LCSCA members stopped by the exhibit. Many others visited the exhibit to share and to get answers about their L.C. Smith shotguns. The exhibit was designed by Frank Finch and Len Applegate with help, shotguns, and memorabilia from Cliff and Brenda White.

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Great Northeast Side X Side Classic (June 5-7, 2009)

The L.C. Smith Collectors Association presented a display of early graded Baker, Syracuse, and Hunter hammer guns and pre-1913 twenty gauge guns at the Great Northeast Side X Side Classic June 5 to 7, 2009. The event, which drew around 1000 visitors during three days, was held under sunny skies at Hausmann's Hidden Hollow Sporting Clays in Friendsville, PA. The shooting events included the Main Event, RBL Challenge, BO-WHOOP Trophy Event, Hunter Clays by gauge, as well as other types of competition. Many vendors participated and offered guns and equipment for sale. Several nice L.C. Smiths changed hands among members in and around our booth. Our visitors enjoyed looking at the display and the NRA Award winning .410 two barrel set Skeet Special with its Research Letter and Silver "One of the Ten Best" awards from the recent NRA Phoenix Annual Meeting and Exhibition.

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National Rifle Association National Convention (May 14-17, 2009)

The 138th NRA National Convention at the Convention Center in Phoenix, AZ from May 15 to 17, 2009, was attended by a record breaking crowd of 64,300+ visitors. The NRA was anticipating 50,000 attendees. Our L.C. Smith Collectors Association educational exhibit was titled "The history of skeet as a shooting sport and the advent of 'A New Gun for A New Sport' - the Skeet Special by Hunter Arms" was well attended and received by hundreds of interested double gun enthusiasts. The exhibit won "One of the Ten Best" guns at the show with a rare "one of a kind", .410 Skeet Special- two barrel set (on loan from Cliff White) and included several other beautiful Skeet Specials and Premier Skeet guns. Displayed vintage skeet memorabilia was donated by Rev. Drew Hause to our organization for our NRA and future displays.

     EVENT PHOTOS

10th Annual Southern Side by Side Spring Classic and
LCSCA Annual Meeting (April 24-26, 2009)

Shooters participating in the Southern Side by Side at the Deep River facility near Sanford, NC were greeted with very warm temperatures and sunny skies.  This was the fifth year for the L.C. Smith vs. Parker Challenge Cup.  L.C. Smith brought home the Challenge Cup for the second time.   It was the third year for the Hammer Gun Challenge and the L.C. Smith Team won again and remains undefeated.  The L.C. Smith and Parker Challenge Cup shooters contributed over $1,000 to National Rifle Association Eddie Eagle youth programs. Team Captain Steve Arnett, along with Mark Conrad of the Parker organization, did an outstanding job of organizing the events.  The L.C. Smith Collectors Association booth was a busy place with many visitors and active conversation about L.C. Smith shotguns.  Skip Dunlap supplied the majority of the L.C. Smith shotguns for the exhibit – including the Admiral Robert Edwin Peary No. 5E.  The annual meeting of the LCSCA on Friday, April 24 was another highlight of the Southern.

     EVENT PHOTOS

     Congratulations from the PGCA

     LCSCA Response

Seventh Annual Spring Shoot (March 23, 2009)

The 7th Spring Shoot was held in great weather with a record attendance of around fifty people. We shot a record number of rounds of Sporting Clays, Five Stand and Skeet. The better part of ten dozen donuts and a lot of pit beef, pulled pork and turkey were consumed with great satisfaction. I know that some high scores were shoot at this fun shoot. Some guns exchanged ownership at the shoot. Skip Dunlap had a fine display of Smith guns as well as Spin Wheel Fashions with their line of club clothing for sale. The club and caterer have been booked again for March 22, 2010 so mark your calendar.

     EVENT PHOTOS

Louisville Gun Show (March 7-8, 2009)

The National Gun Day (Louisville Gun Show) lived up to it's reputation as a good "double guns" show. There were nearly fifty L.C. Smiths for sale, including some high grade and rare guns. Thanks to Len Applegate and Cliff White, our club display was a great success. Our display theme was "L.C. Smith Guns - Early Twenties and Hammers" featuring a dozen pre-1913 20 gauge and hammer guns. Visitors to our display were rewarded with viewing some highly collectable guns and rare Hunter Arms Company memorabilia. For a great gun show, plan on attending  National Gun Day next March.

     EVENT PHOTOS

Tulsa Arms Show (November 8-9, 2008)

The L.C. Smith Collectors Association Exhibit drew many visitors at the Wanenamaker’s Tulsa Arms Show held November 8-9, 2008 at Tulsa State Fair Grounds.  L.C. Smith shotguns on display covered all eras of production from 1885 to 1971.  A massive eight gauge No. 2 drew the most attention.  Several members displayed shotguns and about 50 serial numbers were checked in the L.C. Smith manufacturing records.  Individuals manning the booth included Paul Schulz, Jay Fitzgerald, Brad Slone, Devon Prescott, Don Hosey, Jonathan Hosey, and Jim Stubbendieck.

     EVENT PHOTOS

5th Annual L.C. Smith Collectors Association Turkey Shoot (November 1, 2008)

The 5th Annual Turkey Shoot was held at the Prince Georges Trap and Skeet Center near Glenn Dale, Maryland.  Roger Domer, assisted by Bob Trefry, put on a first-class shoot.  The 35 L.C. Smith shooters enjoyed a plentiful and delicious lunch, great weather, and wonderful camaraderie.  Event winners were: John Allgood (5 Stand), George Griscom (Sporting Clays), Bob Fleming (Hammer Gun Skeet), and George Griscom (Trap).  Griscom was the overall trophy winner.  Turkey winners were John Allgood (Hammer Skeet/Trap), Dave Messica (5-Stand), and Joshua Brooks (Sporting Clays).

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Vintage Cup (September 25-28, 2008)

The Order of Edwardian Gunners Vintage Cup was held at Pintail Point near Queenstown on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The LCSCA exhibit, featuring L.C. Smith 8 and 10 gauge guns, drew a lot of attention.  It may have been the largest group of 8 gauge L.C. Smiths in one place at one time.  As always, Andy Anderson did a great job of designing and assembling the exhibit.  Many LCSCA members enjoyed the shooting events, and everyone enjoyed seeing and visiting about classic American double guns.

     EVENT PHOTOS

Ohio Gun Collectors Association Show (July 19-20, 2008)

The OGCA Show was held July 19 and 20 at the Roberts Centre near Wilmington, Ohio. Exhibit featured the awards won at the NRA Show in May, the Humphrey Bogart No. 1, live pigeon and trap guns, A-3, Monogram 12 and 20, and a Monogram 20 two-barrel set. Several LCSCA members stopped by the exhibit. Many others visited the exhibit to get answers to get answers about their L.C. Smith shotguns. The exhibit was designed by Frank Finch and Len Applegate with help, shotguns, and memorabilia from Cliff White. Bob Trefry, Jason Harrison, and Jim Stubbendieck helped to man the booth.

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Northeast Classic Side by Side Sporting Clays Shoot
(May 16-18, 2008)

In spite of bad weather, the Northeast Classic Side by Side Sporting Clays Shoot was held May 16 to 18, 2008 at Ernie Hausmann's Hidden Hollow Club near Friendsville, PA. The shooters who braved the weather to attend were rewarded with a wonderful display of more than 20 L.C. Smith guns in a variety of grades and gauges. The LCSCA sanctioned exhibit was presented by Skip and Noreen Dunlap. Among the many unusual guns on display, the possible "one of a kind" swamped rib Eagle grade was the hit of the show! Many visitors stopped to chat and promised to submit their membership applications.

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Louisville Gun Show (February 22-23, 2008)

Our exhibit theme at the Louisville Gun Show was 'Potpourri of Fine L.C. Smith Guns" including, among others, a drilling, Special Grade, Skeet Specials (12 & 20), Premier Skeets (12 & 20), Grade 5, unfired Specialty Grade and unfired .410 Ideal Grade. Displayed memorabilia included an 1900s Hunter Arms Dog Poster, assortment of L.C. Smith pins, ink blotter, Kraus' gold box, match case and shooting photos. Len Applegate, Cliff White, Mary Anne and Frank Finch and the two new regional reps, Jason Harrison and Walton Starling helped man the booth.

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