Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing LC Smith safety

I have a 1941 12ga field LC and the safety does not automatically reset to safety upon opening while the 1947 field 20ga does. I don’t believe either has the three position safety. A smith had the 12 apart to glass bed the Butt stock as i was nervous about it developing a crack, looked like a finish only crack but wanted to be safe.

So the questions:
Does anyone know if all the LCs had auto safety?
If they do any ideas on what might not be working or put back together right?

Appreciate any insight

No, not all Smith guns had auto safeties. Lots of variations. I've owned a few and gotten tripped up when switching around with them.

+1

There is a small rod that acts to push the safety back when the top lever is moved to the right. The rod is removed when the Hunter One Trigger is installed because it won't fit otherwise. If your field grade 12 (assuming it has double triggers) doesnt automatically move, its probably because someone removed the rod at some time. Taking the stock off LC Smith's, and especially putting it back on, is a more complicated process than a Parker or a Fox.
Try to find a gunsmith who has done it a few times. Or, just get used to a manual safety.

Limapapa is correct. I have one made in 1928 I have been working on. That rod falls right out. Possible when you had the stock worked on it left its position unnoticed.

Thanks for all the insight. I don’t know how it was functioning before I brought it to him and it has been a few years now. I’ll explain it to him to see if he could address it, but if not, I am more used to manual safeties. Came up when my 80 yr old dad asked if it was automatic when were out shooting pheasants.
Thanks again.

I have a number of Elsies. I use a vintage gunsmith in Georgia to restore, repair them. He’s top notch. PM me if you need his contact info.