My Hunter Arms - Fulton

[Dan in NH]

I was told my grandfather bought this some time after WWII[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG].

[scosgt]

I think that is an Ithaca. The RLB is ONLY on factory acquired guns. That would probably limit it to Ithaca and Remington. Interesting that it has a Nitro Proof mark. Isn't that British?

[Dan in NH]

top of barrels read: the Fulton and Hunter Arms Co, Inc. Ful[IMG][/IMG]ton, NY USA

[scosgt]

To add to the confusion:

The confusion with Ithaca comes from Lyman Cornelius Smith's older brother, Leroy. LC Smith sold out to Hunter very early so there were only a couple of years production of "true" L C Smith hammerless guns.

In 1877 William H. Baker, an established gun designer. L.C. and Leroy formed W.H. Baker & Co., and manufactured guns under that name for 3 years. Then in 1880 Baker and Leroy Smith left and founded Ithaca Gun Company. LC then hired on his younger brother Wilbert and designer Alexander T Brown and changed the name to L.C. Smith Shotgun Company of Syracuse . (yours truly went to the L C Smith College of Engineering, Syracuse University)

The hammerless design of 1886 was very successful, but in 1888 Smith sold either the whole company, machinery and all, or just the manufacturing rights to John Hunter Sr, of Fulton NY, who set up Hunter Arms Co. and ran it with his 6 sons, starting production in 1890.
There was a major change in models in 1913, but it was really the same design, and Hunter made them up to 1945. Hunter also made some good boxlocks under the Fulton name. LC went on to found the typewriter company that became Smith Corona.

The LC Smith line wasn't sold to Marlin until 1945. Marlin made them until 1950, then tried a short revival from 1967 to 1972.

Ithaca sold Long Range doubles to the Govt before and during WWII. I have the factory invoices. They were a direct competitor to your gun. The markings on the water table are the same, with the exception of the ordinance wheel. Don't usually see that on the metal of shotguns, just the wood. But I believe they did put it on the frames of Ithaca made .45 autos with the FJA markings.
So as a long time collector, I am aware of the Ithaca doubles with RLB marks, this is the first "Hunter Arms" I have ever heard of with those marks. Nice find, very unusual.
I wonder if Hunter Arms contracted with Ithaca to supply some of their contract. It is unlikely there was actually an ordinance inspector at Hunter, as I am not aware of any US arms they made. But they were in Fulton NY, which would have been in the Rochester Ordinance District, so who knows, maybe they had an inspector or maybe their guns were shipped to Remington or Ithaca to be inspected and accepted.

[scosgt]

But RLB would be the correct inspector for that gun. Or FJA, depending on whether it was made before or after March, 1942

[Tom Doniphon]

I have data on a few other Hunter Arms double shotguns sold during WW2 with the same martial markings on them. Prior to Marlin's purchase of Hunter in 1945, LC Smith doubles were made by Hunter and marked as Hunter Arms guns. There were about 1500 of them acquired by the Military during WW2, and they are all in the same serial number range as Dan's shotgun.

The Cody Museum has records on most of these shotguns and you can request a letter from them that will tell you when the gun was made, shipped and to whom it was shipped. It was most likely shipped to the Rochester Ordnance District like the other ones and like most Ithaca Model 37s.

[Dan in NH]

Thank you both for the info. I may contact the Cody Museum that info might be interesting.

[k arga]

lc smith on gun broker, same proofs. #644468525

[scosgt]

lc smith on gun broker, same proofs. #644468525

That is very interesting. In my experience, collectors want the combat shotguns, the long barrel training guns don't command the same prices.
I doubt someone is willing to pay $4000 for that gun. Maybe if the condition was better...