The factory letter addressed to well-known collector John Fox of Montana indicates the factory records list this shotgun as a 12 gauge Trap Grade with 32 inch barrels, regular frame, and automatic ejectors and as finished on February 2, 1925 and shipped from the company to Ed McGivern on February 17, 1925. An included November 12, 1976, affidavit signed by former Lewistown Chief of Police Kenneth Singley and Sgt. Leonard Larson indicate the shotgun was then "owned by Will A. Barry, of Lewistown, Montana, [and] was formerly owned by Ed McGivern, formerly of Lewistown, Montana." A notarized affidavit from February 15, 1981, signed by Will A. Barry indicates he sold the shotgun to Grover F. Botkin of Great Falls, Montana, and that the shotgun was owned by his brother-in-law Lon Keeney of Lewistown who worked with McGivern in the sign painting business and hunted ducks with McGivern often and indicated McGivern used this shotgun when hunting ducks and other birds. McGivern is also recorded as hunting flying birds with a handgun by taking headshots. The final included document is a letter to Fox from Grover F. Botkin notes that "this L.C. Smith shotgun was the only shotgun McGivern ever owned" and relates much of the information noted above along with the fact that he purchased the shotgun in October 1981. He also indicated the recoil pad and stock were "refitted to Mr. McGivern's small size and short arms and this work was done in Lewistown." Alonzo Keeney (1915-1972) graduated from Lewistown High School in 1933. Ed McGivern (1874-1957), "the World's Fastest Gun," was fascinated by fast shooting after witnessing a shootout in Sheridan, Wyoming, and he learned sign painting from his father. He lived in Lewistown from 1924 until 1949. Even after gaining fame for his shooting, he earned much of his living painting for Graham's Sign & Poster Shop and later his own business called McGivern Outdoor Advertising. He is easily one of the most famous and renowned exhibition shooters and handgunning authors of the 20th century and also trained law enforcement officers locally and with the FBI. He published "Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting" in 1938. He held many records in his day for fast and accurate shooting and still holds some, such as drawing and firing 5 shots into a 1 inch group at 20 feet in less than half a second (recorded as 9/20th of a second in August 1932). He could shoot dimes thrown into the air and preformed fast shooting demonstrations with guns in each hand. He preferred double action revolvers and claimed he could shoot faster with a revolver than any semi-automatic pistol could keep up with. In fact, his rate of fire is said to be faster than an AK-47. One of his recorded stunts was hitting a can thrown roughly 20 feet in the air six times with a Colt double action revolver before it hit the ground. Elmer Keith said McGivern was "the fastest and finest double-action revolver shot that ever lived and probably ever will." Some of his handguns are on display in the National Firearms Museum, and very few of his guns are in private hands today. The shotgun has bead front and mid sights, "<-L.C. SMITH Trap GRADE->" (right) and "HUNTER ARMS CO. INC. M'FR'S FULTON-N.Y., U.S.A" (left) at the breech, "L.C. SMITH" at the front of the locks, a trap shooting scene on the left, a wing shooting scene on the right, floral and scroll borders and accents, a Hunter One Trigger, tang safety, matching serial numbers on the forearm, barrels, watertable, and trigger guard tang, checkered pistol grip stock and forearm with contrasting grip cap and vented White Line recoil pad. The buttstock has very nice figure. Measurements: full chokes, 2 3/4 inch chambers with ejectors, and 14 3/4 inch length of pull.

Fine with 60% original blue finish along with smooth brown patina on the barrels, nearly all of the refinished blue on the trigger guard, silver-gray patina on the locks and frame, crisp engraving, and mild overall wear including some dings and scratches. The forearm is good and has mild wear from handling and use and a crack on the left at the rear. The buttstock is very fine and has crisp checkering, attractive figure, smooth oiled finish, and only minor wear. Mechanically fine. This is an incredibly rare opportunity to own not just a firearm owned by famed American exhibition shooter Ed McGivern but what is reported to be the only shotgun he ever owned!