Lefever Shotguns??????

Y

yotekyllr

New member
I was handed a shotgun today that is a double barrel in two pieces... I don't know didly squat about old shotguns and was hoping someone here might know what this thing is. I did a google search..lol But came up with nearly nothing on it....

The stock and action looks to be in very nice condition. There is a stamping of "pattented 1872" then some two digit numbers in front of the trigger guard. Next it is stamped 34xxxG on the top which I assume is the serial and grade. It is marked "Lefever" on both sides. The stock appears to be a nice dark wood though old.

The barrels which I'm not 100% certain are a match to the rest of the gun is marked "laminated steel Belgium" between the two barrels and has fine checkering type work done the lenght of it...

I can take a few pics if someone has any knowledge of what this thing is or if it is just junk..
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Any help is appreciated /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
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Lefever Arms co, Syracuse and Ithaca NY.

Lefever sidelock hammerless double barrel shotguns were made from 1885-1915 with serial numbers 1-70,000 when it sold out to Ithaca. Production continued at Ithaca with serial numbers 70,001 through 72,000.

In 1921 Ithaca produced a box lock Lefever Nitro Special Double, followed in 1934 by a Lefever Grade A. Lastly there were single barrel shotguns with the Lefever branding from 1927 through 1942. All Lefever production was stopped by 1948.

Boxlocks made between 1904-1906 by the founder Lefever were branded D.M.Lefever and were some high dollar shotguns. current values $3-15,000!!

Standard Nitro grades were $500/ double trigger, $600 for single. 16ga add 25%, 20ga add 50%, .401ga add 200%. These were the "cheap" ones.

The grade "A" was usually marked on the left side of the barrel near the breach.

If it has auto ejectors you are looking at a minimum of a $800-1000 gun and a Grade "A" or better.

With the suffix G on the serial# you should have a "G" grade Lefever Sidelock Hammerless Double. Current value $1,600 to $2,000. If it has a single trigger add 10%, 10ga add 10%, 16ga add 45%, 20ga add 90%.

There ya have it!! Had to get through the history before you could get the value....
 
Be careful, "laminated steel" probly means damascus,get it checked out. Lefever arms was still in business up around Rome NY I think,repairs on american shotguns only if I remember right. Guns are like cars, I hope you have a CORvette, but it could be a CHEvette. Anyway its a great piece of history.
 
I inherited a Lefever Nitro Special Double trigger. With serial number 14XX80. There are no grade stamps that I can find. It has an eagle on the side. Looking for any information you can give me on it.
 
Get the chambers checked. I saw a guy crack the stock on a nice old Lefever shooting 2 3/4 " shells in 2 9/16 chamber. This was at a turkey shoot with cheapo low brass. Just before it happened he was complaining about recoil, and poor patterns.
 
Without pic it is very hard to assess what you have. Laminated steel labeled barrels are not usually found on a fine shotgun, Damascus is what is found on better guns. but like coyote hunting nothing is written in stone. I would take it to someone who knows sxs's and have it looked at. The barrels should be numbered to the receiver, a lot of times only the last three numbers of the serial numbers will be on the barrel and forend.

Nitro Specials are good working shotguns, I have one in 20ga that was built as a skeet gun for a smaller shooter, it is my wife's but I shot it at the state International Skeet shoot when the 24gram loads for my 12ga didn't show up, I took 6th.

I personally love sxs's and shoot them from Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Turkey and USA. I recently traded off sxs's from Belgium, Spain and Hungary.

If it is complete and in good working condition, you have a fine shotgun. A lot can go wrong with a sxs that hasn't been treated well, loose lock-up, loose ribs and it is very expensive to have a set of barrels made or if you can find a set of original barrels getting them fitted
 
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