doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Fitting a second set of barrels

Hi,
I have two Lefevers. One fits me very well and another that is not an ideal fit. The first is SN 361xx, with a factory replacement steel barrel set. The second is SN 541xx. The barrels from 541xx come very close to closing in the older action. If anyone here has successfully done this, I'd appreciate hearing your experiences. The width of both sets is identical, within .001", or so.
Thank you in advance for your help,

Jim, I have done it on a A H Fox, but probably won't again. I bought a lamp, to smoke the metal with, and proceeded as I thought it should be done. It was much, much tougher than I expected. I have 20+ years experience filing parts for guns, but this was really tough. Yours sounds as if it almost fits, but mine required MUCH filing and fitting.

I read an article a couple months ago that was written by a double-gun maker concerning the fine art of fitting barrels and receiver properly, so that all bearing points are as they should be (and clearances are also as they should be), and realized I didn't need to be doing this.

This is a job I will farm out to a trained actioner/fitter next time.

Stan

Isn't the hook adjustable on the Lefever ?

Jim there are so many variations in the evolution in the relatively short span of time that Lefevers were produced that chances are that there is major mechanical alterations that will be required even once the barels are fitted to the action. Complicating matters are guns built out of serial number sequence so the only way to tell if the two guns are compatible is to have the gun with both sets of barrels gun in hand.

If I were going to undertake such a project with a Lefever I would get in contact with Buck Hamlin in Pevely, MO (314)479-4304. He is the only smith I would trust with such a job.

I would also strongly endorse Mr. Hamlin as well for the job. I have done this several times on Fox, Baker and LC Smith guns. Any gun, without a dolls head extension is a much easier job. It does sound like you have a second set of barrels that may require a minimum amount of alteration to fit. That said, it may take hours to get right. Certainly not the job or gun to learn as you go. There are so few Lefever guns that the next set of "almost fitting barrels" may be years away. the small cost to have Mr. Hamlin do it right will be money very well spent.

Buck has done this before. I would recommend sending him photos (prints via snail mail, Buck doesn't use the computer much). He will let you know how much it will be to do it (I didn't say if, because Buck will figure a way).

You think we are all talking about a real Lefever ?

Real self cocking Lefevers were made in four basic action types, rod cockers, two hook cockers & two versions of single hook ie small & large hook. Any possible interchangability will have to be between two guns of the same type.
That said I have a "Real" Lefever of the large hook type (the last & most common) which has a spare set of non-original bbls fitted in Italy. I likewise have 5 other large hook "Real" Lefevers of the large hook type. All of these have the adjustable ball & socket hinge joint. This extra bbl with or without adjustment of the hinge will fit one of the 6 without extensive modification, the one for which it was built.

Jim,

I had a new set of Damascus barrels fitted to my Lefever EE, serial number 371XX. The original barreld for this gun were only 24" long. I found a set of 28" Damascus barrels that just about dropped on the the gun. Bryan Burgin in NY fitted the barrels and also did all of the other restoration work to the gun. The whole project turned out real well. I have hunted with this gun in SD and love shooting it. Just shot a few pheasant with it this morning with my son at our club. Hope yours works out as well.

Bill G.

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Bill G:

I have a small frame Greener Martini on which Mr. Burgin did the metalwork. I haven't seen ads for him in quite some time. Is he still doing work or has he retired?

Rem