doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Lefever serial numbers

Im redoing my serial number list. I have about 2000 numbers now. I would like to know if people would like to give me numbers to add to this list. No names will be used. I will need serail number, guage, grade, type and length of the barrel, Features like ejectors, whats engraved on it, type grip, etc. If you dont feel free posting them on here you can email them to me @ noble@xyz.net

Bob

Bob;
Is this the list that was published by the LACA? If so mine are all on it, have added no new ones. I would encourage all to send these numbers, as Bob said there is no way from the list to connect a gun to an individual & a study of the list gives a lot of insight into these great guns.

Miller
Yes its the list that ive shared with the LACA. Its reall all we got for info on the guns made by Lefever. Im suprized that you havent picked up anything new. There seems to ge a good number on interesting guns showing up.
Bob

I don't seem to have anywhere near 2000 numbers on my LACA list and last list I got didn't have my numbers on it either. I will resend and hope that a new list is or will be available to LACA members.

Bob, here's another one. But I'm not sure if it counts. Serial # 38761. It is a CE.12ga. 30" damascus with two ivory beads and ejectors.Engraved LEFEVER ARMS CO. ITHACA NY USA. It even came with a live worm in the butt plate that had a taste for horn. Pauk Driscoll [img][/img] [img]http://[/img] [img]http://[/img] [img][/img]

Thanks for sharing this gun with us. Its aready on the list.
Thank you
Bob

Bob, do you have this one 38568 D grade, 12ga, 26" ejectors Krupp steel bbls

Gunny
Thats a new one.
bob

Bob, I don't believe you have these:
16 GA DS, 26", 68252
12 GA EE, 30" Krupp, Straight Stock, 49112
12 GA I, 30" Steel, 41436
Gordon

Lefever pals: I want to be able to describe the type of damascus on my Lefevers. One has what I know is called the "star" pattern, but each of the others has a different pattern. Is there a source on the Web for pictures and descriptions? Thanks, TT

Here's mine; 10 gauge; F grade; Sn 12858; 32" damascus barrels; pistol grip; side plates line engraved; extractors; push button forend; buttplate black with insignia; 1890; horseshoe damascus pattern

Sweep;
Is this a rod cocking gun with side pivot top lever?

As we know anything is possable with lefevers. But it should be at the cocking rod guns and it should be a piviot opener. Heavy on SHOULD.
Bob

This is my first Lefever, I know it is a pivot top lever and it has rods that stick out the sideplates which I assume are the cocking rods?

there are 3 pics on the lefever site under 10 gauge gun stock now with pics

Sweep
Your right it is a piviot opener. But as for the cocking rods, I cant tell from the pictures. Cocking rods are rods that come out of the front of the frame to cock the gun. If it dosent have cocking rods it should be a two piece cocker. You do have a nice gun. Hang on to it.
Bob

Bob, I have a Syracuse Arms Grade 2 gun with the later-type rebated frame that I'm going to part out on E Bay. It has a questionable barrels and I don't want to take the risk on selling the barrels. PM me if you need any other parts. Silvers

The triggers were pulled when I took those pictures. Thank you for the kind remarks about the gun. Because it is my first Lefever it's nice to hear comments from others that have seen alot of other Lefevers and hear there opions about the gun also.

Sweep;
The pieces in the side plate are "Cocking Indicators". They protrude from the plates to show when the gun is cocked. My question concerned the method of cocking. Snap the forend off & if there are two lugs protruding from the knuckle to engage pockets in the forend iron, it is a rod cocker. If upon opening the bbls you see two hooks engaged with one another, one in the bbl lug, the other in the frame it is a two hook gun. From the SN it should be a rod cocker, but some of these frames were built out of sequence & Lefever offered "Upgrade" service as well, just always like to know which type they are on these low serial number guns.

Bob, I don't know if you have mine or not so here it is: Lefever Optimus Quality, serial #11857, 12 ga., 28" damascus barrels, non-ejector, Gold inlayed setter on the right side, gold inlayed pointer on the left side, gold inlayed setter on the trigger guard. The gun was a pistol grip gun but the original butt stock has been missing for a long, long time. That's why I have it.

Doug
Its not on the list. So do you have it restocked now? Is it marked Opt. anywhere (trigger guard, Bbls, Water table)? Piviot opener? Cockiing rod? Whats carved in the breach balls? Wings? Whats engraved on the bottom of the frame? Whats on the forend button? What is the forend tip?
You can email me if you would like. noble@xyz.net

Silver
Im not interested in any Syracuse Arms parts, but you might try Tom Archer.

Bob

2 piper; from your discription I have a rod cocker like you thought. Thank you for also educating me alittle more on the gun.

#18592, "G" grade, 12ga.,extractor.

Horseshoe Damascus barrels 30-1/16" long, both bores measure .732. I doubt they're cut back from 32 since the right choke is at.021 & the left at .037, cones are 3-1/2" long, but who knows.

No markings on the barrels at all topside.

Pushbutton FE with metal FE tip, two hook gun, bushed pins, monogram HRBP, cocking indicators, light line engraving with sunburst on large plate screw and buttplate screws. Pistol grip with scalloped cap.

Who is it that specializes in B&W damascus refinishing? I've seen mention of a name recently and photos of some very nice work.

Bob,
I've not finished restocking the gun yet. It is not marked Optimus anywhere, that's why I refer to it as Optimus Quality. It at least the equal of the early Optimus that is in Bob Elliot's book. The gun is a cocking rod model with a piviot lever. The bottom of the frame is carved in the style of the high grade guns and has some scroll and border engraving. The breach balls have two small clovers and a pomegranate carved on each side.

The forend button on this gun was the only metal part missing and I had Buck Hamlin replace it. I'm thinking of having a Wart Hog engraved on it so the collectors 100 years from now will go crazy. The forend tip is carved from horn and was a lovely shade of green when I got the gun.

I've shown this picture before but I think it has one of the most elegant top levers I've ever seen. Even though the picture doesn't show well the metal checkering is perfect and is at least 40 lpi.


So there you have it.

57242 16ga xx frame, two barrel set, 26 in damascus, 28 in fluid steel, all numbers match, straight stock (restock at Ithaca factory)

Mr. Noble, I'll share mine, I hope to aquire others.

Ser# : 18765
Gauge: 12
Grade:F
BBL length: 30
BBL type: damascus. It is not "star" or "chain" but it has little rolls. Is this the "fingerprint" pattern?
Engraving: left sideplate - setter w/quail in mouth in grass. right lockplate - pointer on point in grass.
Type grip: 1/2 pistol.

I hope this helps if you don't have this one already.

R.D.

I'm still interested in images of damascus patterns. Mr. Elliott's book shows only twist and star, but lists several other patterns by name (Washington, horseshoe, etc.). Mr. Semmer's Remington book shows photos of a bunch of patterns, but uses different names than those in the Lefever book. Some I can translate and/or extrapolate (star = etoile, I think), but others I have no clue about. Again, anyone able to help? Thanks. TT

sreial # 17884 G grade 12 gauge 27 1/4" damascus barrels(cut). Horseshoe pattern push button forearm release. No engraving except a little on the screw heads.

G grade, 12 ga, 30," 7.7 lbs, PG, no engraving except line border and screw heads, 28,521G -- only one at the moment.

#38373 1902 Auto Hammerless BLNE F(E) PG/SF/pad DT;Automanual safety 12 none 7.2 lb 3.6lb 29-15/16" 2 3/4" .741/.741 .018/.035 .084/.092 .035/.045 .040/.055 14" 1-9/16" 2-5/8" 1/16" on 5º none "F" water table; patent nos. @ trigger plate white action; bores pitted wood and ext. barrels refinished


#36962 1902 Auto Hammerless BLE G PG/SF/orig buttplate DT;Automanual safety 12 none 7.2 lb 3.6lb 30-1/16" 2-3/4" .740/.740 .017/.025 .105/.098 .032/.039 .042/.048 14- 1/4" 1-3/4" 2-3/4" neutral 6.5º none "G" water table;patent nos. @ trigger plate; nonmatch no. t-guard fading case; good bores wood and ext. barrels refinished;ivory fnt.$mid bead

jack

Two triggers, If you send me your email address, I can send you pictures of the Bernard pattern Damascus on my early 10 gauge C grade: RichardBrewster@nyc.rr.com
Rich

Here you go, Bob:

G grade with ejectors; 16 ga.; serial no. 48717 (but with '07 patent date and other late features); 26" 3-blade damascus barrels (appear uncut-choked IC, Mod with minimum 2-3/4" of tapered choke) with brass muzzle bead; XX frame with late engraving pattern including "sunburst" scroll on sideplates; full pistol grip (late grip-cap) stock to lined buttplate; all matching numbers.

No Ithaca markings. Small "0" mark just in front of hinge lump on watertable.

Sorry, Bob. Meant to say the "0" marking is on barrel flat.

Bob, here is another one the I owned in the past. I grade 12ga 30" bbls # 41095 I.
I also had one of those single bbl hammerless models with the Lefever name on it but I think they were made by ithaca it was 12ga #6843

#30670, A Grade, 12, double trigger, straight grip, ejector, leather covered pad. 29" barrels (cut?) with .018 and .013 choke.

Things that strike me as a bid odd: pull off fore end, no city markings, just "Lefever Arms Co" and "Finest Damascus Steel" on barrels, "Lefever Arms Co" on both side plates, string of patent dates on trigger plate. Grade marking is next to the serial number on the barrel.

Terry;
I have an E grade, #10515 with "Lefever Arms Co Makers, Syracuse NY" on rib. Others from SN 20K through 46K have only the "Lefever Arms Co" on sideplates. I have nothing in the 50K range, but in the 60K range up all have "Lefever Arms Co Syracuse NY" in two lines on the sideplates. None of mine have any indication as to type of steel used, other than some with a makers stamp under bbls.

2 piper, there are lots of Lefevers with the steel type marked on the outside of the barrels. Optimus----of course Whitworth. DM Optimus ---Krupp Special. Others marked Damascus Steel, Hard Damascus, etc If I remember correctly, lower grades had fewer instances of barrel steel markings.

Daryl;
I was not in any way implying there weren't, just stating mine didn't. It is not at all uncommon to find them that way was all I was saying. I believe you are correct that the higher the garde the more apt it is to have the bbl type stamped. Mine are all E or lower, I'm a pore boy, but I still love those F, G & H's.