doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Lefever Adjustment Question

Guys, my E seems to lock up tightly, but the toplever is somewhat left of center. Does the adjustable ball-thing (sorry) at the end of the action correct this or, as I suspect, is there a lot more to accomplishing this fix? The second half of my question is, if this screw seems frozen (I'm trying to turn it counter-clockwise), how much resistance should I expect from threads that haven't been moved in 107 years, and what's the best way to loosen it up? Right now I'm just trying to get some Hoppe's Moisture Displacing Lubricant to soak into the threads from above. Thanks in advance. TT

If your gun is on face adjusting the ball adjustment will not move the lever back to the right. I have seen these ball adjustments adjusted until they were very hard to open. I have seen two quick ways of "dealers" to get the lever back to the right. Both were wrong. One used solder on the rib extension to take up the play in the action and keep the lever to the right. The second was a shim soldered in the same area. Proper way I am told is much more extensive.

Left of center is no big deal if the gun locks up tight. Had left of center been important Lefever would have made some means for adjustment like he seem to have done for almost everything else. Left of center is a thing that we have come to see as a sign of
"extreme" wear. It is a bargaining chip. The more right of center the more money we assume a gun to be worth with all other things being equal.

As to how hard should you be turning is a good question. I have soaked several in Kroil penetrating oil for days and weeks before they moved. One I have has refused everything I have tried, soaking, oil, heat, cold, sharp taps to break free. If I ever get it to move I let you know.

The only way adjusting the ball joint will move the lever right is by creating interference between breech wall and breeches and stopping the doll's head completely seating in its socket. This effectively raises the piercing in the extension, creates a "false" position for the toplever as the bolt's wedge action is stopped sooner, and puts the gun OFF the face in the weird sense in that it just isn't completely closed. Don't do it. Sometimes 107 yrs. of seize and freeze is a good thing particularly if, as KY says, the gun is on face now.

jack

Good explanations from both of our guys above. My first Lefever was worn where the locking bolt contacts the rib extension, maybe as much as .020-.030". This was repaired by building up the worn area with a small amount of welding. Then I dressed the surface down, made a new bolt plate and it locks up very nicely now.

I should have said the wedge notch for the bolt in the doll's head extension as of course there is no square hole as seen on NIDs and Foxes. Sorry. Come to think of it, I might try that soldered shim on my FE even if it is the "wrong" way.

jack

Thanks guys. I'll leave well enough alone. The gun has some sort of safety problem that needs a gunsmith's attention, so I'll let him deal with any tightening that needs doing, once its torn down. TT

I tried to adjust my H ball socket and couldn't get it to move in the end I tried undoing it and it moved very easily then just nipped it up and it is as good as new

I think leaving it alone is a good idea. Everyone in our group yesterday here at the ranch was shooting a graded Lefever. All of them had levers slightly or more to the left. Including both "E" grades..not to worry....

Last: That must have been quite a sight. Usually when I hunt in a group, I'm the only one with a side-by-side, and nobody's ever seen a Lefever except those that I trot out. N.W. Kansas is obviously full of discerning gentlemen! TT

TT,
You just need an older Lefever. My old F grade has a screw that pushes down on the bolt to bring the lever back to roc. I think there is an adjustment for anything that could wear on these early guns.
Ross