Looking for a inexpensive double and found a Lefever Nitro Special in 20 ga in good mechanical condition, on face, mirror bores - $299 at pawn shop. The stock & blueing need work of course but for what I want it for I won't bother. I know these were Ithaca's low cost doubles but were they fairly reliable, any weak areas I need to be concerned about ?

That gun is a fine shooter. Load two shells and it will go bang, bang. To me they are like the Dodge six cylinder motors use to be. Not flashy, just able to run for years. You might look at opening the choke up as many are choked 4/4 which is full and full. Much better I/C and mod or I/C and full combo for my shooting with a 20.

That's a good deal for a 20. The weak spot is, I have seen many Ithaca Flues and Nitros with a piece of the wood broken off up by where it meets the receiver by the upper tang. It is usually caused by #1.... stock bolt not being kept tight. The wood on old guns shrinks and tang screws and stock bolts can get loose.

I believe the Nitro has a through bolt in the stock. Remove the butt plate or pad and use a big screw driver to FIRMLY snug it up. If it has a rubber pad put a little gun oil around the screw holes to keep from buggering the rubber.

#2...the wood gets broken off because of imperfect mating of the stock face to the receiver. I always Acraglass the stock face of older guns to get a perfect mating so that all the wood bearing surface is taking recoil force. It's easy to do. Just order some Acraglass Gel kit from Brownells and do it for peace of mind. After applying the glass, carefully put the stock back on and tighten down. Don't forget to apply the release agent to any metal that may make contact with the glass.

If it's your first double, DON'T slam it shut. To close the gun some grab the bottom of the stock and raise to close the gun.

I've had several Nitro Specials including one 20 gauge.
On Nitro specials the choke code is:
4=Full
3=Mod
2=IC
1=Cy
The numbers can be found on the barrel flats. As far as the numbers are concerned, I'm going by memory, someone please jump in if I'm wrong.
On one gun, I used to occasionally have trouble breaking the gun open because the firing pins would drag.
Steve

3=Improved Modified
2=Modified
1=Improved Cylinder
0=Cylinder
This was Ithaca's choke marking scheme. You will have to pattern the gun to see what it actually is.

The only problem I've ever seen with nitro's is compressing the cocking rod spring should the rod ever break. It requires a special jig and is harder than herding cats.

most nitro 20s that i have seen lately are in the 500/650 range....299 was a steal

Nice price, especially for a 20.
Look for the common things,, matched #'s, loose breech, cut bbls, ect.

Yes, they are a thru-bolt stock. They should bed tightly onto the receiver and the front face of the wood. If they get loose there, simply tightening the thru-bolt pulls the action back further. A little can be OK and make it well again.
If there's too much room to take up, the tightening will just pull the large diameter rear tang post into the stock like a wedge and crack the wood.

Over all a pretty simple & stout action with little to go wrong.
The cocking rods sometimes get worn and lift the hammers a bit late,,so the firing pin(s) may drag a bit. Sometimes just switching ammo will cure the problem well enough for you that a major repair can be avoided.

With the gun UNLOADED,,dry fire one bbl and then unlatch the top lever with the gun in the horizontal position. Let the bbls drop of their own weight slowly till you feel them start to pick up the cocking rod/hammer engagement. Take a look at that point how far the (top of the) breech is open.
It shouldn't be more than a few .000" at that. That's how far the bbl will have to move with the firing pin down hard onto the fired primer with the bbl rotating the case upwards as it is opening. Case dragging...
Do it with the other bbl too.

Harder primers in different brand(s) of ammo help disguise the problem as the firing pin doesn't bury itself into the primer as deep when fired.
The only real way to see if everything's in order is to shoot it of course,,but that's not often possible.

Yes, the tops of the stock cracking off is a common issues on the nitro specials. From a parts a mechanical standpoint, they are very simple guns and many parts can be had. Firing pins can break. The gun should not be dry fired. The intros are single bolted through the rib extension and they are prone to loosening up.
If this gun works well now, then it should serve you well for a long time.

Gave on of my grandsons a pir of them when he showed an intereest is doubles. Gave him a 12 and a 16 and he just loves them. If I were to find a 20 for that price I'd buy it for him. Young man is working 40/wk plus going to school and married. I really admire him.

good ones go for twice that...sounds too cheap to be problem free? hopefully dealer will take it back ifn hit dont shoot ware you point hit...

This may be of interest.

From a 1922 advertising flier.
ps, I hope I live long enough and can shoot enough to wear out a cocking rod.

Many have, it's a common complaint,,those are the guns that are opened by breaking them over your knee after being shot,,

It's the ends that wear, particularly the front end that the cocking arm contacts.

Thanks for all the good info. This gun was in good mechanical shape, mirror bores uncut, matching s/n's original buttplate, etc. However, I went back today to buy it and it was gone. I'll be ready to pull the trigger quicker next time....