doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Early or Late Lefever?

After lots of reflection I have come to the conclusion that I am more of an admirer of the early pivot lever era Lefevers than the later regular top lever ones. All those adjustment screws, which I do not play with, just seem to have antisipated almost my every need to tinker. I might be talked into a nice side cocker but I rarely get ot see a decent one. So do you favor the early ones or the later ones?

YES; Both!!!

All I've had were the Syracuse side-plated models. I think they are the most clever, innovative, yet simple guns I've ever seen.

Jon,
I'm just getting my feet wet on real Lefevers (two Nitro .410s don't really qualify) and really haven't developed a real interest beyond the later hammerless designs (of any vintage American maker)...yet, I suppose. I'm just barely into damascus hammerless. But, I have recently seen a graded 'fever with the push type top release. Very nifty!

Note that except fot the side cocker Jon mentioned the rest are all self-cocking hammerless guns produced as side-plated models by The Lefever Arms Co of Syracuse NY. This name started in 1884 & continued through till the sale to Ithaca when the address was changed, at least on the "Nitro's", perhaps on a few of the side-plated ones. During this period of time there were three types of openers & four methods of cocking used. The original "Automatic Hammerless" used a thumb push (As did the side-cocker & earlier hammer guns) & cocking rods & then began to use the side pivot top lever while retaining the cocking rods. About 1890 the two-hook cocking was introduced & also the center pivot top lever, which remained for the rest of it's era. Next came the small single hook & finally by about 1898 the large single hook, after which time few changes were made throught the rest of it's life.
If I understood Jon's question correctly it is the various eras of this one Co he was asking about, not LAC vs Ithaca NS or D M Lefever guns etc.
Again Jon I like them all, never owned a thumb push nor a side-cocker, but always wanted to.

2-piper

Lefevers were so much an evolving concern that they have something for everyone. I guess that I like the guns made in the late 1880's to maybe middle 1890's. Hard to put an exact date because Lefevers seem to have so many exception to the rule by serial numbers that you just never know what you will see based on serial numbers alone. Keeps them interesting I think.

Looked at a B grade extractor, thumb push recently. Made 1890 by serial number. Almost bought it and still might. The hold up is that it is a real money pit. Rare to see a high grade gun that has suffered so much use, wear and abuse. Not hopeless, but certain to take a year to redo and a medium pile of money. Problem is that the seller was not any where near to a realistic price for the gun. His price was for what should be a 80% gun, not the 10-20% gun he has. I have not given up on the gun, because the number are against me. Total production of maybe 1,100 and I suspect a small number of these were thumb openers. Sure I might see another, but the price will be just as high or higher. But this is such a money pit that I just have not pulled the trigger.

Bores were heavily pitted so the barrels needed to be Teaguled. All metal needed to be redone and the engraving would have to be picked up. Barrels would need to be refinished, reblue and recolor the rest. Stock was very low so I would have to have it bent, steamed to raise most of the dents and then refinished. In short a total rebuild the hard way, using my money instead of my time.

Are all these types depicted in Elliott's book?

Yes. It's a great book.

The push button forend is what first caught my eye.Althought the early gun did not have as much engraving as the later guns, I think the detail was better, and the longer bottom tang on the early trigger guards that entends to the grip cap just looks right.Jon is right, all those adjustment screws are facinating!
Hope your B works out, she deserves a restoration!

Craig

I started in the '60s with a preference for Fox Guns and then slowly gravitated towards side plate Lefevers from pretty much that point forward. Granted, you have to get into high grade Uncle Dans, if you like engraving all over, but the beauty of the basic gun just cuts through. Jim Legg expressed my function related thoughts on the gun very well above.