There are exceptions to all rules, & this is nowhere more brought out than in Lefevers. However, generally speaking all DS/I grades (introduced ca 1901) were made with steel bbls & half pistol grip (uncapped) stocks. All grades H & above were available with full, half (often capped) & straight grip stocks. I do not know the exact date steel bbls began to be made available on the H & up grades, but believe it was fairly close to the intro of the DS. In Lefever catalogs the H was particularly recommended with steel bbls, probably because it was the only grade which regularly used twist rather than damascus. Over the years I have I believe seen more H grades with steel bbls than any of the grades above the DS. I also have seen more of the higher grades with the straight grip. I suspect Lefever made up many steel bbl'd Hs & put them in stock, while st grips were most likely always special order. I would be more suspicios of the stock than the steel.
Last edited by 2-piper; 01/02/07 12:58 PM.
