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.
