doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Lefever 16 ga serial number confusion

I just got a Lefever 16 ga SxS that was made in Ithaca, NY. (My first double barrel!) I tried looking up the serial number on the Diamond Gunsmithing webpage of serial #'s for Ithaca guns, but I couldn't find anything that corresponded. It's a Lefever Nitro Special. The serial # is L296XX, but all the serial #'s listed do NOT have an "L" prefix and they are all one digit longer. The serial # is printed twice, so I'm pretty sure I'm not misreading it. Does anyone know what year this gun was made?

Also, I read on Chuck Hawk's site that these guns shouldn't use steel shot. Is that true?

Thanks for your help! I grew up in Ithaca and used to walk by the old factory every day. To finally have an Ithaca-made 16 ga is very exciting for me.

I think the L is actually a 1. Nitro Specials had 6 numbers in their serial number.

Probably shouldn't use steel shot in that gun. What is it choked? There should be a number on each barrel flat, 0 through 4, Cylinder through Full.

You might bulge a choke with steel shot.

Yes. Steel shot can damage older shotgun barrels not specifically made for steel. The problem stems from the fact that steel will not compress and "flow" through the chokes of older guns like softer metals such as lead, tungsten matrix and bismuth.

The early Nitros's commonly used and L instead of a 1 for the first 100,000 range.
Craig

Thanks for all the replies! Since the L=1, it looks like my gun was made in 1923. Both barrels are choked full. Can't wait to hunt some grouse with it...

If both barrels are choked full, and you plan to hunt ruffed grouse, I'd suggest spreader loads.

Regards, Neil