In late 1968 I bought my first Lefever, an FE 12ga with 30" Damascus bbls. Even though deep in my heart I was already aware of it, there was so much "Expert Advise" against there use I was not yet fully comfortable with shooting Damascus. A firm in Florida at the time was offering a service of having bbls built in Italy so after thinking it over a while I shipped them mine with instructions for a 26" I/C-Mod combo. I had hoped this would also lighten it a bit. In due time it returned, but they had actually matched the wt of the 26" bbls to that of the 30" set so it still weighs 7˝lbs with either set installed. It thus has a set of thick walled 26" Boehler Steel bbls on it virtually all the time. Chokes came in a little tight @ .012"/.024" R/L respectfully.
From 1970 until the present it has been my main go-to gun with the exception of times I carried a 12ga J P Clabrough 28" Damascus mentioned on another thread. During these past 40yrs it has accounted for a good number of quail, some woodcock, doves, ducks & a couple of turkeys. It has also bagged a pile of cottontail rabbits & a few squirrells, though I mostly hunted them with a .22RF.
Now in my not so humble opinion I really don't think adding to its bbl length would have added a thing to its effectiveness. But what do I know, I just shoot the old thing. If I could do it over though I would have them made 28" instead of the 26". At 5' 8˝" I am not very tall & quite well fitted with a 14" length of pull. Personally I just feel a gun having bbls about equal to twice its LOP is aesthtically pleasing. As is, it looks just a little stubby, but shoots like a House Afire.
