doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 10 gauge LeFever

I was wondering if you guys could help me out. I have a 10 gauge Lefever that i really dont know what its worth or if it would be worth it to restore. Its a E grade serial # 10777. The butt stock is free of cracks the forarm has one and is missing the horn piece at the end.Gun locks up very tight and the bores look decent. I have no way of measuring them. It functioned properly till just a couple of days ago when one side decided it would not cock, I presume it just needs a good cleaning. The barrels have some very very small pits on the outside but doesnt seem excesive you really have to look to see them. The Finish has gone VERY dark as is the wood. I hope the pics turn out so you can see what i'm talking about. My Question is this, What kind of approx value does the gun have in its current state? Or should I try to get the brown of the action and get it to more of a "shiny gun" and try to get 130yrs of grime of the wood so it matches and call it good? Or is this a canidate for a full restore? This is asuming that the gun gets checked out of course. My goal is to have a couple of nice mid condition guns that I can shoot, that i dont have way more into than they are worth. The metal on the gun is in really good shape its just dark, the stock still has good checkering and under all that grime is probally really pretty wood. I tryed to post pics but was unable would someone care to post them for me?

First of all, welcome to the site. There's a lot of knowledge here.

Next, we need pictures. There's a thread somewhere that will tell you how to post them.

Finally, that "brown" you're thinking about taking off, to bring this gun back to "shiny gun"? That's called "patina". It's other name is "value". Do not take it off. Just hold off cleaning it until some of the very knowledgeable Lefever fans here can get a look at the gun.

you can send the pictures to me
PM sent to you

Or if you will post them on www.photobucket.com then you can easily show them here

Mike

one pic sent to make sure its the right size.

PLEASE do nothing to the gun!!!. Anything that you mentioned will reduce the value and appeal of the shotgun. Post pictures first.

I'm getting pics as we speak.......i hope. I am not going to touch the gun that is why i am asking the experts. I understand that this is called patina but this is so dark it almost detracts from it, this is one of the darker guns I have seen in quite awhile.

Thats about the way they are supposed to look...Its a Lefever, which means it's a great gun...Put up some more pics, please...Buck Hamlin in Peavely Mo. can fix any problem it has..

Try a good cleaning with Murphys Oil Soap to get any gunk off the stock...