Keith,
My gun #59122, has Twist barrels, dolls head, and cocking indicators. Frame is stamped "DS". Sideplates stamped "LEFEVER ARMS CO.,". No address line. Forend has no escutcheon or metal forend tip. Buttstock has POW grip, no flutes at comb, and early Nitro Special checkering pattern. LOP=14" to unmarked buttplate( stock is straight cut, so maybe a replacement).
Barrel Flats each stamped "I". Left tube stamped "59122 H". Forend hanger flat between barrels stamped "59122" Forend hanger lug stamped "I" and perpendicular "P".
These indicators shout ITHACA to me.
Your mileage may vary,
John
John, thanks for the information. Sorry to disagree, but the only real indicator of Ithaca involvement I see there is the stamp on the forend hanger.
The 1907 59xxx serial number is a long way from 1916 or later. I personally don't subscribe to the notion that unfinished serial numbered frames were held back for 9 or more years, and have seen zero evidence for that theory to explain anomalies or unusual features in Lefever guns. And the lack of flutes at the nose of the comb became common in lower grade guns such as the H and I grades as well. I don't know what to make of Nitro Special style checkering, other than the possibility that a 113 year old field grade gun certainly could have been re-checkered, or even re-stocked at some point. And I will say that I have never heard of that as an indicator of Ithaca assembly. Having not seen your stock, or the straight cut butt and unmarked buttplate, I tend to think this stock has had some work done to it in the many years since it was built. All of the DS grade guns I have seen that have the twist barrels, dolls head rib extension, cocking indicators, etc., have had the same LAC monogram buttplate as the H Grade and higher guns.
