One thing I think we forget is that LeFever gun may be all over the place because Uncle Dan wanted them that way or had no choice. He seemed to be constantly tweaking them. Plus what was the turnover in employees? Did the same stocker or checker do every stock, the same person do every grade from H to what ever you could afford? And the standard seemed to change slightly every time a new grade was introduced. In part these were nearly handmade, semi-custom finished (made) gun for the most parts with quality control more about function, than finish and features like seen on higher grade guns do appear on lower grade guns. What if the checker decided to try a new pattern that was used on a higher grade gun on a lower grade gun? Would we know why this was done. Or was the labor turnover so great, that explains a lot of what we see. I was always told that LeFever was short on capitol and that implied he was short on materials which was to explain seeing Damascus barrels on a gun which should only have twist or steel barrels. Maybe these odd guns are parts clean out guns, maybe being frugal and using up every last barrel blank explains the twist/Damascus combos or dolls head barrels on a DS. LeFever are not a mess but they tend to be a lot of different features in guns of the same grade.
By the way my G grade does not have a stamp on the stock. Not conclusive I know, as I have others with and without a stamping on the stock. It would just help it, if it was stamped. So it might be restocked, but it has all the lines of a factory stock but no proof that it is original. I just see many pistol to straight grip stock conversions, which never get the lines right. And LeFever had a straight grip style that is distinctive to me. Perhaps the "stocker" knew hat he was doing and made it correctly. Personally I hate restocking LeFevers and would not bother if I could avoid them. That top tang always gave me a bit of a fight to get it just right. Other might enjoy them. They can have my share. I have been putting off a restock job on one of my guns for 15 years so far. Only 15 more to go.
