I have to agree with what Ed says in his first post up top. I have seen and owned a few doubles with top levers that sat slightly left of center with absolutely no movement and tight as a hat band. I have a LeFevre that way and it was as tight as any new gun I own. Now for those guns with the top lever almost lapping over onto the line between the top tang and the stock, well, that is indeed another story. But for this gun in question posted by Ed, my opinion is the same as his. I would not hesitate to purchase it if I was in the market for one of that type just because of the present position of the top lever. Tight is tight, regardless of position of the top lever, other than the extreme exception I noted above. Now before a "knowledge war" starts, this is MY opinion. Take it or leave it.
I tend to agree with one caveat. While a gun with the top lever slightly left of center may bolt up tight and on the face, conventional "wisdom" or prejudice dictates that such a gun may have less value, simply because the majority of buyers may consider it defective. That said, there are some rotary bolted Fox and L.C. Smith guns that will cam the top lever open upon firing because the rotary bolt isn't fitted properly... even though the top lever may be centered or right of center. This has been discussed here in the past, and is mentioned in Dewey Vicknair's blog post, "A Dispassionate Look at the Design of American Doubles."
Then there are the older pivot lever Lefever shotguns, usually found in the 10,000 to 14,000 serial number range. The top lever on those always goes to center, and they have a compensating screw to take up wear in the bolting. Even those I own that have seen a lot of use still bolt up tightly, so I have never turned the bolt compensating screws. I have seen some with buggered compensating screws, probably because some fools cannot stand the sight of an unmolested screw slot.
