doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Basket case Lefever Optimus

The description states the bores are pitted. I would expect a lining at least would be in order here. I also agree with the above comments that perhaps turning this into the ultimate "shooter" might just be the way to go.
Jim

The 3-1/2" Ten gauge AHE Parker is a rather nifty gun.

Yes Glenn I do believe it could be saved. This one was made 29 guns before mine. Really really close!

I'd love to know who did th engraving on these guns because the background on the dogs in the ovals is scary similar to mine.

Barrel dimensions: Bores: 0.743/0.744 inches. Chokes: 0.009 /0.035 inches (Improved Cylinder/Improved Modified). Chambers: 2 5/8 inches. Minimum Wall Thickness: 0.020 inches.

Am I mistaken, doesn't he have the choke sizes messed up. He is giving sizes of over .729-.732 so isn't he in the + side, I thought the chokes should be 0.723 and 0.694 for Imp.cyl/Imp.mod

WOW, where are you guys buying your blanks? Check Denli
bill

Auction estimate is $3,000 - $5,000. I think too much for what was once a magnificant Uncle Dan. Condition report says" "Fair to poor. The gun needs a total restoration. Bores show ligh pitting with some deeper pits, etc." Ther is a Ken Hunt engraved Purdey two barrel set in the same sale, also a Purdey Bar-In-Wood.

Best Regards, George

What a shame to see such a magnificent gun in such a state of
neglect. I agree that it should be restored, but not to original
factory like condition. Just bring it back to a good, shootable
piece. I can't imagine there being too many of this grade built,
so it would definitely be worth the trouble.

Here's a picture of the left side of my Lefever and I'm betting that the same person engraved both. I just wonder who they were?

These are magnificent guns, probably the equal of a Parker AAHE and in some cases an A1S. Its a shame that this one is in the condition it is.

I don't see the coverage of engraving equal to an AAHE Parker.

To restore this gun to a shooter will take a new stock I suspect. Just look at the drop in that stock. Few here can shoot one well with that much drop. I know the repair is old and has held up for many years but it looks like sh-t on a stick. So as a shooter you could save maybe half of the blank price and get a decent blank for a shooter. Still will cost to have it fit and finished.

The barrels I hope can be saved to save the damascus barrels but if they are .020 and pitted, even that may be a stretch. Internal and external pittign scares me in a gun with .020 barrels. Might be able to have it lined. Have to send it out and have them decide if it can be done.

If you get rid of most of the external pitting on the reciever and get the metal back into decent shape you are looking at big time labor cost. A very few people can do that work themselves most have to pay others to do it for them. So you save a few hundred by not haveing it case color done again. Old guns look better natural to me anyways.

Now this gun shows you why they fake low grade guns into high grade guns. Because it is easier to upgrade than to restore a badly worn or abused gun. Take a G grade of the same date and you could make it into a Optimus for about what this one will cost to fix. Bigger investment in engraving might make me wrong but I would rather try an upgrade than a full restoration of this gun.

I suspect they have the estimate rather lower than that gun will bring even in the shape it is in. Common auction house trick is to set low estimate prices in hope of getting several bidders hoping to get a bargin. If two get carried away in the bidding fever the gun might go for twice the estimate. We all have seen strange things at auctions. If I had not just sunk several thousand dollars into a equipment upgrade, I might be one of those fools myself.