doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Question for Walt

Re: The post from fasteddy on the Ithaca-Lefever Nitro Special and responses from others.

As I understand it, Ithaca bought out Lefever in 1915 and produced these boxlock guns until around 1940.

My question is: Whose design was this? Was it a Flues gun or a Lefever design? I thought that Lefever only made sidelock guns.

Perly88

Ithaca bought Lefever in 1916 and continued producing the side lock until they introduced the Nitro Special in 1922. The Nitro Special was designed by Ithaca's Frank Knickerbocker.

A bit more detail --

Lefever Arms Co. of Syracuse, New York, was bought out by a shell corporation in early 1916, and all the assets and the rights to use the Lefever name in the manufacture of shotguns was moved to Ithaca. A short time later ownership of this corporation, Lefever Arms Co., Inc. was transferred to the owners of Ithaca Gun Co.-- George Livermore, Louis Smith, Claude Smith, Paul Livermore and Eunice Smith. Through 1919, this corporation, operating within the plant of Ithaca Gun Co., finished and sold off the remaining inventory of side-plate Lefever guns. In 1921, this corporation introduced the lower priced Lefever Nitro Special, still operating as a separate corporation. The Nitro Special was introduced in 12-, 16-, and 20-gauges. In 1926, a .410-bore version was added to the line. The Model 2 single barrel and the Model 3 SBT were added to the Lefever line in 1927, and the Model 4 double barrel vent rib trap gun in 1929. Also in 1929, the family formed another corporation, Western Arms Corp., to build an even lower priced double the Long Range Double. Lefever and Western continued to operate as separate corporations into 1933. By 1934, Lefever and Western guns are marked as being made by the Lefever or Western Branches of Ithaca Gun Co., Inc.

Second question,

Is the Nitro Special a stronger design than the Flues

As I understand it the NS was designed in house by Ithaca

Can you shoot modern ammo (not short magnum) in the Nitro?

I do shoot standard AA and Premier skeet loading in my 12 gauge Nitro

Mike

The NS is a strong gun similar to the NID. I will not comment on ammo.

The flyer introducing the Lefever Nitro Special --



FWIW, Lefever Arms Co. didn't produce "sidelock" hammerless doubles. They are "sideplate" guns --



The mainsprings, hammers and usually the sears and sear springs, were mounted in the frame. Sometimes, like the Tobin Arms Manufacturing Co. doubles, the sear and sear spring were mounted on the sideplate.

Researcher: Thanks for the clarification on Sidelock versus Sideplate. I was not aware of this.


Perly88

In the sixties, Colonel George Busbey wrote of his exploits in South America and other places with his Nitro Special. He later had it restocked and engraved in a very fancy style. He never mentioned the gun getting loose or needing repair.

I believe that Gordon MacQuarrie, who probably could have shot most any gun he wanted, also shot a 12ga Nitro Special.

Winter, 2005 Double Gun Journal, "The Ubiquitous Ithaca Doubles" By W. R. Hammond, details the use with heavy loads (abuse) of a Nitro Special, fed 4000 or so magnum and short magnum loads over 12 years as the author's duck gun. The gun was very worn when purchased for this use, and had a .003 brass shim installed on the hook to bring it on face. It was then sold to someone who did more of the same with it.
Not beauty contestants, but, they seem to work most of the time.

Best,
Ted