doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Lefever Double Rifle?

I have several Lefever project guns that will never get done as I have others in better shape or have already finished several others in the same grade. How many G grades do you need? Don't answer that. I know all that you can have, plus a few more.

Years ago I took a POS, also known as a Pride of Spain and made it into a .444 double. After I got it regulated it would keep both barrels in a 6" bulls eye at 100 yards all day long. At 50 yards two shots would often be less than inch apart. The gun could shoot better than I could, as the sights were thick and at a hundred yards they just about covered the entire 6" target. Sad to say I sold that gun to a fellow who borrowed it for a wild pig hunt. It dropped several wild boars in their tracks and was big medicine to him.

What I would like is a Lefever double rifle as an upgrade of my youth. Looking at one of the Black Powder Era rounds like a 45-70 or something in 50 cal. like a 50-90. Not loaded to the max. but more of a big rook rifle for the back 40. Big and slow is fine with me. Anyone have one in their collections? If so could you drop me a message. I just want to see how long were the barrels, balance point and weight of the gun? Thinking about sleeving a set of barrels.

I looked at several of the off the rack double rifles and none of them interest me in the least. It is Lefever or nothing at this time.

Wasn't there talk about rifle barrels being a possibility for the new Lefever project?

Hmmmm, one those 'cowboy action' cut guns might be a candidate.

I HAVE A VERY NICE lEFEVER " G " GRADE IN 10 GAUGE WOULD THAT WORK FOR YOUR YOUR PROJECT? THE BARRELS HAVE BEEN REFINISHED BY DALE EDMONDS AND THE GUN IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. LET ME KNOW BY EMAIL OR CALL ME AT 706-796-7223.
TOM REGEL

I've seen a number of original Lefever double rifles. I helped purchase one for a friend ( who has since sold it) plus the late Dr. Samson had two or three in his pocession when he passed away. This was a few years ago, but I think they all were in the .40+ caliber range. I don't remember the exact calibers. I think the barrel lengths were around 26", one was 28" and all were muzzle heavy. I never had the opportunity to fire any of them, sure wish I could have.
I believe Lefever Arms in upstate NY made a few for customers. Their barrel man was good at this.
Chris

I have several Lefevers to work with. I have a DS 16 that some moron cut the barrels down to 18". I have both a 10 F grade with bad barrels and several F and G grade in 12. I even have a 20 DS that had both barrels ruined. I would like to know the story behind that one, or maybe not now that I think about it. Stupid is as stupid does and most of us would have quit after the first barrel burst. Any of them could be used for the project so I do not have to buy another project gun.

From what I have learned it looks like 24-26" for big bores gets real heavy. Might get by with 28" in a smaller cartridge like 38-55. I think that I need to look at a few of the rifle BBS and see what others have done with 38-55 up to 50-120. Some where, someone has made a mild load that will fit my interest. Maybe a wild boar or a deer or two but no heavy shooting. More paper and watermelons than anything else.

I have an email out to a fellow who I know has converted half a dozen doubles into rifles. I found him a gun to convert before and am sure he will answer soon, well when he gets around to it at least. He took his phone out of his house as he thought it was a waste of time. Smart man. He is on the net more to make buying items easy than posting on a bbs. Last email only took a few days to get a reply. It was short and to the point. One word, NO. Got to love a man of few words.

KY John- you raise an interesting topic- Didn't Win. take a 20 Ga. M21 and rebarrel it into a .405 cal. "Express rifle"--? Wonder if Ithaca, Hunter Arms, Parker etc. did- The Lefever doesn't surprise me- believe I read that "Uncle Dan" first made rifles- shotguns later-a design genius-like Browning- And the late Ed Zern once wrote in his F&S page about few words- he was sent up to Alaska to do an article on Frank Dufresne- came back with the story- editor (Hugh Grey?) said fine- but what is Mr. Dufresne's age Ed-? So Ed sent a telegram, and with the editor's caution to be brief- he wrote "How old Frank?" to which Mr. Dufrense replied- "Old Frank fine, how you?""