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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 168
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 168 |
Can some one tell me purpose of the little screw that's under the lever on circa 1900 Lefever shotguns? Thank you.
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 629 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 629 Likes: 1 |
It is to lock the safety in the off position.
Glenn
There is no sacrifice too great for someone else to make.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,964 Likes: 89
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,964 Likes: 89 |
That little screw adjusts the safety to be either automatic or manual--your choice.
When an old man dies a library burns to the ground. (Old African proverb)
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,190 Likes: 15
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,190 Likes: 15 |
I don't believe that screw will allow the safety to be operated manually at all, I believe it locks the safety in the off position (as Glenn noted) so that the gun is ready to fire at all times; at least that is how it works on my G Grade. In my opinion, having that screw convert the safety to operate manually would be far more preferable than the way in which it is designed; I suppose Uncle Dan was thinking this would be a great device for trap shooters, but I never seem to have a screw driver when I want to make that adjustment?
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 116 Likes: 3
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 116 Likes: 3 |
Glenn and Topgun are correct: when the top lever is brought over to its widest position to the right, the safety slide retreats to a rear 3rd position which is safety off. It will only stay there if the screw you have asked about is screwed in about one turn. The gun is now a no safety live bird gun (or in my hands a target gun). Turn the screw out and you have an automatic safety hunting gun once again. Many of these selective Lefever safeties have been disabled or are broken, probably due to lack of understanding. My local gunsmith has been able to restore them for me on 3 Lefevers. The mechanism is well described in the reproduction Lefever catalogs available thru Cornell ( http://www.cornellpubs.com/old-guns/historic-lefever-firearms.php). Another upstate New York gun company, L.C. Smith copied this concept with their 3 way safety. Conceptually, it works the same but functionally it is dangerous because one can mistakenly pull the safety back into the fire all the time position and not realize it.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 426 Likes: 11
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 426 Likes: 11 |
Glenn and Topgun are correct: when the top lever is brought over to its widest position to the right, the safety slide retreats to a rear 3rd position which is safety off. It will only stay there if the screw you have asked about is screwed in about one turn. The gun is now a no safety live bird gun (or in my hands a target gun). Turn the screw out and you have an automatic safety hunting gun once again. Many of these selective Lefever safeties have been disabled or are broken, probably due to lack of understanding. My local gunsmith has been able to restore them for me on 3 Lefevers. The mechanism is well described in the reproduction Lefever catalogs available thru Cornell ( http://www.cornellpubs.com/old-guns/historic-lefever-firearms.php). Another upstate New York gun company, L.C. Smith copied this concept with their 3 way safety. Conceptually, it works the same but functionally it is dangerous because one can mistakenly pull the safety back into the fire all the time position and not realize it. I have to agree with you,on both count's... and that Smith safety is indeed a thing to be aware of.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743 |
For the reasons just stated I find the Lefever set-up to be preferred over the 3 position Auto/Manual as used by some other makers. Uncle Dan generally knew what he was doing.
Failure to include a proper screwdriver in your target shooting kit is not the fault of the gun but "OP".
Miller/TN I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 869
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 869 |
I have a couple Flues with the 3-way as well.
Ms. Raven
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,190 Likes: 15
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,190 Likes: 15 |
As to 3-position safeties, Syracuse Arms (and perhaps other companies) also offered a 3-position safety on special request. I have only seen one example of the Syracuse gun with the 3-position safety; so it was not popular, but I agree that the confusing nature of these devices in the "heat" of shooting could be dangerous (although I admit I haven't heard of anyone being accidentally shot with a Smith gun because of safety position confusion). I personally prefer a non-automatic safety; and had the vast majority of my doubles converted to manual safety operation. Interestingly, Smith guns with the Hunter One-trigger option have a manual safety because the trigger mechanism would not permit the installation of a push bar attached to the top lever; so one will not find a Smith gun with the HOT option and a 3-position safety.
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,736 Likes: 54
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,736 Likes: 54 |
Tom, the two Syracuse L.C. Smiths I have, a 10 ga. and a 12 ga. both have the 3 position safety. I belileve in their catalog of 1888, it states that they are supplied with the 3 position safety and why. You are correct on the FW frame, an installed HOT cannot have an automatic safety as that area where the safety slide goes is milled out along with some of the top tang to allow the second firing. It rises up and almost touches the top tang. However on a Regular frame gun, an automatic safety can be used. I was assured by the owner of this Specialty Gr. that this came from the factory like this.
Last edited by JDW; 05/29/11 11:54 AM.
David
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