Update. In the past couple of weeks I have acquired a replacement cocking hook with its hammer pin out of #36001 H grade Lefever. Through the LACA I contacted Brian Dudley and he fortunately was able to supply these critical parts from a parts gun. The hammer pin hole and keyway in the hook are in excellent original condition. By comparing my original hook to this one I can only conclude that the poor condition of my original hook was as result of a past heavy hand tapping or hammering the pin into position after removing it for whatever reason. This battered the hole and keyway. This of course is only my guess at why the hole and especially the keyway would be so maligned.

Note, way back when I first posted about this G Lefever I asked for advice on removing the barrels. When I first acquired this gun the barrels would hang and not separate cleanly from the frame without some fussing. I now know that this was a result of the cocking hook having too much free lift or free-play. I measured the free lift (the distance the hook lifts freely before engaging the key on the hammer pin). On the replacement this is only +0.06. On the original this was three times this distance. I will not generalize, but in the future this is a measurement I will check carefully on any newly acquired Lefever.

The replacement hook and hammer pin slipped into all three keyways with very little friction. Now the Lefever 47216 locks the hammer hooks and sears as designed. The G grade is now fully functional. At this point I am going to have the barrels refinished over the coming months (way too many fine scratches at the breech end to just leave as is).

As everywhere here in the East all preserve shooting (and all trap/skeet/sporting clays) is closed and will not reopen until the fall. The Brits and I will spend our time checking out the spring flights of woodcock here in the Thorn Apples and then turn to chasing muskies in our wonderful reservoirs. Both of these activities are very much a social distancing activity. Hopefully come autumn the Lefever will be sporting fine barrels and back after pheasants, chukar and timberdoodle. I have attached a few photos.

Thank you to all who followed this Lefever adventure and to especially those who offered much need advice. Stay well.



(note the clearly marked witness line on the hammer pin)


(clean lock-up of hammer and sear)


Sideplate with cocked indicator fully engaged)