LOL..."shiny pitting." I have seen that, too funny. But more often it's an "original" gun with no remaining case color...but excellent bluing, and a weep hole in the bottom rib.

I used to think they all knew the truth, but after enough conversation with very confused sellers, I think it's as much idiocy and shadiness.

I met a friend at a show years ago who insisted on introducing me around to all these really old guys who suppossedly had like 'Jedi-level' knowledge of American doubleguns.

Three minutes into a conversation with one guy...a supposed collector of like 50 years, and he starts telling me how Lefever was just a brand name of Charles Daly (which is itself, actually just a brand name)...and that the guns were made overseas (Austria, as I recall).

I listened attentively, wished him well, and walked on.

NDG