Lefever Skeet Gun

[Stephen Hodges]

Went to the Amoskeag Auction today in Manchester, NH, and came home with a VERY nice Lefever A Grade Skeet gun. All original 20 gauge, beavertail for end, 26" barrels, ejectors, single trigger, double ivory beads, barrel flats stamped S and S. Came with a nice case, original hangtag, two Winchester vintage paper snap caps, oil can, ebony cleaning rod and two vintage empty shell boxes. I need to do some research on this gun. Any information anyone can give me would be most appreciated. Case colors are 90%+. The stock is much darker than the pictures show.
Oh, and I watched a Parker .410 sell for $19,000. I did not bid on that!!!!!

[Dave Noreen]

Wow!! Those 20-gauge A-Grades seem to be coming out of the woodwork, each one nicer then the previous, and all nicer then mine. :crying:

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19887

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=445688

[Dean Romig]

Very nice Steve.

I was there yesterday for about an hour and a half viewing (make that handling) a whole lot of guns. I left telephone bids on two Parker Bros. lifters, the Grade 2 with the prettiest Parker-made Laminated Steel barrels.... which I lost, and the fantastic Grade 3 in 'nearly new' condition.... which I missed by $250 - dang it!!

I checked out that Lefever Skeet gun too. A really nice one. Congratulations.

Anybody care to 'fess up' and tell us who bought lot #69 and lot #253 ?






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[Frank Cronin]

Wow!! A time capsule with all the accessories, gun case, hang tag, and ammo to boot. Well done Stevie!

Looking forward to seeing this in person next time I see you.

[Dean Romig]

I'm sure Bob Beach can supply you with reams of information on that gun and the previous owner(s).





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[Stephen Hodges]

Thanks Dean, I will check that out. I know it did come from the "Alan Wilson" collection out of Vermont. Apparently Mr. Wilson was a large collector and passed away last year. There were many of his guns in this auction. Those Parker you mentioned were very nice and they sold pretty reasonably, IMO. That Parker .410 was a great looking gun.

[Dean Romig]

The .410 VH was in about 85% condition in my opinion. 26" barrels with a semi-pistol grip. That one just goes to show how the market has diminished.

I think it boils down to there being fewer serious buyers in an uncertain economy, as well as a lot of gun collections being liquidated.





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[Daryl Corona]

Damn Steve, that is a screamer and in my favorite gauge.

[Bill Murphy]

The auction was on my calendar, but I completely missed it. Dean, is $19,000 too low for a .410 VH? Did the price include the buyer's premium?

[Dean Romig]

Bill, I really don't know what the answers to your questions are but I have my own opinion on an answer to your first question... which I will keep to myself. Shoot me a PM and we can discuss it.

Best, Dean






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[Stephen Hodges]

Bill, the $19000 did not include the buyers premium.

[Brian Dudley]

I love model 6 A grades!

They put just enough lip stick on the LNS to make it a nice gun.

[Josh Loewensteiner]

Stephen- great gun. I feel that the Ithaca made guns remain a great value in today's American double gun market. They are well made utilitarian guns. Your gun looks like a beauty - congrats!!!

[Frank Srebro]

Steve, I found in some old notes that about 2500 Lefever A-Grades were made = the total of the regular Model 5 and the Model 6 which was the Skeet Special. Sorry I don't have the number for each of them but the Model 6 is supposedly the most rare of the two by far and especially so in 20 gauge. Also, the Model 6 was available with Field chokes as well as the standard Skeet chokes.

Just this year I saw two Model 6's - one 16 and later-on the 20 that I bought. Since then I've often regretted passing on the 16. :cuss:

[Stephen Hodges]

Frank, thanks for the information. At least we know where two of the 20 gauge guns reside:)

[Daniel G Rainey]

neat find I am sure you will enjoy it.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Darn it guys, now I have to go back and take a second look. I saw an A grade Lefever Sun night in 16 ga with a beavertail forearm, but didn't know much about them and forgot about it until seeing this post. I forgot the asking price, but remember thinking it was reasonable.

[charlie cleveland]

i like the lefever a grades very well made i have a 20 ga lefever in a grade it has 28 inch barrels with lots of choke...charlie