Gun store find today: 1887 L.C. & 1902 Lefever

[Bruce P Bruner]

I occasionally stop in a local gun shop because they take in consignments and their pricing is very fair. Today they had a 1887 Syracuse manufactured L.C. Smith in Grade 3 with 32" Damascus barrels with pristine bores. It had some remaining case colors and the butt stock had very nice wood. The Silvers pad has seen better days, but for $500 I had to take it home.
While the paperwork was being completed I saw a hammerless sidelock that caught my eye. I looked it over and well gosh, an ejector gun! Fluid steel 30" barrels with pristine bores and the factory butt plate. The tag said $300, so I said, "Add this one on also." It turns out to be a 1902 date of manufacture Lefever. I'll share some quick photos and let's have some fun with your comments about my splurge today.

[Bruce P Bruner]

More photos of today's "Shooter Quality" double barrels.

[Mills Morrison]

Great finds

[Fred Slyfield]

Great finds!!

[Wayne Owens]

Exciting day! I would leave the Silvers pad alone. It isn't in that bad of shape.

[Bruce P Bruner]

LC's Rib:

[Harold Lee Pickens]

money well spent. Good for you

[Garry L Gordon]

Now go buy a lottery ticket, ‘cause you are on a role!

[keavin nelson]

Ditto on the lotto ticket! Great finds, I haven't seen that many fluid steel Lefevers, more were made with Damascus.

[Bruce P Bruner]

The breach face on the L.C. has bushed fireing pins. They are not particularly flush with the breech face. I can remedy the observation, but are they original? They are certainly worn, so apparently they haven't caused any problems. The barrels lock up tight when closed with shells inserted.
I'm assuming the Lefever is a Grade 1, however the stamp is "I". I'm not aware of a Grade "I". It must be a "one".
Would a Grade 1 Lefever have to be ordered with ejectors? Perhaps some were randomly fitted.

[Jones Cahill]

It is an "I" grade. About 1902. Don't know about ejectors.
Jones

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Yes, there was a grade I Lefever,, almost the same features as the Durstan Special, and it had fluid steel barrels. It was a bottom grade gun, but nice.

[Wayne Owens]

Here is a grade 3 in the 16000 serial number range which also has the firing pin bushings. All original.

[Drew Hause]

While admiring the guns, I'm not a Lefever guy. But wasn't the Durston Special the 'I' grade?

1907 hardware store catalog. No 'I'

https://photos.smugmug.com/US-Makers/Lefever/i-m7hKkHs/0/d95fed30/L/1908%20Van%20Camp%20Hdw.%20catalog-L.jpg (https://drewhause.smugmug.com/US-Makers/Lefever/i-m7hKkHs/A)

1913 the Durston Special now listed as the 'I' grade

https://photos.smugmug.com/US-Makers/Lefever/i-NzgQVCx/0/045e5e5c/L/1913%20Shapleigh%20Lefever%203-L.jpg (https://drewhause.smugmug.com/US-Makers/Lefever/i-NzgQVCx/A)

1917 E.C. Simmons catalog; 'I' again

https://photos.smugmug.com/US-Makers/Lefever/i-bK7t2xf/0/1337777b/L/1917%20E.C.%20Simmons%20Lefever%20ad-L.jpg (https://drewhause.smugmug.com/US-Makers/Lefever/i-bK7t2xf/A)

[Drew Hause]

I believe the left bushing has rotated out, and the hole may have been peened at some time previously to prevent it. About 1895 a copper alloy set screw was added to prevent the problem.
The bushing needs to be flush or it will crack.

https://photos.smugmug.com/LC-Smith/Design-Engineering/i-gr7jvMR/0/4b8bb435/M/1907%20Grade%201%20Smith%20Bushed%20Pins%20003-M.jpg (https://drewhause.smugmug.com/LC-Smith/Design-Engineering/i-gr7jvMR/A)

The bushings were discontinued about 1905 but have been found on later guns which presumable were assembled with earlier frames.

BTW the Syracuse Grade 3 was listed at $100 = about $2,775 today.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

According to Lefever book, they were offered separately, but are basically the same

[Bruce P Bruner]

Very informative Drew. In 1902 they had separate model designations, the lowest grade was in fact The Durston Special. The next higher grade was the "I" grade. Later they combined the Durston & the "I" Grade, evident in your 1917 E.G. Simmons catalogue illustration.
An interesting observation, they did not use a hinge pin. They used an adjustable detent "ball" shown in the two photos. It works well, locks up tight as possible. A very clever innovation I hadn't seen before. If it got loose just tighten it up, so simple.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Thanks Bruce, was going to post from the Lefever book, but at a tennis tournament. Earlier guns needed a spanner wrench to adjust, instead of the slotted screw. Mike Koneski recently had a run of the spanner wrench made

[Bruce P Bruner]

"I believe the left bushing has rotated out, and the hole may have been peened at some time previously to prevent it."
Correct Drew. I just happened to have the tip to remove the bushings, but the blades on the tip needed to be thinned to properly fit the grooves. The bushings have to be "timed" to be flush all the way around the edges. The threads in the receiver run deep, so it's possible to over recess them. My remedy to keep the bushings flush and secure was some blue Loctite. The bushings are smooth with the receiver face now and if the Loctite holds they won't require any more attention. It kept me busy this morning and luckily worked out well.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

If this turns out inverted, think I will curse loud and long.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Although a lower grade, the I grade is kind of rare. I have a DS 20 with ejectors and 26 in barrels, very lightweight

[Dave Noreen]

Not that it means much, but the few I-Grades I've recorded are in the 43xxx and 44xxx serial number range. I-Grade extractor gun --

97167

The gun the OP pictured is the first I-grade ejector gun I've seen.

[Russell E. Cleary]

Harold's I-Grade Lefever page righted.

[Russell E. Cleary]

Bruce:

How is the fore-end of your I-Grade Lefever attached -- a latch, or friction-fit (aka, "pluck-off"), as with Durston Specials (and Parker Trojans)?

And, have you had any difficulty with removing it safely?

If a friction-fit type, you may benefit from having one of the plastic "Trojan" fore-end tools, which Dean R. has had a supply of in the past.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Thank you Russ. Dean's tool does work great--when I remember where i put it last

[Phillip Carr]

Great buy.

[Bruce P Bruner]

Bruce:

How is the fore-end of your I-Grade Lefever attached -- a latch, or friction-fit (aka, "pluck-off"), as with Durston Specials (and Parker Trojans)?

And, have you had any difficulty with removing it safely?

If a friction-fit type, you may benefit from having one of the plastic "Trojan" fore-end tools, which Dean R. has had a supply of in the past.

It's a friction fit, quite tight. Easy enough to remove. Caution must be taken when reattaching, avoid the freefall "snap" into position. Slow attachment with hand strength avoids needless damage.