Lefever Fever

[Bruce Day]

12ga

These have wear compensating screws for the forend lug, hinge pin and opening lever.

[Rick Losey]

beautiful gun Bruce, love that chain pattern

[Mark Landskov]

They are great shotguns. I had a very nice, unmolested 1896 vintage 'G Grade' in 12 gauge that I regret selling:banghead:

[Dean Romig]

Bruce, thanks for the pictures of the wear-compensating screw designs.

[charlie cleveland]

lefevers are very well built shotguns..bruce s gun is one fine lookin gun...i seen a d grade 20 one time that was this nice...done ever thing but just could not come up with the money to buy it price was 3500 was a lot to me then and now...i have a ds grade 20 straight stock and my dads old e grade 10 ga..i killed a turkey with that old ten 2 years ago...i truly arrreciate bruce posting this lefever they are fine guns.... charlie

[Steve McCarty]

I was trying to buy guns like the ones used by George Custer. He shot a Lefever, least that is what I read. I just missed a G grade once. Then when I found this "I" grade, which was their lowest, I snapped it up and I love the gun. While very plain jane, she has the classic lines of the fine guns. This one made in 1901. Of course she has been heavily re-done.

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa23/GermVMA211/Gun%20Stuff/Lefevershotgun006.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa23/GermVMA211/Gun%20Stuff/Lefevershotgun007-1.jpg

Beautiful lines! The little bits of wood that I call "ears" behind the top of the action next to the hinge of the opening lever often break off on Lefevers. Here I've kind of clusmily glued one back on. They are often missing and the top of the wrist is sanded down where they broke off.

I handled an Optimus not too long ago. What a wonderful piece of shotgun she was!

IMHO a fine Lefever is about as fine a gun as one can get...even when put up against a Parker. I admire Parkers, of course; but the graceful lines of the Lefever, to me, are just out of this World!

[chris dawe]

You can say that again Steve ,Lefever made wonderful gun's...I like my Parker's but I also very much like Uncle Dan's creation's as well ,I have a DS 12 bore and a another 12 bore G grade,the compensateing action is a marvel.

[Steve McCarty]

They are great shotguns. I had a very nice, unmolested 1896 vintage 'G Grade' in 12 gauge that I regret selling:banghead:

I almost never sell a gun and for just that reason. She was a beauty wasn't she!

[Jack Kuzepski]

Very nice gun! Bruce is that an E grade?

Jack Kuzepski

[Bruce Day]

Yes, E. extractors.

I think it will be a fine addition to a my modest Parker collection. Thanks to Josh Lowensteiner who knows his Lefevers. I don't but I find them interesting. When you are stumbling through the dark, its best to have a buddy with a flashlight.

[Mark Landskov]

Steve, I came upon a shotgun I 'just had to have', and the Lefever became a bargaining tool. That G Grade was a great handling gun. I actually like the 'hockey stick' dimensions on older guns.

[Bruce Day]

There is a really nice circa 1900 Lefever G 12ga with damascus barrels, nice wood and lots of case colors that is available if a person is looking. Not cheap but probably fair priced, and not mine but privately held. If you are looking , PM me and I'll connect you. So far as I know, it is a collector quality gun.

[Eldon Goddard]

I got to handle my neighbors O grade DM Lefever a couple of months back. First Lefever I have ever handled, pretty rare on this side of the country. Very nice gun, unfortunately the right barrel is blown. Made my week to see it.

[Steve McCarty]

I got to handle my neighbors O grade DM Lefever a couple of months back. First Lefever I have ever handled, pretty rare on this side of the country. Very nice gun, unfortunately the right barrel is blown. Made my week to see it.

Lefevers have a problem. The company was bought and the gun morphed into a rather plain box lock gun. So early Lefevers are not like the later ones which were made into the 1940s. You want the side lock gun; or at least I do. Not sure when they stopped making them, but I think, not long after Uncle Dan left the company in 1901 or 02. I guess he was quite a character and difficult to get along with.

I read that Lefevers were the first hammerless shotgun. Anyway, I enjoy my very standard "I" grade which was a hardware store gun when it came out.

[Bruce Day]

The locks ( aka hammer mechanism) are within and attached to the frame and not to the side plates so they are boxlocks. Side cover plates conceal the action and access is by removing the side covers.

[Jack Kuzepski]

Bruce,

The earlier (serial number pre-25000) Lefevers are semi-side locks as the sears and sear springs were mounted to the lock plates.

Jack Kuzepski

[Jack Kuzepski]

Sorry, this would have been a double post.

Jack Kuzepski

[chris dawe]

As to the box lock Lefever the Nitro Special was pretty plain but Dan himself had his own boxlock design that was quite something to behold ,I wish I had some photo's of one to offer up...I'm willing to bet Mr.Day could find a few pic's all the same, he seem's to have an amazing talent at finding pic's of the most beautiful gun's!!!

[Bruce Day]

Bruce,

The earlier (serial number pre-25000) Lefevers are semi-side locks as the sears and sear springs were mounted to the lock plates.

Jack Kuzepski

Thanks Jack. I didn't know that. My knowledge of Lefevers is pretty limited and I was going on the gun shown. I'm getting a bigger picture that they varied quite a bit. Chris, I have seen a few of the early Lefever boxlocks and they are attractive to me. The late ones look sort of industrial but each person has different likes.

[chris dawe]

Here's one I found on guns america ,I hope this work's .... item Number: 901548294

[Brad Bachelder]

Lefever sideplates are in fact side covers to hold the sears and cocking indicators. I would consider the action to be a transitional sidelock, not a true boxlock.
The design first showed up in the Needham Barrel Cocking,Self Ejector patent of 1874. Joseph Needham's designs strongly influenced Lefever's lock designs and passion for ejector systems.

Brad

[Mark Landskov]

My other G Grade was also a side plate gun with the sears suspended in the receiver. It was made shortly after 1900. Here are some photos of my 1896 G Grade:crying:

[Josh Loewensteiner]

Here are a few Lefevers-

#1 is the left lockplate of a BE 20ga

#2 and #4 are an early 10ga Optimus (same gun)

#3 is a late 10ga Optimus

These belong to a close friend

[Mark Landskov]

Every Optimus photo I see leaves me in awe! They are gorgeous shotguns:bowdown:

[Josh Loewensteiner]

Another 12ga Optimus. This one originally owned by GAH winner, Martin Diefenderfer.

[Rick Losey]

incredible - some of the most life like dogs and birds on any classic gun

[charlie cleveland]

THANKS for the pictures of those great lookin guns...Lefevers dont have to be ashamed of there guns like this do they.. charlie

[chris dawe]

incredible - some of the most life like dogs and birds on any classic gun

Dog's and bird's? I must agree....but take a close look at the checkering and stock styling .

[Rick Losey]

Dog's and bird's? I must agree....but take a close look at the checkering and stock styling .

yeah that not too bad either :cheers:

[Chuck Bishop]

Josh,

Diefenderfer was from Nebraska but I'd be willing to bet he had roots in Pa.

Now I love my Parkers, but that Optimus Lefever is a true work of art! I might just have to get me a Lefever in the near future:eek:

[calvin humburg]

They sure are somthing!

[Steve McCarty]

incredible - some of the most life like dogs and birds on any classic gun

I have only held an Optimus once, and yes, it was nearly a religious experience.

[David Noble]

I have only held an Optimus once, and yes, it was nearly a religious experience.

I think for me it would have been a more carnal experience. :rotf:

[Bruce Day]

An Optimus grade Lefever is more scarce than an A-1 Special Parker.

[Rich Anderson]

I came across several Lefevers all small bores in a collection last Spring. There was a truly wonderfull H grade 16 damascuss that was near new. A friend of mine asked for an appraisal for his friends widow as she needed to sell the guns. Unfortunately I got some bad advise and the widow didn't realise the full potential of their value.

[Steve McCarty]

An Optimus grade Lefever is more scarce than an A-1 Special Parker.

The one I held was in Keith Kearcher's shop. He likes Lefevers. He is also a big Parker guy.

[Gerald McPherson]

Thanks Bruce for the screw info as I as of yesterday am looking at an EE grade. If just turning screws will take care of the looseness then it is even more interesting. It looks original and not to bad except for a pacmyer pad and a swvil loop on the barrel that look original. Gerald.

[Mark Landskov]

Be aware that there are two different types of screws for the Lefever barrel hinge/pivot ball. One type requires a spanner of sorts with two pins that fit into the ball. They have to be tough and fit properly. Most of the Lefever owners say that the pivot balls in their guns were usually VERY tight. My other Lefever had a slotted ball, that was also very tight. The threads are tapered.