The gun was sold to a car dealer in or around Bowling Green Ohio the person who offered it to me has since passed away, was the gun marked anywhere as to Bowling Green Ohio

I didn’t see any markings to that effect. The gun shop owner in SD (who is a good guy) told me that an older gentlemen brought it to the shop ten or so years ago and that the shop owner bought it to use. He promptly put it in a safe and forgot about it. We were talking about vintage guns and he brought it out to show me..

Mike, I would think of it as a nice shooter. It’s in good enough shape that I wouldn’t alter it other than to clean it up. So you think $7.5K but not higher?

I may be totally wrong, but it looks to me that pictures 6 and 7 show a small crack that starts at the right side of the wrist and runs diagonally back across the top of the wrist to a point halfway across the left side of the wrist. You can't see the whole thing in either picture due to the top lever, but it appears to line up through the small screw head in front of the safety slide.


Edit:

I just re-read winplumbers post and I believe that is the same crack I am talking about. In looking at the other pictures, it appears that there may be a couple of smaller cracks toward the rear of the right lock plate.

Art,

I think I’m seeing cracks on both sides. I’m going to take another look at the gun in person. If it is cracked, he’ll be able to make it right. Would change the value some, however..

Brett, its just me and the gun doesnt really sing to me, so don't rely on my thoughts as a valid measure of the gun's value. I just passed on a pre-1913 Grade 2 LCS 16 ga FW in 98% condition because the guy wanted $6200 for it. To a collector, it might have been worth that. Not for me. As for shooters, nice A grade Foxes and G grade Parkers are what I search for, just enough engraving to make it nice to look at, but not so much that I stare at the gun instead of the bird. Again, that's just me, so take it with a grain of salt. Good luck.

Mike,

I completely understand your logic. In fact I’ve been looking for a Parker G grade in 16ga with shootable stock dimensions in good condition for quite a while. So far I’ve come up empty!

Just my two cents. A 12ga CE in the condition shown would be a $5500. gun in my opinion, add in the small bore premium of 75% and I get to $9625. Very hard to come across a 16ga CE Lefever, good luck. Craig

Lefever C grade 16 ga EJECTOR gun
 

I don't think I would quibble over some of the most minor issues this gun has. A good wood guy, like a few on this forum, can fix those minor cracks. You may never see another one of those for SEVERAL years, if ever. If I were standing there, it would be my gun. And ultimately if you don't want it please PM me. :)

I think that car dealer may be a friend of mine.