What grade is this lifter?

[Larry the Gun Guy]

I bought this 10 gauge lifter with 30" barrels the other day and I requested a letter, but Chuck told me the entry is too smeared to read it so I'm asking the members to help me out with their considerable knowledge of what this might be. It's in the book as a D, but as I recall in these days they were referred to as dollar grades. Thanks in advance for your input.

[Opening Day]

Not sure I'll wait for others that know more then me but that is on beautiful gun. 12 or 10ga?

[OH Osthaus]

I think it was called the wow grade

what a survivor

[Researcher]

I'd think that amount of profiling on the breech balls would equate to a D-Grade or Quality 3.

[Jim DiSpagno]

I would suggest a $150.00 grade or a quality 3 "D" by the shape of the bolsters but engraving seemingly more than a D grade. Maybe a $175.00 grade. Many variations on the early guns.

[Autumn Daze]

Yup...D grade or grade three. The four pin locks are a dead giveaway.

[B. Dudley]

I was going to saw at first that the gun, based on grade level, should have drop points on the stock. But in one photo i see what is left of VERY worn drop points. So they are there.

These early guns can be a little difficult to tell the dollar grade for sure. I would also say it is equal to a grade 3 gun. Another clue is the pointed checkering pattern. A grade 4 equal would usually have more organic edge to the front of the checkering pattern.

The engraving scenery is very nice. The scenes with hunters and dogs are very similar in style to that of the "chiken thief" gun.

[John Powers]

100 or 150 dollar grade. I have a 100 dollar grade with no game scenes.

[Dean Romig]

I would say it is likely the dollar equivalent ($150 or $175) to the grade 3 or grade 4.

The four pins in the lock plate make the gun a minimum of grade 3 but could be higher.

We have seen the sides of bolsters sculpted in that manner on lower graded guns than grade 3 (case in point, Tom Latham's 20 ga. lifter, ser No. 10165 - picture below) but the sporting scenes are somewhat more elaborate than those we are accustomed to seeing on a grade 3 lifter.

Of interest to note is the manner of dress of the sportsman depicted in the vignettes. Where he is seated he appears to be wearing the tunic or coat of a military man and in both left and right side vignettes his boots appear to be like those worn by a cavalry officer of the War Between the States.

If there is information available from our research chairman we may learn some interesting things about the mysteries of this gun.


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[Czar]

Absolutely beautiful gun.... Congratulations