Lefever shotgun

[kjohn]

I bought four old rusty shotguns from a fellow at the Yorkton gun show. One turned out to be a Lefever Arms Co.

After just a wee bit of digging, I find that these shotguns are of interest to some collectors. This one is not of the "pristine, mint collectable" grade, but it is not a derelict either. My gunner buddy is going to carefully clean up the action and foreend. The barrels are rusted quite badly.

I will try to get some pics after it is somewhat cleaned. Anyone have an interest or have any info about these shotguns? I have the Lefever Collectors site under study.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[kamlooky]

CatnHatt is the shotgun feller.
Kewl find.

 

[canvasback]

Depends on whether it is a Lefever Nitro Special or a real D M Lefever.

 

[straightshooter]

Dan Lefever was a skilled gunmaker. Don't know about your model specifically, but his design for a better approach to break action guns was inspired. I'm referring to the 1/2 ball fitted to a concave notch instead of a hinge pin and hook arrangement. Anyway, I can't find my stuff on Dan, but I'm sure someone can fill in his life story.

Below are serial numers and the years in which they were produced.


YEAR GUN # Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1880 5000 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1881 5500 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1882 6500 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1883 7500 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1884 8049 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1885 8500 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1886 9500 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1887 10000 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1888 10500 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1889 11500 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1890 12500 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1891 14552 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1892 17240 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1893 20264 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1894 22112 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1895 23288 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1896 24856 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1897 25556 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1898 27180 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1899 28916 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1900 31632 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1901 36364 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1902 40480 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1903 45408 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1904 49496 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1905 51064 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1906 54592 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1907 57924 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1908 60164 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1909 61704 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1910 62824 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1911 65092 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1912 65512 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1913 69544 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1914 71336 Lefever Arms Co. - Lefever Sidelock Model Guns 1915-1919 73000 plus

YEAR GUN # Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1921 100,000 - 101599 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1922 119899 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1923 158699 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1924 185399 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1925 214399 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1926 233007 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1927 252699 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1928 272999 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1929 297199 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1930 298699 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1933 298749 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1934 299249 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1935 299999 See A Grade Listed Below Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1935 325000-327299 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1936 336399 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1937 345099 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1938 345899 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1939 347099 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1940 353099 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1941 354999 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1942 356299 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1946 357299 Lefever Nitro Special - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1947 361199

Lefever A Grade - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) YEAR GUN # Lefever A Grade - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1934 300000-300654 Lefever A Grade - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1935 301007 Lefever A Grade - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1936 301023 Lefever A Grade - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1937 301037 Lefever A Grade - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1938 301045

Lefever A Grade - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1935 301050-301699 Lefever A Grade - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1936 302099 Lefever A Grade - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1937 302399 Lefever A Grade - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1938 302456 Lefever A Grade - (Made by Ithaca Gun Co.) 1939 302496