Guns International #: 103334732

Category - Lefever Shotguns - Shotguns - American Double

Category
Lefever Shotguns
Shotguns - American Double

Lefever BE Grade 12 gauge - 32” KRUPP BARRELS, STEPPED SIDELOCKS, vintage firearms

Description:
General Specs: Lefever, 1903, 12 Gauge, 7lbs. 6oz., Chokes Full/Full, LOP 14 1/8", DAH 2 1/4", DAC 1 11/16"
Serial Number:  45634

Lefever Arms Co. of Syracuse, N.Y. produced innovative shotguns, some of the best of the American trade, from the 1880’s until the sale of the company to Ithaca Gun Co. in 1916.  Ithaca assembled a few more Lefever patent shotguns through 1919 and then there were no more.  The most innovative feature is the “ball and socket” joint that mates the barrels to the frame.  Most other gun makers utilized the hinge pin in the action and hook on the barrels to join barrels to action.  The ball and socket joint allows the user of the gun, through the simple turning of a large screw, to tighten the barrels to the standing breech.  It is as brilliant as it is simple.

This handsome BE Grade has 32” Krupp Steel Barrels that have a slightly raised matted top rib with twin ivory beads, and mirror bores.  The breech is decorated with small scroll wedges and relief-carved wings which are engraved and flow right into the clover relief-carved breech fences. The friction style forend is nicely point-pattern checkered, with floral and geometric engraved steel tip, escutcheon, and iron. Interior screws are floral engraved.    The case hardened receiver, with cocking indicators, is beautifully engraved with two pointers in an oval game scene on the left side and two setters on the right side. Each game scene is surrounded by fine scroll and chain link border pattern, which transitions from the front of the frame to the bottom of the sculpted receiver which is engraved with a scene of two geese in a marsh scene.   The trigger guard has a setter and floral engraving.  The case color is retained at 90% throughout and is especially vibrant on the locks and top of the frame.

The gun has gold-plated checkered double triggers retaining roughly half of their plating.  The auto ejectors are nicely timed, auto safety operates properly, and the top lever lands just right of center.  The highly figured straight grip walnut stock has carved teardrops behind the stepped sideplates, is checkered in a point pattern through the wrist with wave border pattern panel aft of the grip, has a vacant gold shield on the belly of the stock, and terminates with a modern leather-faced Silvers type recoil pad.

There were only 1100 or so B grade Lefevers, most were made with 28 or 30” barrels, to find one with 32” barrels is rare.  This exquisite example of the classic American double gun will catch the attention of any discerning collector and is capable and ready for use in the field or at the club.


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Barrels
Barrel Length:   32"
Chokes:   .038/.038 ; F/F
Bores:   mirror
Bore Diameter:   .732/.732
Wall Thickness:   .029/.031
% Blue:   99%
Chambers:   2 3/4"
Ribs:   tight-bells
Sights:  front/mid ivory

Action
Action:  tight, slight right of center
Ejectors:  timed
Receiver Condition:   90% factory Case Color
Screws:   engraved, excellent
Engraving:   sharp, clear, phenomenal
Trigger Type:   double-crisp
Trigger Guard Color:   engraved, 90% Case Color

Stock
Type:   Straight
LOP:   14 1/8"
LOP To End Of Wood:   13 1/8"
DAH:   2 1/4"
DAC:   1 11/16"
Cast:   3/8" off
Checkering Condition:   excellent
Butt Treatment:   Silvers leather covered


INQUIRIES
There is a 30 day mechanical warranty on long guns. If it is a “VFI Certified” gun there is a 90 day mechanical warranty. Call or email us for more details or questions. Thanks! Vintage Firearms

Payment and Shipping
Ways to Pay: Credit Card, Money Order, Certified Check, Personal Check, Wire Transfer (Advertised price reflects 3.5% cash discount. Actual price if paid by credit card is 3.5% higher.)
Inspection Period / Return Policy: Three Days from the date the item was received.
Sales Tax Collected: MI
Shipping & Insurance: Ground $375.00 within continental U.S. Additional fees for HI & AK.
Item Condition: Used
Requires FFL?: Yes. C&R licenses accepted for shipping C&R eligible guns

Other
Terms of Purchase: Check your local and state laws before purchasing. It is the buyer’s responsibility to confirm his/her right to own the firearm or any item before purchasing.
PLEASE SEE OUR OTHER FINE VINTAGE FIREARMS. View all listings and our full inventory of fine sporting and collectible arms will appear. Thanks for looking! We employ full time gunsmiths on premises and can perform alterations to suit your needs within a few weeks of purchase. Common requests are: -stock bending to suit your particular requirements -addition of any specified butt pad to increase length of pull -alteration of chokes to suit your shooting preferences -lengthening of chambers and forcing cones -darkening stock color with penetrating stains -restoring any part of the gun including rust blue, charcoal blue, bone and charcoal case color, wood restoration and checkering recuts. If you like one our guns but it needs “tweaked”, let us know and we can quote you a time and price. Some enthusiasts like the guns “as found” and others want them “just so”. We often list guns as found and let the particular buyer choose how they want their gun to fit or look.

Shotgun Gauge: 12 Gauge

Price: $24,950.00