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VERY HIGH GRADE LEFEVER ARMS COMPANY DOUBLE BARREL

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:12,500.00 USD Estimated At:25,000.00 - 35,000.00 USD
VERY HIGH GRADE LEFEVER ARMS COMPANY DOUBLE BARREL

SHOTGUN, MOST LIKELY A “PRESENTATION GRADE” OR MADE FOR EXHIBITION. Cal. 12 gauge, 2 3/4". S# 20914(ca. 1895). From the start, LeFever Arms Co. produced a higher percentage Of High Grade guns than most of their competitors. However, with a total production of around 70,000 guns, all grades above "E" can be considered scarce; anything above "B" quite rare. This fine, early gun is not marked anywhere as to grade and incorporates many of the features found on guns between Optimus and down to “B”. The 30" barrels with slightly raised concave matted rib are engraved “HIGH GRADE”, “DAMASCUS STEEL”, on tops. Barrels appear to be of three stripe best English type with very regular tight pattern. Sides of barrels have high grade ogee filings. Barrel flats are unmarked, and bottoms of barrels are marked with serial number and another number “XX7777” along with remnants of a barrel makers mark. Front lump is fitted with later "in frame" type ejector trips. Typical LeFever action with early style sideplates being fitted with sears and cocking indicators features usual three position automatic safety, pivoting top fastener engaging shouldered doll's head rib extension, early type cocking hook without camming ridge on top, usual compensating hinge ball, and gold plated double triggers having checkered finger blades. Action is very nicely filed with cove moldings around beads, rebated tails of locks, chevron on top lever and fences intricately carved with dual “shamrocks” with floral leaves. Like all LeFever’s, engraving is quite fine and on action consists of about 50% coverage very nicely cut scroll within geometric borders. On the bottom there is a nicely detailed scene of hunter shooting snipe while standing in marsh. His setter, having already retrieved another snipe, looks on. Lock plates are fully engraved with more fine scroll and intricate herring bone borders surrounding central oval game motifs with a trio of rabbits on left lock plate and scene of two setters on right, one pointing while its companion watches a departing grouse. There are two flowers with associated leaves in front of each scene. “THE LEFEVER ARMS CO” is in arched band at the front of each lock plate. Trigger guard with matching scroll has central vignette of spaniel and snipe inlaid in gold, portrayed in marshy environment. Serial number is on trigger guard tang, which extends to notched horn grip cap. Mounting screw seats in engraved gold ring. Capped pistol grip buttstock of very attractive finely marbled and lightly figured European walnut measures 13 5/8” over black “Old English” pad. Inlet horn rectangles with shamrock heads act as drop points. Grip checkering is of fancy crenelated pattern with ribbons through grip pattern and separating large fancy flourish toward comb. A vacant gold shield is on toeline. Matching splinter forend with inlet horn tip is near fully checkered and has ribbons through pattern matching butt. Barrel release is of early push button type with escutcheon engraved in same manner as lock plate. The monogram “LACO” (LeFever Arms Co.) is on central button. This might lead one to believe this gun was made for factory exhibition. DIMENSIONS: Bore diameter: left - .733", choke restriction: .032"(full). Bore diameter: right - .734", choke restriction: .038"(extra full). Wall thickness: left - .040", right - .044". DAH: 2 7/8". DAC: 1 11/16". Neutral cast. Weight: 8 lbs. CONDITION: barrels retaining nearly all very fine rebrown with excellent definition to pattern, most likely done at the time gun was converted to later style ejectors; a very common practice. Action retains a considerable amount of original case hardening color where protected but is mostly pewter gray. All engraving remains sharp and clear. The triggers retain traces of their original gold plating. Stocks exhibit nearly all of a good oil refinish with sharp edges somewhat rounded. Checkering has been meticulously recut on both buttstock and forend. Pad is relatively new. Bores are fine, shiny with evidence of a few dents being removed mostly in left barrel. Action is tight. Barrels are on face. Ejectors are a bit sticky. There is evidence of factory removal of early type extractor in forend with plugged slot. A scarce and interesting High Grade LeFever. (01-20985/MGM). ANTIQUE. $25,000-35,000.