Of the major American shotgun SxS shotgun makers — Remington, Lefever, A.H. Fox, Ithaca, Parker Bros, & L.C. Smith – Lefever made the fewest guns. While most of other companies turned out over 200,000 doubles in their history, Lefever made just 65,000 or so shotguns (and a handful of double rifles).
Most of Lefever’s side-by-sides were lower grades in 10 and 12 gauges. As you climb the ladder to the gun’s top models – Bs, As, AAs, Optimuses and Thousand Dollar Grade, the production numbers drop fast. When you start looking foe twenty gauges in these higher grades, the numbers slip into the single digits. So when an unheard of, high-grade 20 gauge Lefever pops up, it’s big news to a handful of serious collectors.
This 20 gauge BE is that kind of big news. Made around 1911 or so, I hear this little Lefever was being walked around Saurday at the Las Vegas Antiques Arms Show. I’m sure it attracted a lot of attention.
