If this were 2005, I would be scheming to buy this 16 gauge Lefever FE. I used to love Lefevers. Of all the American SxSs, they’re sleekest and best looking. They’re also unique designs — a taster of the fruit that fell from the brain of they’re creator, Daniel Myron Lefever.
D.M. Lefever was one of America’s most inventive gunmakers. Born in upstate New York in 1835, he opened his first gunshop in 1857. Over the next two decades, he formed partnerships with a number men — Ellis, Dangerfield, Barber & Nichols — and built a wide range of muzzle- and breech-loading firearms.
In 1880 he formed the Lefever Arms Co in Syracuse, NY. The company was only around until 1919, and they only built around 65,000 shotguns (Parker made 200,000+ SxSs, Ithaca made many, many more). I’m not sure how many of Lefever’s guns were 16s, but estimates say fewer than 15%.
The 16 gauge you here is an F grade with ejectors (the E in F-E). Lefevers came in range of grades (see more about them here), and the F was a lower middle, comparable to Parker GH or a Fox B. I’ve owned several 16g F-grade Lefevers. They were all nice guns, and I’ve been looking at this one again and again, wondering if needs to be in my safe.
BTW: If you have a Lefever and you would like to know more about it, I’m happy to help. Just email me at gregg@dogsanddoubles.com
LEFEVER SYRACUSE, FE GRADE, 16 GAUGE: ON A 20 GAUGE FRAME, 28″ DAMASCUS BARRELS, GOOD PATTERN. AUTOMATIC EJECTORS, MIRROR BRIGHT BORES, TWIN IVORY SIGHTS. LOTS OF LIGHT CASE COLOR, COCKING INDICATORS, EXCELLENT ENGRAVED SCREWS, MALLARD ON RIGHT LOCK, SNIPE ON LEFT PPLUS FINE SCROLL AND BORDERS. TOP LEVER TO THE RIGHT, TIGHT ON FACE. PISTOL GRIP STOCK, SPPLINTER FOREARM, VERY GOOD WOOD AND CHECKERING, 1 1/2″ X 2 1/2″ X 14″, SOLID SILVERS PAD. 6 1/2 POUNDS. Price: $3,500
