doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com First time, 100 + Lefever and BP loads!

We had a nice forecast for Wednesday so my buddy and I took the day off and spent several hours enjoying the spectacular scenery NY has to offer in the autumn. The first stop was fairly hilly so I carried my 16ga. NID but the second stop was some easy rolling fields and I shouldered my Lefever G grade Damascus gun for the first time in the 10 plus years I've owned it.

I picked it up many years ago at the Kittery Trading post for a song. The gun seems all original to me (I haven't measured the bores and chokes yet) but at one point it suffered a ring bulge in the right barrel about 12 inches back from the muzzle. I have been wary about shooting it because of that, but after reading up about ring bulges this one didn't seem like it would preclude shooting the gun with sensible loads. The gun seemed a bit loose but I was one of the lucky ones that had no problem taking up the adjustment, my screw was not frozen. The barrels still ring like a church bell so I was confident it wouldn't be a problem.

I picked up a box of Estate BP loads at the Vintagers 3-4 years ago, 7-1/2's which is what I like to use on the preserve pheasants we have around here.

I missed both shots at my first flush, I forgot to account for the excessive drop on the gun but the next time around I just stretched my reach on the forend and brought down the next two birds. It was a low humidity day and a slight breeze took care of the smoke quickly but I absolutely love that Ka-Boom sound of these shells.

I made sure to look down the tube after each shot to make confirm the wads hadn't stopped at the bulge, no problems.

I'd love to have the barrels redone on this gun to pop the Damascus pattern but the price of ring bulge repair doesn't make this feasible. So I'll take it out once a season until the price on G's rises enough and makes it worthwhile to have it done right.

If you want to shoot BP- fine, but my G grade Lefever and others
do just great with 2 3/4x1 oz Rio,Kemen, Gamebore, B&P smokeless.
All of thes gans for all practical purposes are proved for smokeless and you should not be afraid of these "modern" loads.
Millions of rounds of smokeless have been shot in these guns and
I have yet to hear of a problem with Laminated or twist bbls vs steel.

Nice old G even sans the finish. I see it's a "Two-Hooker" & has the plate mounted sears. Beautiful country in the background there too.

Stallones, I have quite a few guns to shoot, the allure of the "G" is the blackpowder so I'll stick with it for the few times a year it used. It's more gun than I want to carry around all day. To me it's more of a novelty, being able to shoot the old girl.
Have you ever shot the Federal Classic Loads? Supposedly less than 5000psi...

Miller, I call the lack of finish "patina", that wood really glows and there are traces of the Damascus pattern left in places. If the prices of G's ever get high enough I'll have the barrels redone but the truth of it is it would cost well over $1000 to have the ribs removed to fix the bulge and then relayed and rebrowned. I'll shoot it as is for now.

RR;
I have one G with really high condition finish so don't get it out much. The Lefevers I shoot are full of "Patina". My real point was "Don't Apologize" for thar patina, just shows it was put to good use, other than filling a slot in a cabinet. Enjoy it. I don't really anticipate having any of my Lefevers "Restored", would rather spend the money on another having different features, the variety of these is so high.

Rob, beautiful old Lefever! Not all have excessive drop. The last Lefever i bought is a GE 16 damascus with drops of 11/4"x2" at heel. Had to lower the comb to be able to shoot it. Bobby

Thank you Bobby, it sure was fun to shoot. I'd love to get my hands on a 16ga. straight stock for the pheasants.