doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com D. M. Lefever Sidelever- How many?

I have highly suspected for some time, that in spite of much criticism tendered at Johnson's early Parker book, that he was correct in that early grading was primarily based on the pattern, thus cost, of the damascus bbls. Along these lines it is I think noteworthy that over the same period of time, "Catalog List" prices of Parker guns were increasing per grade, while Lefevers stayed the same virtually throughtout their existence. During this period Lefever added several lower grades & upgraded engraving etc on existing grades.

Miller: In your opinion, was the quality of the Sidecocker as good as the later guns, or were they still teething? I may have a chance to buy one, and if I do I want to shoot it like I do my others....Maybe the real question is , is it more of a collectible?

LD;
The closest I ever came to actually owning a side cocker was I missed one about 40yrs ago a man had sold some 2-weeks previous to me meeting him for the Grand Sum of $25.00. Have only seen a few & never had the oportunity to really examine them closely. Have actually seen more of the earlier hammer guns in which Lefever partnered in than side-cockers. All I have seen though seemed to be well built, & I would think, that "IF" in appropriate condition & with appropriate loads should be quite useable, If I had one I would find out.
PS; could be wrong here, but I believe the E grade was the lowest built during the side-cocker era. I beleive the F grade was not added until after the "Automatic Hammerless" had been introduced, The G grade along about the time of the "Two-Hook" guns & H & DS grades did not come along until well into the Large Hook era.

Thanks, this is a semi local gun, private party. I am going to visit with him agian next week...

These are 1897 prices.


Pete

PeteM:

You wouldn't happen to have an alloted manufacture time to go along w/ the cost would you? Or could obtained indirectly by looking at wage costs from the period. I've seen some wage values from 1879 for French fitters and machinemen between 3s. 7d. to 4s. 6d. and for a blacksmith 3s. 9d. at an ironworks for a given 10 hour French workday while the Belgians had a 10 1/2 hour workday and the blacksmiths were paid at a daily rate of 3s. 2d. to 3s. 11d.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Raimey,

The trouble with the Belgian numbers is that the barrels were produced by guild members, thus everything was piece work. After 1890 more and more was being done by factories. After 1914 the guilds were much history in Belgium. I believe the day rate would have been 3 to 5 francs per day. But that was subject to fluctuations as the economy changed.

The traditional answer for time invested it something like 3 men working for 2 days to produce a set of barrels. This changed with time, obviously, as the production methods became more automated. Still every tube would have seen at least 150 heatings.

Additionally, there were makers who took short cuts that while they increased production resulted in very bad barrels.

I think the price list(s) reflect the royalties paid for the various patterns, at least in part. I wish we could surface a price list from the rolling mills showing the cost per billet based on pattern. None of the museums in Liege are aware of such a document, neither are the major researchers there. But they keep looking for it.

Pete

I just got one of these things. Serial # 1908. Daly marked with Linder marks on the barrels. Any one interested in talking?
Later. Drew.

Gee Last Dollar, you snooze with Drew around and see what happens? He is quick.....

I have shot my sidecocker at hunting and clays. Now, I don't shoot it much, but I find the mechanism fun to use. I do get a bit uncomfortable trying to take the gun off cock while loaded. I guess one could open the gun first before doing that.