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I am new to this post and would like some info about an old
shotgun.
What is the date of manufacture?
What is the range of value from poor to excelent condition?
What type of loads are safe?
This is everything i could find on it.
Its a 12 Gauge double barrel.
Left barrel:LEFEVER.ARMS.CO.ITHACA.N.Y.
Right barrel:LEFEVER NITRO SPECIAL
Barrel length: 28".
Serial number:178615 on right side reciever under barrel.
Serial number:178615 on bottom of left barrel
There is a number 12 on left side of reciever under barrel.
Both sides of reciever have engravings of water foul taking off
from a pond.
No rust just a nice brown color like blueing but brown in color.
Checkered pistel grip on stock with red sholder pad on end with
one large and three smaller foul in flight.
Forearm does not have any checkering.
Inside of barrel in good condition on rust.
As far as value what are worth?
Thanks












same waterfoul

Hello
And welcome on your first post
Value, of course, is in the eye of the beholder, but
look at this auction link you will get a fair idea on your
shotgun's value

Short answer, from $275 to $400 depending on condition and other desireables

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/SearchR...04&Items=50

Mike

Hi Rick,
Your gun was made in 1923. The Nitro Special was a "hardware store gun" built for the masses. However, NS's are generally held in higher esteem then similar hardware store guns made during that period. If it were mine, I'd shoot standard, or lighter, 2.75� field loads in it. Also those old NS's had a lot of drop at the heal, if you're used to shooting modern shotguns you'll have to adjust your shooting style or expect to shoot under your target. Check out this article I wrote a few years ago it explains it better http://www.fourten.org.uk/st_patterning.html . One last thing, there should be a small number, 1 through 4, located on the barrel flats. This number is the choke on the barrel, 4 represents full choke and I believe 1 (or maybe 0) represents cylinder. Skeetx gave you the value.
Good luck with your Nitro Special.
Steve
BTW foul = icky, fowl = bird

Value is probably $200 to $400, depending upon the condition of the wood, metal finish, tightness, etc.

Its a decent shooter, but not of much interest to colectors.

On the Ithaca choke markings Cyl was 0, 1 was Imp Cyl, 2 Mod, 3 Imp Mod & 4 Full.
Also note Ithaca did not have a stamp for "Extra Full" in spite of all the Fairy Tales we here of guns so choked.

On a Nitro, the forearm should be checkered--or at least show the outline of where now worn off checkering used to be. If you can't see any indication of checkering, then the forend wood has been replaced.

The full choke in a lot of those old guns will pattern tighter than full with today's modern loads.

Miller,
You're right about the extra full designation. I had a late 1930's vintage NS that was choked .050/025 yet was marked 4/2. Unfortunately, I never patterened the gun. I do know that my son dropped a pheasant with it at 50-60 yards.
Steve

According to the serial number chronology in Walter Snyder's book, 178615 would be a 1924 (158700-185399) vintage Nitro Special. The Nitro Special was introduced in 1921 in 12-, 16-, and 20-gauges, with serial numbers starting at 100000. The .410-bore was added to the line in 1926.

Researcher,
When I said 1923 I just went by the "Other Useful Information" source listed on this website at the bottom of the page. You need to tell Dave that Walter says he's wrong.
Steve

The listing in "Other Useful Information" was put out by Ithaca back in the 1960s. Walter's more carefully compiled serial number chronology is available on the Ithaca Gun Co. web site --

http://www.ithacagun.com/pdfs/serialnumbers.pdf