Walter, This is from the May 2014 Lefever Arms Collectors Association newsletter:
While at the 2014 Southern Side by Side a fellow brought in a truly unique Lefever Arms F grade 12 gauge. The serial number was 63047. What was unique was that the stock was
dissected and fitted with adjustable joints that would allow changes in length of pull, comb
and heel drop, cast and pitch. The plate on the stock is labeled A. P. Curtis. This gun is not unknown as it is pictured on page 154 of Bob Elliott’s Uncle Dan Lefever; Master Gunmaker.
The fellow that owned the gun stated that 7 of these “try-guns” were made by A. P. Curtis. Although Bob Elliott states that 7 were made for Lefever we believe this is a mistake. Bob Noble tells me that no others have ever surfaced. Curtis was an engineer of sorts who worked at various times for both Hunter Arms (L. C. Smith) and the Ithaca Gun Company.
He stated that three were made for L.C Smiths and four for Ithacas. Where does this leave the Lefever. Bob Noble suspected based both on the very late serial number and the
overall shape of the underlying stock that this was an Ithaca Gun Co. assembled gun. This example being one of four built for the Ithaca Gun Co. A. P. Curtis was working for the
Ithaca Gun Co. in 1916 where he redesigned the top bolt of the Flues model double barrel.
This mechanism was later used on the Lefever Nitro Specials.
