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Forums10
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Jun 14th, 2026
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,814 Likes: 2
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,814 Likes: 2 |
A Lefever "H" came home this week from Steve Bertram who did his usual Fabulous job of tuning and tightening. This "H" has twist Bbls with good pattern, and is almost white in color. What color were these Bbls when it left the factory?
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,961 Likes: 10
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,961 Likes: 10 |
Black and silver (white)
bill
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,022 Likes: 627
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,022 Likes: 627 |
Lefever Twist  Lefever Three Iron Crolle 
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,598
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,598 |
The proper finish all depends on condition. If it needs to be re-etched then you can do it yourself, maybe: http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbt...;gonew=1#UNREAD Or you can send it out to done (recommended for most): Buck Hamlin Pevely, MO 636-479-4304 Dale Edmonds Kansas City, MO 816-444-2040 Keith Kearcher Bend, OR 541-617-9299 http://members.toast.net/keithkearcher Dewey Vicknair Ephrata, Pennsylvania 717-733-2145 DVicknair@dejazzd.com I have seen work by all of the above. Each is very good. I have used Dale Edmonds. Buck Hamlin is a recognized Lefever specialist / expert. Keith Kearcher produces a very nice browned barrel. Dewey Vicknair also produces some beautiful b&w. Lefever got their damascus and twist tubes from both Belgium and England. The Belgian tubes were almost always finished black & white, while the English tubes were almost always brown & white. Their steel barrels came from Krupp and possibly other sources. I do believe that the H grade twist was black and white. While the H was supposed to have twist there are some examples of damascus on the H out there. Pete
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,814 Likes: 2
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,814 Likes: 2 |
Thanks guys, particularly RevDoc! My "H" bbls look just like the twist bbls in the pic.(with some minor blemishing). SO..Aint gonna touch em, except for cleaning and an application of tung oil. She shoots too, 2 roosters this morning...
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,066 Likes: 4
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,066 Likes: 4 |
Pete M I have a LeFever 16 gauge Damascus - serials at about 1902. How do I tell if the tubes came from Belgium or England?
Best,
Mike
I am glad to be here.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,022 Likes: 627
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,022 Likes: 627 |
Probably can't Mike. Are there any maker's marks on the barrels immediately forward of the flats? LLH - Laurent Lochet-Habran- found on STEEL brl Smith, Lefever, Fox & Ithaca (esp. the Lefever Nitro Special) 
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,974 Likes: 108
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,974 Likes: 108 |
Chuck, I agree that B&W was probably the color of most Lefever barrels. However, I have a minty G grade that has seldom seen the sun and the color is somewhere between black and brown--I'd say more brown than black. As I recall, Keith Kearcher thinks some barrels were browned. In my opinion, brown and white is a lot more attractive on a gun that has a lot of patina (age) on its other parts. It tends to blend in rather than jump out at you.
Glad you're still able to hit a pheasant. Are you still ground swatting them with the cannon? Heh, heh. Quail hunting here is pretty good though so warm and dry the dogs can't smell their butts.
John McCain is my war hero.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,974 Likes: 108
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,974 Likes: 108 |
Mike, the odds are 999 to 1 that the barrels are Belgium. Douglas Tate in his book, "Birmingham Gunmakers", includes a report written for the Board of Trade in 1913. The report states, "Barrel welders are men employed in welding steel and iron into blanks or rough tubes. A large percentage of the rough tubes is imported from Belgium. There are in Birmingham only about six men who are skilled hand welders."
Last edited by Joe Wood; 12/04/07 07:21 PM.
John McCain is my war hero.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,022 Likes: 627
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,022 Likes: 627 |
What Joe said.
And after Germany swept through Belgium, Aug. 4, 1914 on the way to France, damascus and steel barrels from the Liege gun industry
were no longer available to US makers.
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