Just found this forum and I have a couple of questions about a Nitro Special 20 ga that I have aquired. This gun has a single trigger, I understand most had double triggers. Was this standard on some models or special order? I am trying to determine the value of this gun. I have looked at pics of a few on the net and they don't come close to the condition of this one. It has a few bumps and bruises, but try as I might I can't grade it any less than 95% original condition. The color case hardening is very rich, the barrels are 26" and other than a small ding in the rib they are flawless and deep dark blue. All the markings and engravings on the gun are sharp and clear. There is absolutely no wear on the extractors, breech faces, firing pins, nothing. Locks up tight with the lever centered in the stock. Safety is crisp. The stocks are in great condition with 98% original finish remaining. There are a couple of scratches and a nick or two, but absolutely no cracks or chips. It has a 13" lop and a very nicely fitted recoil pad. Forearm is as nice or nicer than the butt stock. No splits and looks like it hasn't been snapped off over once or twice in it's life. I know you will need pics and I will try to post up a few today. Thanks!!
A single trigger was a $3.21 option as I recall.
Boogan1:
Left you a response over on the Lefever forum.
Roy
Nice find. Don't often find Nitro Specials in that nice a shape!! According to the table in Walter's book that is a 1936-vintage gun. From the Jan. 25, 1936, Dealers Quotations a Nitro Special had an Advertised Retail price of $28.90 and the single trigger was a $4.60 option. There has been a 20-gauge Ithaca-built Lefever A-Grade Model 5 with the single trigger sitting at a shop near me for some time now. It also has a rather short stock and a recoil pad.
Roy, Could you post the web address of the Lefever site.
Thanks
Nice looking gun, but it was the bargain basement grade, trading off the Lefever name and marketed as a price point gun. In 100% shape, which this one is not, it might be worth a grand. If it were an original Lefever in DS, H or G grade it would be worth several times this much. Now if someone really wants it they might pay more. Market price is what someone is willing to pay.
I bought a Nitro Special 20 that had been restocked with an superb Black walnut crotch stock, in almost as nice a shape metal finish wise as this one and paid much less than a grand. The stock puts most Winchester 21's or Ithaca Grade 5's to shame. Pity it was put on a Nitro Special. I guess the owner wanted the one of a kind.
Biggest drawback with this one I can see is the 13" LOP. That will not fit too many shooters in this day and age. If I was going to use it I would consider fitting it with one of the extra thick recoil pads.
Jim
I believe standard stock dimensions for the NS called for a LOP of about 14". Note also this was normally measured from the "Front" trigger of a two triggered gun. Note also this single trigger is set in the rear trigger position, so assuming about a 1" spacing for the triggers, this is most certainly just a standard NS stock. Perhaps the single trigger was ordered for a boy or short armed lady to make it easier for them to shoot without the greater expense of a custom stocking, a use to which it could still well be put.
KY Jon, sorry if my "bastard" Lefever offended you. LOL!
I like it myself. However it pretty much is an Ithica. Still a nice gun, still has a lot of history and tradition behind it. I wouldn't call it a "bastard" I would call it a working mans gun.
I was just making a little joke as KY Jon came across as a Lefever purist. My bad. LOL.
It is not a bastard anymore than the Savage Fox Model B guns are a bastard. The company made a lower grade gun and used the name from a higher grade gun to give it a little more appeal. I suspect this it the way they, Ithaca, saw to recover some of their investment they had from buying out the Lefever company. They never seemed to have made many, if any new Lefever guns from scratch, it looks like they just used up inventory of parts to assemble guns until they were all gone. Savage used the "Fox" name, on a lower grade gun in the 40's to give it more appeal later.
It is, what it is. A solid shooter in very nice condition. Not a mint gun or a extremely rare gun but a very nice gun. It is like finding a '62 Chevy Impala in nice condition. Not too many around, but it is still not a '62 Vette. The vette in this case would be a Ithaca NID in grade 4 or 5 in the same condition. But most vettes these days are being sold to old men, wanting to be young again, not young men without money. I suspect the same thing occurred back then when young men had little money and bought Nitro Specials because the Parkers, Smiths and Ithacas grade 5's were beyond their means.
KY Jon, I agree, definitely a working mans gun. From what I have seen, that's why the single trigger is kind of a rarity, most places that ordered the nitro specials to sell didn't choose that extra 5.00 option so they could keep the price down. Glad you didn't take offense to my joking.
Look at a picture of Chuck's 410 Nitro, that's a pretty nice gun by anyone's standards. I still think they are the best deal on the market for the older American guns. And being an Ithaca, they're virtually indestructible.
I don't like that single trigger though a great feature for a collector, not so good for a hunter or shooter.
All the best
I was thinking the single trigger guns may be collectable but as treblig says, likely not all that good for the shooter.
Look at a picture of Chuck's 410 Nitro, that's a pretty nice gun by anyone's standards. I still think they are the best deal on the market for the older American guns. ...
Especially, since it was what he's asking for this one.
