doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Lefever 20 pics / info??

DS grades were the least expensive and generally most used and abused grades except for possibly I grades. This specimen is quite nice and would be best left as is. I don't think a full restoration would enhance the value or pleasure of owning it. I have a DS 20 in somewhat lesser overall condition and it will pass from me to it's next owner with no more than a light cleaning and oiling and a little wax on the wood. Neither will I be touching up my increasing gray hair to appear as something I'm not. This is only my opinion and I would not fault anyone for restoring their rusty and dog-chewed gun.

Thank you all for your replys.After this crash course on Lefevers, I now know a 1000% more about them than before.I am going to leave the gun as is,it has a few very minor battle scars, but so do I, and I'm not 96 years old. Cheers.

I luv that "ball und pinion" hinge pin". Time to dust of that cowboy hat, put on them chaps, join SASS and do some shootin!

I would not mess with that gun much. The barrel flats show some case color left. The whole thing is "right." If the bores are good leave it alone, take care of it and hunt it gently.

To do a "redo" on that gun would be a disservice in my opinion. There are guns out there that need a redo. But the honest ones like this one are too few and far between. My .02. Jake

I have two Lefevers. Both were 100% refurbished by Buck Hamlin, one of the best SxS gunsmiths working today.

Unless an older classic American SxS shotgun is already in 80% condition, I prefer to have it returned to 100% condition. I like them to look like they did when they were new. And then I hunt with them, or shoot clays.

In addition to the LeFevers, I also own and shoot refurbished Foxes, Elsies, and a Remington 1900. To me it seems a way to properly honor the old gun by returning it to first class condition; just as one might restore a 1932 Packard.

I know that others hold a different view.

JERRY

So I think the majority opinion is that if its 80% or better leave it alone. If not then refinish it. I can buy into that. Thanks for all your opinions.

American collectors have long sold themselves on the original gun, they've made this bed years ago. At this point, I wouldn't do, a redo. Buy the most original gun you can and live with it.

I have several original Lefevers and plan to keep them that way. I restored on G grade that was in very poor condition. It was a lot of work and I farmed the checking, annealing, and case hardening out. It came out nice but I doubt if the value when up. I had a broken stock on an FE, and had Keith Kearcher restock it, I use the gun for bird hunting. My latest project is going on three and one half years, I had an G grade re-stocked by Doug Mann, engraved by Ken Hurst, case hardening by C.G.I. and barrels (black and white) by Dale Edmonds I have some pictures and will post them when the gun comes back.
I will be in Vancouver for the ABFM event next weekend at Van Dusen Park,(?) with the Morgans, stop by if you have time.
I could not see redoing an 80% gun but a 50%, if I had the time.
John

Pete

I've seen American shotguns in near-new original condition, but I've never seen an American gun that was restored to new condition.

I've seen lots of American guns that have been fully refinished and they all look that way - refinished. The color are usually off, the wood is not quite right, etc.

So I say don't do it. I don't like guns that look refinished.

(OR do it. That way my original guns will be more valuable.)

OWD