- Lefever Shotgun Serial Number Date Serial
- Serial Numbers - Ithaca Gun Co.
- Shotgunworld.com • Lefever 4 Digit Serial Number
- Shotgunworld.com • Lefever Numbers
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The New Lefever Hammerless Shotguns Uncle Dan Grade: This is the highest grade gun we build and is superior to any other gun in the market for beauty of outline and balance. The engraving consists of beautiful designs in game and landscape scenery with inlaid work of gold that consists of dogs and birds. “Uncle Dan” Lefever founded the Lefever Arms Company in 1884. In 1901 he was forced out of his company and founded the D.M. Lefever, Sons & Company. He continued to produce high-grade, side-by-side shotguns, but of a totally new boxlock design. There were approximately 1,200 shotguns of all variations. I have an Iver Johnson 12 ga. Champion single barrel shotgun, serial number 26574. It is a “Top Snap Shotgun” which I have been told was probably manufactured between 1905 to 1908. I have reason to believe this may have been my Grandfathers gun who lived in Illinois and was killed before I was born 1942.
Grades
Grade marking A though E began with the Barber & Lefever Guns. Not all Barber and Lefever guns have a grade marking.
Most all of the Nichols & Lefever are marked A though E.
After Nichols went off on his own he added a AA grade.
The Sidecockers were marked AA though E.
Lefever Arms Co. guns started out with grades AA though F. F grade only had minimal border line engraving.
There are also unmarked guns that we call special order guns. Special order guns can be a very basic to higher than an Optimus grade.
The next grade to appear want the Optimus around the 102xx range.
The next grade Dan added was the G or Ideal grade around the 14xxx range. The G had little or no engraving. The F by now had a bird or a dog on each side.
The H was added around 19xxx and was basically a G grade with twist barrels. As a lower grade was added, it seems like the rest of the grade were up-graded.
The Special Order gun pretty much went away when Dan left lefever Arms.
The DS and I grades were add around the 36xxx range. The very first one had cocking indactors, a dolls head, and twist barrels. The was quickly changed to steel barrels with not dolls head and cocking indactors.
I'm not real sure when if at all the 1000 dollar grade came onto the scene.
DM Lefever & Sons guns were built in the 0 excelsior, 9F, 8E, 7D, 6C, 5B, 4AA, 3 Optimus, and the Uncle Dan grades.
Variations of LAC guns
Cockers
Cocking rods, 91xx-13xxx
2 piece, 12xxx-25xxx
Small hook, 17xxx-25xxx
large hook, 17xxx-73xxx
Forends
Push button, 91xx-27xxx
Dogs head, 20xxx-32xxx
Snap-on, 25xxx-73xxx
Clam shell, 45xxx-73xxx
Openers
Thunb puah, 91xx-99xx
Pivot, 95xx-14xxx
Standard, 15xxx-73xxxd
Gauges
8ga, 92xx-23xxx
10ga, 92xx-65xxx
12ga, 91xx-73xxx
14ga, 103xx-114xx
16ga, 91xx-72xxx
20ga, 24xxx-73xxx
3 Barrel, 91xx-92xx
Double rifle, 94xx-11xxx
Grade marking A though E began with the Barber & Lefever Guns. Not all Barber and Lefever guns have a grade marking.
Most all of the Nichols & Lefever are marked A though E.
After Nichols went off on his own he added a AA grade.
The Sidecockers were marked AA though E.
Lefever Arms Co. guns started out with grades AA though F. F grade only had minimal border line engraving.
There are also unmarked guns that we call special order guns. Special order guns can be a very basic to higher than an Optimus grade.
The next grade to appear want the Optimus around the 102xx range.
The next grade Dan added was the G or Ideal grade around the 14xxx range. The G had little or no engraving. The F by now had a bird or a dog on each side.
The H was added around 19xxx and was basically a G grade with twist barrels. As a lower grade was added, it seems like the rest of the grade were up-graded.
The Special Order gun pretty much went away when Dan left lefever Arms.
The DS and I grades were add around the 36xxx range. The very first one had cocking indactors, a dolls head, and twist barrels. The was quickly changed to steel barrels with not dolls head and cocking indactors.
I'm not real sure when if at all the 1000 dollar grade came onto the scene.
DM Lefever & Sons guns were built in the 0 excelsior, 9F, 8E, 7D, 6C, 5B, 4AA, 3 Optimus, and the Uncle Dan grades.
Variations of LAC guns
Cockers
Cocking rods, 91xx-13xxx
2 piece, 12xxx-25xxx
Small hook, 17xxx-25xxx
large hook, 17xxx-73xxx
Forends
Push button, 91xx-27xxx
Dogs head, 20xxx-32xxx
Snap-on, 25xxx-73xxx
Clam shell, 45xxx-73xxx
Openers
Thunb puah, 91xx-99xx
Pivot, 95xx-14xxx
Standard, 15xxx-73xxxd
Gauges
8ga, 92xx-23xxx
10ga, 92xx-65xxx
12ga, 91xx-73xxx
14ga, 103xx-114xx
16ga, 91xx-72xxx
20ga, 24xxx-73xxx
3 Barrel, 91xx-92xx
Double rifle, 94xx-11xxx
This chonology is primarily the effort of LACA member Bob Noble. The numbers are mostly from his collection of Lefever serial numbers. I’t can’t possibly be all inclusive because the factory records have long since disappeared and these numbers are based on the onbservations af Bob Noble and some LACA members who report findings to Bob. You can help out the LACA by reporting numbers to either Bob Noble at: [email protected] or to the LACA at:[email protected]. The accuracy of the following data are only as good as the reports we receive.
GRADE OF GUN: | FIRST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: | LAST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: |
---|---|---|
$1000 | 24993 | 24993 |
Optimus | 10253 | 65467 |
AA | 9348 | 51071 |
A | 9121 | 71355 |
B | 9119 | 65703 |
C | 9136 | 73115 |
D | 9140 | 58484 |
E | 9027 | 73120 |
F | 9274 | 71888 |
G | 14125 | 72637 |
H | 19211 | 73338 |
I | 36182 | 61487 |
DS | 36187 | 73156 |
SO | 9347 | 41834 |
Lefever Shotgun Serial Number Date Serial
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Serial Numbers - Ithaca Gun Co.
GAUGE OF GUN: | FIRST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: | LAST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: |
---|---|---|
8 | 9274 | 23303 |
10 | 9027 | 65467 |
12 | 9121 | 73338 |
14 | 10389 | 114xx |
16 | 9136 | 72079 |
20 | 12333 | 72951 |
COCKING MECHANISM TYPE: | FIRST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: | LAST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: |
---|---|---|
Cocking Rod | 9027 | 13219 |
2 Piece hook | 12738 | 25382 |
Small Hook | 17776 | 25286 |
Large Hook | 17766 | 73342 |
FOREND TYPE: | FIRST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: | LAST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: |
---|---|---|
Push Button | 9027 | 27410 |
Dogs Head | 20939 | 32988 |
Snap-on | 25200 | 73338 |
Clam Shell | 45583 | 73101 |
TYPES OF EJECTORS: | FIRST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: | LAST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: |
---|---|---|
Forend | 17520 | 24781 |
In-Frame | 17768 | 73120 |
ITHACA BUILT/ASSEMBLED GUNS: | FIRST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: | LAST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: |
---|---|---|
Sideplates | 34XXX | 733XX |
Shotgunworld.com • Lefever 4 Digit Serial Number
TYPES OF OPENERS USED: | FIRST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: | LAST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: |
---|---|---|
Thumb push | 9027 | 9993 |
Pivot | 9568 | 14851 |
Standard | 15525 | 73342 |
Shotgunworld.com • Lefever Numbers
TYPES OF BARRELS USED: | FIRST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: | LAST KNOWN SERIAL NUMBER: |
---|---|---|
Steel | 9764 | 73165 |
Whitworth | 9764 | 73165 |
Krupp | 22421 | 73123 |
Carman Fluid | 44069 | 72657 |
Twist | 13864 | 73338 |