Although the famous Lefever Arms gun had side plates it was basically a box lock design, albeit a very inventive one. The latter was the sole American sidelock gun. Fox, Ithaca, Winchester 21, Lefever, and L.C. The best known of the great American double guns are the Parker, A.H. Most were box lock designs, as that type of action quickly became the American standard, but there was at least one famous side lock gun. Co.ĭuring the last quarter of the 19th Century and the first half of the 20th Century some fine side by side, double-barreled shotguns were made in the USA. Illustration courtesy of Connecticut Shotgun Mfg. Nothing makes a gun more effective than practice.By Chuck Hawks Model 21 shotgun. Treat it well and it will treat you well. I have many nicer guns, but none that I treasure more than that old Lafever.īuy the gun. But it's never had a speck of rust anywhere and the bore are smooth, shiny, and bright. Today the case hardening is almost all gone, the blueing is well worn, and the wood has a dark patina from the oil in the hands of four generations of hunters. The gun still locks up just as tight as the day I received it from my Father. I have hunted and shot clays with this gun over 35 years now.

It was my Father's field gun until 1976 when he gave it to me on my 12th Christmas. My Grandfather hunted with that gun for almost 20 years before giving it to my Father. It was bought as a gift for my Great Grandfather who used it a few times in the field before his death. I have a 16Ga Lafever Nitro Special made in 1926. 'A man never has enough shotguns or dogs'

If I got my face in too tight against that stock the shot would go low. My Nitro Special was a 12 gauge made in 1929, and it was a solid and reliable performer as long as I remembered not to press my cheek too firmly against the stock, which had a lot of drop. However, there were variations, including beavertail forearms and a single selective trigger. Most Nitro Specials have color case hardened receivers, double triggers, plain extractors, a low solid rib, and semi-pistol grip walnut stocks and splinter forearms checkered about 16 lpi. Nitro Specials were designed for modern smokeless powder shells (but not steel shot) and any Nitro Special that has not been abused should be safe to use today, which is why the model is included here. The Nitro Special was not a fancy gun, but it was hell for strong. Lefever and Sons were highly regarded and are mostly collectors' items today. The earlier Lefever double guns manufactured by the Lefever Arms Company and D.M. Ithaca had bought Lefever in 1916 and wanted to capitalize on the famous name. It was not a true Dan Lefever design rather it was an Ithaca boxlock design, the precursor of the famous Ithaca NID that appeared four years later. American Lefever Nitro Special was introduced in 1921 and discontinued in 1948, making it the oldest gun included in this article.

Lefever nitro special 12 gauge