Is this old gun safe to shoot?

sleeping dog · May 28, 2001, 04:30 PM

I ran across a Lefever Nitro Special from Lefever Arms of Ithaca, NY. The serial is 229xxx. The two barrels are side-by-side and it has two triggers. It is in nice shape with most of the blue intact on the barrel and none of the blue intact on the receiver. Can this design handle modern ammunition?
Thanks

sleeping dog · May 28, 2001, 04:32 PM

oh, by the way, It's a 12 gauge.

Steve B · May 28, 2001, 05:00 PM

Do the barrels look like damascus steel? If so, don`t shoot modern loads through it!

sleeping dog · May 28, 2001, 05:06 PM

I don't know what Damascus steel looks like. This is just a black barrel (from the bluing) and the bore is just shiny. It looks very ordinary.

adept · May 28, 2001, 06:12 PM

what do you reccomend for for the demascus 12ga??

Dave McC · May 28, 2001, 07:46 PM

Any old shotgun(or other gun for that matter) should be checked out by a competent smith before any firing is done.

Loading and shooting w/o a check may qualify one for the Darwin Awards, and/or ruin a classic shotgun.

Even w/o Damascus/twist steel bbls, many old guns do not hold up well with modern ammo.

And, many old guns are chambered for short shells, like 2 1/2 12 gauges or the older 2 9/16" 16 ga. Putting a longer shell in one of these is tantamount to holding a grenade about 1 foot in front of your eyes and pulling the pin. Did you know that shotguns and grenades have about the same working pressure?

Lefevre shotguns,designed by "Uncle Dan" Lefevre,are one of the classics. If the smith checks out this one and OKs shooting it some, I'd stick to lighter loads like 1oz,3 dram, or 1 1/8 oz, 3 dram.

If it is Damascus, there are some lower power/pressure loads available, and also some 2 1/2 shells, but they don't come cheap.

Dave McC · May 28, 2001, 07:47 PM

Oh, yes, the forum that Harley Nolden runs here may have some folks who can tell you more about this classic.

Al Thompson · May 28, 2001, 08:19 PM

Hang on to your hats, off to Harley's we go!

May 28, 2001, 06:12 PM	#5
adept Senior Member Join Date: April 9, 2001 Posts: 410	what do you reccomend for for the demascus 12ga?? __________________ "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin, 1759

May 28, 2001, 04:30 PM	#1
sleeping dog Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2000 Location: MI Posts: 536	I ran across a Lefever Nitro Special from Lefever Arms of Ithaca, NY. The serial is 229xxx. The two barrels are side-by-side and it has two triggers. It is in nice shape with most of the blue intact on the barrel and none of the blue intact on the receiver. Can this design handle modern ammunition? Thanks

May 28, 2001, 04:32 PM	#2
sleeping dog Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2000 Location: MI Posts: 536	oh, by the way, It's a 12 gauge.

May 28, 2001, 05:00 PM	#3
Steve B Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2000 Location: Maynard, MA Posts: 106	Do the barrels look like damascus steel? If so, don`t shoot modern loads through it!

May 28, 2001, 05:06 PM	#4
sleeping dog Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2000 Location: MI Posts: 536	I don't know what Damascus steel looks like. This is just a black barrel (from the bluing) and the bore is just shiny. It looks very ordinary.

May 28, 2001, 07:46 PM	#6
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Any old shotgun(or other gun for that matter) should be checked out by a competent smith before any firing is done. Loading and shooting w/o a check may qualify one for the Darwin Awards, and/or ruin a classic shotgun. Even w/o Damascus/twist steel bbls, many old guns do not hold up well with modern ammo. And, many old guns are chambered for short shells, like 2 1/2 12 gauges or the older 2 9/16" 16 ga. Putting a longer shell in one of these is tantamount to holding a grenade about 1 foot in front of your eyes and pulling the pin. Did you know that shotguns and grenades have about the same working pressure? Lefevre shotguns,designed by "Uncle Dan" Lefevre,are one of the classics. If the smith checks out this one and OKs shooting it some, I'd stick to lighter loads like 1oz,3 dram, or 1 1/8 oz, 3 dram. If it is Damascus, there are some lower power/pressure loads available, and also some 2 1/2 shells, but they don't come cheap.

May 28, 2001, 07:47 PM	#7
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Oh, yes, the forum that Harley Nolden runs here may have some folks who can tell you more about this classic.

May 28, 2001, 08:19 PM	#8
Al Thompson Staff Alumnus Join Date: May 2, 1999 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,611	Hang on to your hats, off to Harley's we go!