Help Identifying Lefever Combo Triple Shotgun
- Thread starter G2X
- Start date
I think a post got lost.
There is some info on the Lefever here:
http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=47567
Jim
There is some info on the Lefever here:
http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=47567
Jim
Don't know if this helps.
I think a lot of those came out of Germany in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Some can be worth a lot. There is a German term for them, I can not remember it for the life of me. They are illegal in some states to hunt with because of the rifle barrel.
BG
I think a lot of those came out of Germany in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Some can be worth a lot. There is a German term for them, I can not remember it for the life of me. They are illegal in some states to hunt with because of the rifle barrel.
BG
The German term is "drilling" (triplet). IIRC someone once said the Lefever guns were actually imported from Germany, but I do not know that for a fact, though if it is true, the guns should have German proof marks.
Guns made by the Three-Barrel Gun Company were made in the U.S.
Jim
Guns made by the Three-Barrel Gun Company were made in the U.S.
Jim
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While Vierling's (4-bbl combo guns) have one of the rifle bbl's in the top rib (usually a smallbore, like a .22cal CF) - that's the first drilling (3-bbl combo gun) I've ever seen with a barrel arrangement like that.
These are the usual combinations.
Is that drilling actually marked "Lefever", or "Lefever Arms Co" (NY), or "D.M.Lefever" (OH) - or is somebody simply referring to it as bring "a Lefever" ?
Better pics, of the bbl tops & the bbl bottom flats, and of the action watertable/flats might help further.
I don't think the Three Barrel Gun Co made 9mm ("about .36") barrels.
.
While Vierling's (4-bbl combo guns) have one of the rifle bbl's in the top rib (usually a smallbore, like a .22cal CF) - that's the first drilling (3-bbl combo gun) I've ever seen with a barrel arrangement like that.
These are the usual combinations.
Is that drilling actually marked "Lefever", or "Lefever Arms Co" (NY), or "D.M.Lefever" (OH) - or is somebody simply referring to it as bring "a Lefever" ?
Better pics, of the bbl tops & the bbl bottom flats, and of the action watertable/flats might help further.
I don't think the Three Barrel Gun Co made 9mm ("about .36") barrels.
.
Jim Watson
New member
Depends on how measured and how "about."
The usual American combination gun rifle barrel of the day was .38-55.
A caliper across the lands (bore diameter) and the habit of a caliper to read undersize on an inside diameter would lead to "about .36."
I saw a picture somewhere of a drilling with a top rib rifle barrel.
The lockplates look like a Lefever's.
The usual American combination gun rifle barrel of the day was .38-55.
A caliper across the lands (bore diameter) and the habit of a caliper to read undersize on an inside diameter would lead to "about .36."
I saw a picture somewhere of a drilling with a top rib rifle barrel.
The lockplates look like a Lefever's.
Thanks for all the responses. I also was unable to find any other combo guns in this configuration. At the end of the bore, the lands & grooves measure .36 & .373 respectively. I looked up the .38-55 cartridge which looks like it would be right, only with a chance that the casing rim (.506) might be some thousandths bigger than where it seats in the gun (.502 - .505"). Might just be a tight fit.
Attachments
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It's most likely a .38-55, a common-enough combo gun chambering.
IMHO, that particular Lefever's considerable value & rarity is high enough to have it professionally restored - I would urge you to have it done by one of the experts, IOW, nothing to try @ home.
There are a few gunsmiths who specialize in restoring these old guns, Buck Hamlin, Keith Kearcher, and Doug Turnbull come to mind. They have the expertise and experience to make your gun look like the day it left the factory.
The BBGV doesn't even list a combination gun, made by Lefever Arms, Syracuse, NY.
Don't take it from me - I heartily encourage you to contact the Lefever Collector's Assoc about your gem:
http://www.lefevercollectors.com/index.php?p=1_10_The-LACA
http://lefeverforum.informe.com/
Be sure to include pics, especially of the open triple breech & the top bbl with the "Levefer Arms" stamping.
.
It's most likely a .38-55, a common-enough combo gun chambering.
IMHO, that particular Lefever's considerable value & rarity is high enough to have it professionally restored - I would urge you to have it done by one of the experts, IOW, nothing to try @ home.
There are a few gunsmiths who specialize in restoring these old guns, Buck Hamlin, Keith Kearcher, and Doug Turnbull come to mind. They have the expertise and experience to make your gun look like the day it left the factory.
The BBGV doesn't even list a combination gun, made by Lefever Arms, Syracuse, NY.
Don't take it from me - I heartily encourage you to contact the Lefever Collector's Assoc about your gem:
http://www.lefevercollectors.com/index.php?p=1_10_The-LACA
http://lefeverforum.informe.com/
Be sure to include pics, especially of the open triple breech & the top bbl with the "Levefer Arms" stamping.
.
Last edited:
mapsjanhere
New member
Really interesting configuration, especially since the rifle barrel placement prevents use of a Greener type secondary locking feature, commonly seen in European Drillings. OTOH, the .38-55 only has half the power of the German contemporary equivalent 9.3x72R, so you probably didn't need that strong a breech mechanism.
The origin of "drilling" is certainly in the word "drei" (three), but the term actually is "drilling", not "dreiling". In usage other than guns, it means "triplet", one of three siblings born close together. (In German, as in English, the terms "zwilling" (twin) and "drilling" (triplet) are normally plural, but colloquially, people say "He is a twin" or "She is a triplet", meaning that the person is one of close-born siblings.)
Jim
Jim
Terry Buffum
Inactive
Lefever three barrel
The second photo in Post 8 above seems to show that parts of the ribs between the rifle barrel and shotgun barrels have been removed at the breech end. I think that removed a major part of the lock up - sliding pins coming out of the standing breech going into sockets in those ribs. Until that is corrected (or my misunderstanding corrected), the gun is unsafe to shoot!
There are a lot of similarities to my double 16 Lefever made in the mid 1880s. Without seeing the serial number, I can't be sure, but I think it is from the same time frame.
The second photo in Post 8 above seems to show that parts of the ribs between the rifle barrel and shotgun barrels have been removed at the breech end. I think that removed a major part of the lock up - sliding pins coming out of the standing breech going into sockets in those ribs. Until that is corrected (or my misunderstanding corrected), the gun is unsafe to shoot!
There are a lot of similarities to my double 16 Lefever made in the mid 1880s. Without seeing the serial number, I can't be sure, but I think it is from the same time frame.
Terry Buffum
Inactive
Here are a couple of Lefever Arms Co double guns from the same era as the OP's three barrel gun. The top one is B grade,16 gauge, and has the same opening lever as the three barrel; the bottom one is A grade, 12 gauge, and has the more often seen "conventional" lever.
It appears the fore end is missing from the three barrel gun; I have a poor condition "side cocker" by Dan Lefever which just preceded the early Lefever Arms Co guns. Perhaps it could surrender its fore end which might be possible to fit if needed to complete the drilling. The OP has a gun worth saving!
It appears the fore end is missing from the three barrel gun; I have a poor condition "side cocker" by Dan Lefever which just preceded the early Lefever Arms Co guns. Perhaps it could surrender its fore end which might be possible to fit if needed to complete the drilling. The OP has a gun worth saving!
