Is this a good model shotgun?

Re:v4vendetta

You are asking if a certain shotgun is a good model shotgun. I have not seen many models shooting shotguns. But I suppose it would be a good shotgun for nice-looking models.:D
 
:p I get it now. I think.

Either way, is it a good quality gun? I noticed they had Mossberg 500 Persuaders for $375 brand new & Maverick 88's for $209 but I'd have to order one. I have $280. If I buy this Nitro, I can still have some left over for shells.

Plus if I ever need quick cash, I might could sell this gun for $600 even. But before I do, I wish to be sure I'm not getting a lemon.
 
I don't know about that one, but it looks very similar to my Dad's Remington Spartan. It has no shoulder pad on the end (but that could fixed easily by a trip to a gun show). The shells will not spring out when cracked open, you have to manually pull them out. But it will do the job. Is this a 18-20 inch for home or car defense? You can't get any simpler than those old coach guns. They are cheap, but simple.

You could probably go to acadamy and get a Mossberg Maverick for $175 without having to order it.http://www.maverickarms.com/pages/88security.htm
 
I don't have an Academy around me. I have Dick's & my pawnshop/gunstore where the Nitro is located. They are opening a new gunstore near me but they aren't open yet. I emailed the owner & he said that they should open up June 1'st. http://www.triadgunsource.com/

I'm not sure how long the barrells are but I think they are under 30". I plan to use it mainly for HD but I will be plinking with this if I get it.

EDIT: I just checked academy's website. The nearest one to me is 213.76 miles.
 
Last time I checked the evil WalMart had Mavericks for $159. May have to order one in though.

Mossberg 500's were 209, Rems 239.
 
I think I'm going to go ahead & get the Lefever but is it true that they are so old that they can't handle loads like buckshot? Like I said before this will be a HD gun so the ability to fire buckshot is needed.

I figure in a HD incident, a good SxS will look better to a jury than a AK or 8-shot pump action with black synthetic furniture.:eek:
 
Lefever's have an interesting history. They started out in around 1885 and were sold to Ithaca in 1915. Ithica finally dropped the name "Lefever" in 1948. So, it's an oldie.

I'd go ahead and shoot it, personally. I did some bird hunting last weekend with a Fox 16ga just for the heck of it. Seems like a good price. Let us know what you wind up doing.

EW
 
I think, so don't quote me, that "NItro" meant they were made for smokeless powder. You'll want to check to make sure the barrels aren't Damascus steel.

I do have a book (The Shotgun Book, Jack O'Connor, 1965) that says they were made between 1921 and 1947 with about 250,000 being made. They were an "inexpensive" gun.
 
Damascus Twist barrels have a wavy pattern that may or may not be easy to see. They were made by heating steel strands and pounding them together to form the barrel. They will not handle the pressures of smokeless powders.

The best thing to do is find a good shotgun gunsmith and ask him about it. I own a few old doubles but they aren't my specialty.

Good Luck.

P.S. The wierd switch behind the break open butten is the safety.They usually engage when the shotgun is opened.
 
I wouldnt shoot that until I had it looked at by a gunsmith. Old shotguns cannot handle modern ammunition.

If all you want it for is HD and plinking get a maverick 88. They are cheap plinking guns but have the same action as the Mossberg 500s. I think that youll likely be using it for more plinking than HD because the probability of a home invasion where you need to shoot a person is pretty low.
 
The wierd switch behind the break open butten is the safety.They usually engage when the shotgun is opened.
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I thought so. I should have guessed that when it had an S above it & an F below it.:o

The problem with having a gunsmith look at it is that I don't know any. I'd like the Nitro's look but I don't think I want to risk my life on looks.

I suppose I'll have to find another model. They had a Steven's SxS 12 gauge for $350 but that was out of my price range.
 
Put a thread in the gunsmith forum here, there are some knowledgable people there that may be able to help. I used to have a book on gunmark IDs that could help, but we moved and I can't find it. Most of my research material is on handguns and some rifle. There has to be someone around here with more information on it. Maybe Dfariswheel, or one of the other former gunsmiths can help you out.

Rod
 
I noticed they had Mossberg 500 Persuaders for $375 brand new & Maverick 88's for $209 but I'd have to order one. I have $280.
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How much would it cost to do a transfer to your dealer? Buds has mavericks for $156.85 for the 6rd tube and $162.42 for the 8rd tube.
 
Jump on it. I was fortunate enough to own a 20 gauge Lefever Nitro Special back in Highschool and WHAT a sweet shooting double. Just lethal on squirrels and rabbits.

Now, the down side. DONT dry fire it. Parts havent been made for decades.
Something as simple as a firing pin replacement can be an ordeal. Mine had the screw that held the #1 barrels firing pin back out, causing the firing pin to fall inside the action. My Dad was able to get it apart, reinstall the pin and set screw, but he had to make a tool to reinstall the hammer. Such is life with older guns. As a gunsmith later in my life learned to live with working on doubles, but I never really liked it.

If you do buy it, carefully check that its not a damacus barreled gun, check for any rings or bulges on the barrels, and make sure the lock up is tight. You can close the action and gently try to wiggle the barrels on the frame. Carefully examine the ribs and make sure there are no areas where the ribs have loosened, or there have ever been any attempts to resolder them.

Check the wood right at the rear of the top tang. This is a very common place for the wood to become cracked or oil soaked. Pass if its bad. Think about it if its minimal.

Thats about it. If you get it, take care of it- they are great shooters. Pumps will feel clubby compared to this thing. Oh, the safety on the tang should be automatic- that is- each time you open the action and close it the safety will go to "on". Some have been modified later in life, so be aware of what it does.

FWIW I shot mine with field loads for its entire time with me. I probably shot a couple of thousand rounds with it.
 
http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/SPR_models/SPR210_side-by-side.asp

you don't want a 30 inch barrel for home defense.

Get a Remington Spartan (SPR) 210

smsil_spr210cowboy.jpg


They cost about 300, but you do want that shorter barrel, believe me. You don't want to be trying to manuver a long barrel indoors.

I guess you could get that one you found at your local store and have it sawed down to a shorter LEGAL length (18-20 inches I think)
 
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