Fox Collectors

I have a potential trade working for an early 20ga lefever nitro in dang good shape but I've never had the opportunity to handle a small bore. I've mounted a few 12's and they are pretty clunky. Is that what I should expect from the 20 as well or does the scaled frame improve their handling?

Thanks much and all opinions are appreciated.

Ithaca33 wrote:I've mounted a few 12's and they are pretty clunky. Is that what I should expect from the 20 as well or does the scaled frame improve their handling?

Obviously the 20 will be lighter and trimmer than the 12s but the Lefever Nitro special is not in the class of the Foxes and Syracuse for handling dynamics and workmanship. My recommendation is find a good Sterlingworth or Syracuse Lefever 16 gauge for just a bit more money, You eill get a lot more gun that is in the same weight class as the Nitro Special but with much better workmanship, versatility and handling.

I'm really hoping to sell the gun outright so i can look for a 16 or 20 at the vintagers. I think ill keep to that plan

I have a later (1936) 16 bore Nitro that is actually a few ounces lighter than my 16 ga. Fox guns. It handles well and has been trouble free. It was the gun that my boys and nephew used for there first couple of years hunting and they showed no mercy. I highly recommend them, but don't expect it to be a Fox or Parker quality gun.

I have one of the somewhat "upscale" Lefever A-Grades (Model 5) in 20-gauge, with 28-inch barrels, beavertail forearm, Ithaca "bridge trestle" recoil pad, twin ivories and non-selective single trigger, that I find to be a great handling gun. It is somewhat cosmetically challenged --





but is a great little "shooter."

I wouldn't dismiss an Ithaca Nitro in 20 gauge that's in dang good shape, and let's face it you'll probably hunt more with it in harsh conditions than let's say with a graded Fox 20 gauge. I've owned a number of Nitros over the years, and had them apart to study the design which is excellent imo. They were made for then-modern ammo loaded with progressive burning powders, and the stock drawbolt feature does have its advantages. Ithaca advertised that a Nitro taken from regular production was dry-fired 77,000 times and also fired 10,000 times without a malfunction. Yeah they're a little clunky as compared with a svelte Fox smallbore with its seductively profiled frame and dynamic handling, but you'll get plenty of vintage gun for way less money. There's an excellent article on Nitros and Western Arms Long Ranges by Larry Brown in the November/December 2006 Shooting Sportsman magazine. Sorry, its copyright protection is still in place and I'm sensitive to that and won't make a copy of the article. If you want to read it, suspense a note and remind me to bring the SS mag to the Vintage Cup. Silvers

PS: you wrote that you would be at the VC but the same offer applies for Hidden Hollow this coming weekend.

I will have two of Ithaca's "Economy doubles" with me at Hidden Hollow next weekend if wou want to handle one. One is a 12 gauge A Grade Lefever with all the options, the other is a flat new Western Arms .410. Look me up if you want to see them.
Scott

Thanks for all the advice gents, I unfortunately can't make it to PA but will be at the VC sat and sun before heading to New Hampshire for the first week of bird/rabbit season .

Researcher,

Doesn't that A grade actually have more in common with an NID than a Nitro?

I think the A Grade is closer to a Nitro as it does not have a rotory bolt, however it has the same cocking system and lever trip as the NID's.
The main differance between the A Grade and the Nitro was the wood quality, fit and finish and the line engraving. It was also availble with ejectors and a beavertail forend.

At various times during their production life, the Ithaca built Lefever Nitro Special, and even their Western Arms Corp. Long Range Double were offered with ejectors.





There were quite a few changes to the Nitro Special over its 1921 to 1947 production run. The early guns had this profiled frame and a half-pistol grip stock --



At some point by the late 1920s (?) the Nitro Special got a capped pistol grip --



At some time in the 1930s, the Nitro Special began appearing with a frame profiled like the A-Grade --

Nitro Special --







A-Grade --

I just checked my 1931 Lefever catalog and found the did in fact make a Double Barrel Trap gun for only $60.00 with a Beavertail forend and a Ventilated rib!
My copy is also stamped Single trigger included!
There is mention of a Super Nitro Special including best Ivory sights and rubber recoil pad for $31.25, the standard Nitro special was listed at $28.25.
There is no referance to ejectors for the Nitro Special in the 1931 catalog.

Thanks guys. I guess I've never seen a Nitro profiled like the A grades; I've only seen the earlier Stevens-like profile.

Does anyone know if these all had 2.75" chambers? The gun I'm looking at is an early model (semi-pistol grip, long action lines) but the seller doesn't know the length.