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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ Pattern results: Lefever E grade 16 thumb push |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 22, 2020 5:46 pm
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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I took my early 1880's damascus E grade Lefever to the range yesterday and patterned it on paper, counting pellets to get a pattern percentage, to verify choke constriction. It mic'd out at cyl/sk, and the results verify that as you can see from the pics below. At 40 yds, using a 7/8oz load of 7.5's (my 600 Jr. is supposed to be throwing 1oz, but must be throwing light charges gauging by the pellet count), the right barrel was more uniform than the left. The core of the pattern looks great, but there are quite a few holes. Both barrels shoot exactly to point of aim. While it would be too sparse to use with larger shot at range for chukars, it should make an outstanding close to medium range gun for quail and grouse (or woodcock if I was on the east coast) as one would expect.
That said, it's great to confirm it on paper, to know exactly what you really have, so you can use it accordingly. I would recommend everyone take the time to do this so you aren't surprised in the field. I've shot about a flat through it so far at skeet, and it's a great shooter. I used it for field trial close range chukars last month, and it hammered 'em. Uncle Dan Lefever sure knew what he was doing
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Last edited by UncleDanFan on Sun Mar 29, 2020 7:50 am; edited 1 time in total _________________ Gun art: www.marklarsongunart.com
Gallery art: www.marklarsonart.com
The man's prayer from the Red Green Show: "I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to. I guess." |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 22, 2020 6:18 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9464
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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GREAT report
Mike |
_________________
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USAF RET 1971-95 |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 22, 2020 6:58 pm
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Posted:
Sun Mar 22, 2020 7:19 pm
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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Posted:
Sat Mar 28, 2020 6:04 pm
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2126
Location: Hudson,Wy
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Sparse? Yes, but at that range, 7/8 oz. of 7 1/2 and little or no choke should be. I use #8 for chukars in such open choked guns. For huns and chukars 8's are good to about 35 yards...which is about the furthest anyone should expect skeet choke to be goo for anyway. It doesn't get much better that getting 'em close with open chokes. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 28, 2020 6:42 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2800
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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UncleDan,
I agree always pattern your double guns with the shells you hunt with, I usually pattern at 25, 35 & 45 yards. These are the yardages I shoot most of my Grouse at.
I like to pattern 8's under the 1st trigger and 6's under the 2nd trigger. I now pattern the RST & Poly SpredR's also. They throw great patterns out of my L.C. Smith & J.P Sauer double guns.
Nice job on your patterning!
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 29, 2020 7:48 am
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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WyoChukar wrote: |
Sparse? Yes, but at that range, 7/8 oz. of 7 1/2 and little or no choke should be. I use #8 for chukars in such open choked guns. For huns and chukars 8's are good to about 35 yards...which is about the furthest anyone should expect skeet choke to be goo for anyway. It doesn't get much better that getting 'em close with open chokes.
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To be honest, I've never used anything less than 6's on chukars, because my shots tended to be longish, at 30-45 yds. However, the last year or so, I've been circling around in front of my dog on point, rather than walking up from behind, and pinning the birds between myself and the dog. Flushes have been much closer, in the 10-25 yd range. This gun with 7.5's in the right barrel and perhaps 6's in the left, would indeed be perfect in that scenario. |
Last edited by UncleDanFan on Sun Mar 29, 2020 7:54 am; edited 2 times in total _________________ Gun art: www.marklarsongunart.com
Gallery art: www.marklarsonart.com
The man's prayer from the Red Green Show: "I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to. I guess." |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 29, 2020 7:48 am
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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Pine Creek/Dave wrote: |
UncleDan,
I agree always pattern your double guns with the shells you hunt with, I usually pattern at 25, 35 & 45 yards. These are the yardages I shoot most of my Grouse at.
I like to pattern 8's under the 1st trigger and 6's under the 2nd trigger. I now pattern the RST & Poly SpredR's also. They throw great patterns out of my L.C. Smith & J.P Sauer double guns.
Nice job on your patterning!
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man
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Yes, I've been shooting RST copper plated 6's, and they are wonderful! |
_________________ Gun art: www.marklarsongunart.com
Gallery art: www.marklarsonart.com
The man's prayer from the Red Green Show: "I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to. I guess." |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 29, 2020 11:01 am
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2800
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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Uncle Dan Fan,
You bet the Copper #6"s are great stuff! Simply great patterns from my old guns!
My LeFever/Ithaca 12 gauge on the 16 gauge frame, is a bird murder with the Copper #6's. It cleans up Pheasants something awe*some. I seldom carry a 12 gauge in the Grouse woods except when I hunt Pheasants along with Grouse and Woodcock. The hold over Pheasants in Potter county, Pa are some tough old birds, and that old gun with the copper #6's really tunes them up.
all the best
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man
Course that old gun really tunes up the Grouse and Woodcock also.
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_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 29, 2020 12:21 pm
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Joined: 04 Oct 2015
Posts: 280
Location: Clemson
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Mark, it appears that the gun patterns perfect for close work. Ive never hunted grouse, but I do hunt quail and it would be a grand Bobwhite gun. It seems the gun looks and shoots to your purposes. If not, I know where it can get work... |
_________________ There is no substitute for winning! |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 29, 2020 12:41 pm
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Joined: 17 Jan 2014
Posts: 1380
Location: Denver, Colorado
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It's been quite a while since I've patterned anything, so I'm probably way overdue on a few newer purchases. It would be a good use of time if I had access to my old patterning board at the club, but our governor has eliminated that option for the moment. The last shells I used were 2 1/2-inch RSTs and they were stunning(!). Almost perfect patterns out of my 16 Brit BLE.
UncleDanDan: Sure would like to see pix of your E grade Lefever. |
_________________ 'Tis better to burn out than it is to rust...... |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 29, 2020 1:42 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2800
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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Lloyd3,
I agree would like to see some pictures of her myself!
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 29, 2020 3:03 pm
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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Quote: |
I would like to see some pictures of her myself!
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Gentlemen, thank you. Your wish is my command:
At 6lbs 10z, she's a typical 1880's early American sxs from Dan Lefever, the father of American sxs's. Not a feather, but well built, solid, and still tight as a vault. It's an extremely rare gun (it's the only Lefever thumb push 16 I've ever seen in over 20 years of buying Lefevers). She's a bit on the plain side for my tastes, but has an understated elegance I do like. I have other custom guns that satisfy my artistic side, including a Husqvarna 103A factory straight grip 12ga hammer gun I picked up a while ago, that I'm working on now, with a full coverage "bird gun" treatment on the stock, which is an idea I've had for a long time. Stay tuned... |
_________________ Gun art: www.marklarsongunart.com
Gallery art: www.marklarsonart.com
The man's prayer from the Red Green Show: "I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to. I guess." |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 29, 2020 3:12 pm
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Very sweet 16 there, Mark. About those chokes, I had a hell of a good year using my Iside with the Cyl/Mod chokes in place. The vast majority of the birds came down dead from that Cyl barrel, and not all close shots. |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 29, 2020 3:14 pm
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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Beagleman wrote: |
Mark, it appears that the gun patterns perfect for close work. Ive never hunted grouse, but I do hunt quail and it would be a grand Bobwhite gun. It seems the gun looks and shoots to your purposes. If not, I know where it can get work...
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I agree, it does seem to be set up perfectly for grouse and quail. My setter is getting older (he'll be 11 in June), so I'll be doing more quail and grouse hunting this fall than I have been. |
_________________ Gun art: www.marklarsongunart.com
Gallery art: www.marklarsonart.com
The man's prayer from the Red Green Show: "I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to. I guess." |
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