Daniel Myron LeFever
Encyclopedia
Daniel Myron LeFever was an American gun maker, popularly known as "Uncle Dan LeFever". He is best known as the inventor of the hammerless
shotgun
, first introduced in 1878.
, Uncle Dan LeFever's gunmaking career began as an apprentice in Canandaigua, New York
in the early 1850s. He married Sarah Stead on June 10, 1857, in Canandaigua. He opened his own gunshop in Canandaigua in 1857. His principal business was making muzzle-loading rifles. In 1862 he joined with James Ellis to form LeFever & Ellis. They built long-range rifles which were used in the American Civil War
. This partnership broke up in 1867.
where he joined with Francis Dangerfield to form Dangerfield & LeFever. This firm made primarily breechloading double shotguns. They also converted muzzle loading guns to breech loading. This firm dissolved in late 1873 or early 1874.
In early 1874 D. M. LeFever moved to Syracuse, New York
. Here he joined with Lorenzo Barber to form Barber & LeFever. Again they made breech loading shotguns and rifles. This partnership lasted a short two years.
D. M. LeFever then joined with John Nichols and formed Nichols & LeFever. During this time D. M. LeFever worked on the development of the hammerless
shotgun. These guns were cocked with a cocking lever on the side of the breech. In 1878 he won first prize at the St. Louis Bench Show and Sportman's Association for the best breech-loading shotgun in America.
In 1902 D. M. LeFever left LeFever Arms Company to form D. M. LeFever, Sons & Company with sons Charles F. LeFever (also known as Fred who later invented the Model 25 Daisy BB pump gun), Frank, and George. They continued to make fine hammerless shotguns, but could not compete with the larger LeFever Arms Company
. In 1904 they moved to Ohio
, first in Defiance
and within a year in Bowling Green
. In 1906 they returned to Syracuse, New York
, however, before being able to re-establish a viable company D. M. LeFever died on October 29 in Syracuse
of a stomach ulcer. His remains are interred, with his wife (who died in 1898), in Woodlawn Cemetery in Syracuse.
The Lefever Arms Company
continued to make fine LeFever designed shotguns in Syracuse
until 1916 when they were purchased by the Ithaca Gun Company
. Ithaca continued to produce LeFever-designed guns under the Lefever Arms Company
name in Ithaca, New York
until 1921. These were made using primarily left-over parts from the Syracuse operation. Shortly after that the Ithaca Gun Company
used the LeFever name to market an inexpensive gun, the "LeFever Nitro Special", that was of their own design, having nothing to do with D. M. LeFever except to exploit his name. These were manufactured until the early 1940s.
Many collectors consider original "D.M. LeFever" guns to be the finest ever produced in America.
Hammerless
A hammerless firearm is a firearm that lacks an exposed hammer or hammer spur.In rifles, using a firing-pin rather than a hammer is a substantial improvement because the time from trigger pull to firing can be less...
shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
, first introduced in 1878.
Biography
Born in Hopewell, New YorkHopewell, New York
Hopewell is a town in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 3,346 at the 2000 census.The Town of Hopewell is in the north central part of the county, east of the City of Canandaigua.-History:...
, Uncle Dan LeFever's gunmaking career began as an apprentice in Canandaigua, New York
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
in the early 1850s. He married Sarah Stead on June 10, 1857, in Canandaigua. He opened his own gunshop in Canandaigua in 1857. His principal business was making muzzle-loading rifles. In 1862 he joined with James Ellis to form LeFever & Ellis. They built long-range rifles which were used in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. This partnership broke up in 1867.
Gun manufactory
Sometime before 1870 D. M. LeFever moved to Auburn, New YorkAuburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
where he joined with Francis Dangerfield to form Dangerfield & LeFever. This firm made primarily breechloading double shotguns. They also converted muzzle loading guns to breech loading. This firm dissolved in late 1873 or early 1874.
In early 1874 D. M. LeFever moved to Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. Here he joined with Lorenzo Barber to form Barber & LeFever. Again they made breech loading shotguns and rifles. This partnership lasted a short two years.
D. M. LeFever then joined with John Nichols and formed Nichols & LeFever. During this time D. M. LeFever worked on the development of the hammerless
Hammerless
A hammerless firearm is a firearm that lacks an exposed hammer or hammer spur.In rifles, using a firing-pin rather than a hammer is a substantial improvement because the time from trigger pull to firing can be less...
shotgun. These guns were cocked with a cocking lever on the side of the breech. In 1878 he won first prize at the St. Louis Bench Show and Sportman's Association for the best breech-loading shotgun in America.
Automatic hammerless shotgun
By the time D. M. LeFever patented his hammerless shotgun in 1880 he had left Nichols & LeFever and gone into business for himself. In 1883 D. M. LeFever patented the first truly automatic hammerless shotgun. This internalized the cocking mechanism so that the gun was automatically cocked when the breech was closed. He also patented the automatic ejector system which ejected the used shells when the breech was opened. In 1886 D. M. LeFever lost control of his company which by then was called LeFever Arms Company. However, he remained as superintendent until 1902.In 1902 D. M. LeFever left LeFever Arms Company to form D. M. LeFever, Sons & Company with sons Charles F. LeFever (also known as Fred who later invented the Model 25 Daisy BB pump gun), Frank, and George. They continued to make fine hammerless shotguns, but could not compete with the larger LeFever Arms Company
Lefever Arms Company
The Lefever Arms Company was a manufacturer of guns in Syracuse, New York founded by Daniel Myron LeFever who was an American gun maker, popularly known as "Uncle Dan LeFever". He is best known as the inventor of the hammerless shotgun, first introduced in 1878...
. In 1904 they moved to Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, first in Defiance
Defiance, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,465 people, 6,572 households, and 4,422 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,562.4 people per square mile . There were 7,061 housing units at an average density of 670.0 per square mile...
and within a year in Bowling Green
Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green is the county seat of Wood County in the U.S. state of Ohio. At the time of the 2010 census, the population of Bowling Green was 30,028. It is part of the Toledo, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bowling Green is the home of Bowling Green State University...
. In 1906 they returned to Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, however, before being able to re-establish a viable company D. M. LeFever died on October 29 in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
of a stomach ulcer. His remains are interred, with his wife (who died in 1898), in Woodlawn Cemetery in Syracuse.
Lefever Arms Company
The Lefever Arms Company was a manufacturer of guns in Syracuse, New York founded by Daniel Myron LeFever who was an American gun maker, popularly known as "Uncle Dan LeFever". He is best known as the inventor of the hammerless shotgun, first introduced in 1878...
continued to make fine LeFever designed shotguns in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
until 1916 when they were purchased by the Ithaca Gun Company
Ithaca Gun Company
The Ithaca Gun Company is a manufacturer of shotguns and rifles originally established in Ithaca, New York in 1880.-Production:Ithaca became famous for building firearms based on expired patents owned by Remington Arms...
. Ithaca continued to produce LeFever-designed guns under the Lefever Arms Company
Lefever Arms Company
The Lefever Arms Company was a manufacturer of guns in Syracuse, New York founded by Daniel Myron LeFever who was an American gun maker, popularly known as "Uncle Dan LeFever". He is best known as the inventor of the hammerless shotgun, first introduced in 1878...
name in Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
until 1921. These were made using primarily left-over parts from the Syracuse operation. Shortly after that the Ithaca Gun Company
Ithaca Gun Company
The Ithaca Gun Company is a manufacturer of shotguns and rifles originally established in Ithaca, New York in 1880.-Production:Ithaca became famous for building firearms based on expired patents owned by Remington Arms...
used the LeFever name to market an inexpensive gun, the "LeFever Nitro Special", that was of their own design, having nothing to do with D. M. LeFever except to exploit his name. These were manufactured until the early 1940s.
Many collectors consider original "D.M. LeFever" guns to be the finest ever produced in America.
Uncle Dan LeFever Cup
The LeFever Arms Collectors Association created the "Uncle Dan LeFever Cup" in honor of the legacy of D.M. LeFever. The "Uncle Dan LeFever Cup" shoot-off is held annually during a LACA designated trap shoot event. The highest scoring shooter wins a trophy engraved with the year the champion won. Only LACA members, firing LeFever guns, are eligible for the award. The first "Uncle Dan LeFever Cup" was awarded during the Greater Northeast Side by Side in Friendsville, PA, on June 6, 2010. LACA held the 2nd Annual shoot-off during the June 2011 Nimrod Classic in Bozeman, MT. The next Uncle Dan Cup will be held again at the Greater Northeast Side by Side in Friendsville, PA, on June 2, 2012.External links
- The Lefever Forum For more Lefever information.
- Lefever Arms Collectors Association website
- Daniel Myron LeFever Find A Grave memorial