History question

[Jim]

When was the first hammerless double barrel shotgun manufactured?

[woody1]

LeFever - 1878

[Jim]

Thanks, Woody. Oddly enough, my Great Uncle left me a LeFever Nitro Special. I think it was manufactured in the '30s, but I have no way of being sure. I'm told there was a fire and all records from that time were destroyed.

[montana_charlie]

It was due to the great hammer famine in 1877. They were extremely scarce, but the striker population had had reached epic levels due to lack of competition from hammers.
CM

[woody1]

Actually if you google it up you'll find that there were others earlier, but I think LeFever was the first on this side of the pond. I am no expert howsomever. Regards, Woody

[Jim]

Charlie, you're a nut!:-D
:drinks:

[KCSO]

Lefever here and I believe Greener in England say circa 1873, I did the research on this several years ago for NCOWS and I'll see if I can find it. I do remember that my catalog research indicated that hammer guns were more prevelent till about 1887-8 and then the shift to hammerless was evident. By 1894 The Monkey Wards had hammerless 3 to one over hammer guns and hammer gun prices were reduced from the earlier catalogs. Colt's 1883 hammerless was the big turning point it seemed.