Dogs and Doubles

Mystery shotgun: a 10/12 gauge J.A. Prechtel “Lefever” double barrel…

by Gregg
"LeFever" Ornately Engraved High Grade Gun, 10 & 12 gauge Set
J.A. Prechtel – LeFever 10 & 12 gauge Set

The doubel barrel shotgun you see here is a head scratcher. While it sure looks like a Lefever and it’s made on a Lefever-pushlever-patent action, it was made by J.A. Prechtel. Who was J.A. Prechtel? I have no idea, and neither does anyone else.

According to the inscription on the barrels, Prechtel was located in Clevelan, OH. Did he have some connection with Lefever? Perhaps. Where else would he have learned to make “Lefever” shotguns? How did he get the action? Nobody knows. What’s certain though is that this is very cool shotgun. Whoever made it knew what they were doing, whoever they were and whatever they were doing.

You can here to see more & better pics, and read a bit of the speculation surrounding the gunmaker J.A. Prechtel.

J.A. Prechtel Lefever Double Barrel Shotugn, 10/12 gauge set
J.A. Prechtel Lefever Double Barrel Shotugn, 10/12 gauge set

Here are the details on the shotgun from the seller:

J.A. Prechtel/Lefever – Ornately Engraved High Grade Gun, Two Barrel Set: 10ga. Steel Barrels 29”, Cyl/Cyl, with 3” chambers, marked JAPrechtel Maker Clevland Ohio / Made for Dr. EJ Cuttler on rib, 12ga. Damascus barrels 30” F/F with 2 ¾” chambers, marked J Weston on rib – pistol grip stock with a hard rubber butt plate, Double triggers, splinter forend, solid ribs, extractors, not marked Lefever and there is no serial number. 14” x 1 3/4”x 3 1/4”. 8lb. 9oz.(12ga)   8lb. 15.5oz.(10ga). Price: $7,995.00

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4 thoughts on “Mystery shotgun: a 10/12 gauge J.A. Prechtel “Lefever” double barrel…”

  1. Good evening I have a friend who has a double barrel 10 gauge shotgun model #9461 with engravings on both sides that says LEFEVER ARM CO. and it is identical to the one in this article , my question is should I buy it ($2500.00) or just pass on it? It is in very good condition. What do you think it might be worth?
    Thanks Steve

  4. Hard to say, then. Those Lefevers are valuable if they’re in excellent original condition. But if they’ve been messed with, collectors don’t want them. Most of them have been messed with, too. They been around a long time, so people have had decades to screw them up.

    The one in my blog post was valuable because it was in excellent original condition and very unusual – pretty much one of a kind.

    Gregg

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