The worst I can say of them is that the checkering is very coarse and elementary by any standard and would look better with none. The hammers and sears are nicely machined, fitted and properly hardened. Not common on too many shotguns of the day was that the gun automatically applies the safety when the gun is cocked. The trigger return spring is a single whisker spring that has an important but not very stressful job to do. All the springs, except the trigger return springs are robust coil springs. The fit and finish of parts is very good to excellent everywhere that it matters. I do not subscribe to the notion that a machined part is always better than a stamped part - it depends on what it does.

The only plastic like part in them is the butt plate and there are only a very few stamped metal parts and those in functions that a machined part would not serve any better. Every part that needs special material, heat treatment or finishing has it. Their design is solid and practical without being extravagant or complicated. The materials, quality and workmanship of these guns if being produced today would put them among high dollar guns. Ithaca was no second rate producer of shotguns and their quality and craftsmanship comes through in the Nitro Special, in spite of the fact that it was a low end gun when it was being produced. The only thing Lefever about them is the name but that does not mean they are not a well made gun in their own right. I knew little of them other than what they were an economy shotgun produced by Ithaca from the 1920's to the 1940's.

I recently purchased an Ithaca made Lefever Nitro Special as a fix and flip project. I admit favoritism toward the double barrel form of the shotgun and have owned several through my years of shooting and hunting.

Lefever nitro special shotgun