look on right side of gun just above trigger to see if any dates stamped on it. I have one that has 4 dates stamped on it ranging from dec 15 1891 aug 1 1896 aug 14 1900 to may 27 1902
Your best bet would be to take it to a gunsmith for a professional appraisal.
70-100 years
Nitro in the name would imply smokeless powder, so the earliest would be shortly after 1900. Could have been as recent as 1945.
This would be a 12 ga. BPS (Hunter model) pump shotgun made in 1984
I would say that with the serial number 1321XX,we are looking at your shotgun being made by ithaca(who made the lefever nitro special) in 1924.
Assuming you're talking about who the company transitioned into, and that would be Savage Stevens firearms. http://www.savagearms.com/
To determine the age of a Lefever Nitro Special 16 gauge double barrel shotgun with the serial number 279929, you would typically refer to the production records from Lefever Arms Company. The Nitro Special shotguns were produced primarily between 1920 and 1948. Based on the serial number, it is likely that this shotgun was manufactured in the mid-1930s, making it approximately 85 to 90 years old as of 2023. For precise dating, consulting a specialized firearms reference guide or an expert would be beneficial.
Assuming you're talking about who the company transitioned into, and that would be Savage Stevens firearms. http://www.savagearms.com/
To get a parts breakdown you would need to take the shotgun into a gun store. The store will be able to provide an estimate, or order new parts.
Gun shop, pawn shop, want ad, for sale ad, hunter, collector.
nitro as it will get a better boost
Any nitro, ranging between 5% and 30% nitro. Anything more would clog the engine.