The Happy Daisy Boy

In late December 1911 a letter from a Charles F. Lefever of St. Louis found its way to the desk of E.C. Hough.  In it Mr. Lefever said he had designed a pump gun.  He laid out his credentials and said if Daisy was interested someone could “…come to St. Louis to see me, and I will show you the gun.”  With the flurry of end of year business a perfunctory response was sent saying that if Daisy were interested “…he would be contacted in the future.” Back came a letter saying if Daisy wasn’t interested others would be.  Some years later Mr. Hough said such a letter would have turned him off but because the concept intrigued him he set out in early February to visit St. Louis and meet Mr. Lefever.  Mr. Hough quickly realized that the gun design and the man were unique and invited him to Plymouth to which he agreed saying ”… for a few months to get you started.”

A month later Lefever arrived in Plymouth and remained a part of Daisy until his retirement in February 1953.  During the ensuing years Lefever designed and engineered such Daisy classics as the Model 25.  That remarkable pump gun, which was first produced in 1914, continued in production for the next 64 years until it was dropped from the line in 1979.  At the time it was discontinued more than 8,000,000 of the guns had been produced and sold.  Within two years of his arrival he had also designed the first water pistol and with the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, the Model 40 Defender which was an instant and overwhelming commercial success.

A cantankerous soul, Lefever quit nearly once a year during the 41 years he “chose to work for Daisy.”

 The first handmade prototype of Lefevre’s Model 25 pump gun is on display at the Daisy Airgun Museum.

1880  ║  1890  ║ 1900  ║  1910  ║  1920  ║  1930  ║  1940  ║  The War Years
 1950  ║  1960  ║  1970  ║  1980  ║  1990  ║  2000  ║  The Museum