doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Ithica Flues 1920 12 guage

I picked up a really nice Ithica Flues 12 gauge with much of the case color remaining. I shot some RST 2.5in lite load in it. I purchased it from the original family. It was her fathers who bought it for bird hunting and would shoot it on Thanksgiving. It sat in the safe mostly. The daughter inherited after he passed away and then I purchased it from her. I also acquired a large box full of vintage paper and plastic 12 gauge shotguns shells 2 3/4 in the deal... about 500 shells. I guess the original owner used some of these vintage shells? Not sure. Anyways I don't reload and I would like to get some 2.5in light load non toxic bismuth loads.

I have a couple Flues in 16ga. A real pleasure to have.
Question for you. Why do you feel the need for 2 1/2 in shells and why do you need bismuth?
Would enjoy some photos of your new acquisition.

The chamber measures 2.5in. More modern loads with 2 3/4 shells would arrive years later after this was built. Some people shoot 2 3/4in shells in these but I've read it it not good to do so. I know that at least one old 2 3/4in paper shell was shot thru this Ithica no issues. For bird hunting on state land I need non toxic.

Have you actually measured the chambers. Many guns, particularly American makes, had 2 3/4" chambers at an early date. I am not sure when Ithaca began to use them but it would have been first in the 12 gauge.

In my limited experience measuring 12g Flues chambers, 2 1/2" would be atypical

Courtesy of Researcher:
The last Flues period catalogue (1925) states "Unless otherwise ordered Ithaca 28 Gauge and 20 Gauge guns are chambered for the standard 2 1/2 inch shell, 16 Gauge and 12 Gauge for the standard 2 3/4 inch shell and 10 Gauge for the standard 2 7/8 inch shell."
No earlier Flues period catalogues mention chamber lengths.

What is the date of manufacture?

I had a late model (1925-26) Flues 20, it was 2-3/4". The gun was also a much heavier build than the earlier 2-1/2" one I still have, about a pound more.

The chambers were measured 2.5in by a gunsmith. This is a 1920 Flues.

What year is your earlier flues?

Did your Gunsmith measure it with a modern chamber gauge built to current SAMMI specs. Many older guns will read "Short Chambered" with these gauges when in fact they are simply a bit undersize in diameter. A chamber only has to be .00125" under gage diameter for it to show �" short. Even if it were not 2 3/4" it would be almost a given that as an American made 12 gauge it would have 2 5/8" chambers, not 2�".

1915