doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Gunbroker Damascas Ithaca question.

This is at a local shop. Ive been looking at it for a while and they keep lowering the price so its tempting. The bores look mostly pit free until down to the muzzle area. It seems like a good deal, is it still a shooter with the barrels in that condition?

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/657323103

That's a nice looking gun. Pitting near the muzzle would not bother me at all. Do understand what safe to use loads are for this gun. With proper ammo that gun does look like a great shooter. Check the chambers to make sure they have not been reamed out.

It looks pretty reasonable, it's still in nice condition. I have a 16ga Flues, it's a joy to carry in the field.

The twist barrels are marked with H.R.F.; the mark of Heuse-Riga Fils.
Jon's point is that the original chambers were 2 9/16" and if now longer, the end of the chamber wall thickness may not be adequate.
Regarding safety & load recommendations, please see
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZIo0y746UsSRZIgRuuxwAbZjSBHitO_EanvwLYc-kGA/edit
If you purchase the gun, set up a visit to a double gun smith within the 3 day return for an evaluation, esp. wall thickness.

I like flues 16ga guns. I'm not a big fan of twist barrels though, especially where pitting is present. I would not worry about originality of front bead or butt plate; a field grade Ithaca Flues is not a collectible anyway.

I think you could find a better one at the price it will go for at auction...Geo

Looks more like dirt than pitting at the muzzles. It would be very unusual to have clean shiny bores near the chambers and pitting at the muzzles. The opposite is more often the case. Lot's of sellers don't bother running a swab through the barrels before trying to sell a gun. But I do think that's a pretty high starting bid for a twist barreled Flues with numerous dings, buggered screw heads, and a plain vanilla stock. I'd wait for a considerable price drop and wouldn't be upset if someone else paid too much for this one. There are better guns at better prices.

Boy, I don't know. If it's a good weight (6lbs5 or less) I'd be tempted. I think Keith is right, that looks like dirt to me and not pitting. Seems like a nice gun for very little money, but I like 16s to a fault.

That gun started at 549 and has dropped to its current 375 price. I've seen a lot worse for the money. You could wait to see if it drops more or if you are nearby just see if in person he will take 300-325.00. Without auction fees he might take less. It is a decent gun from what you can see. I'd have the barrels measured to make sure the wall thickness is good. I have my own setup so doing so only takes time.

Haven't you read that an Ithaca Flues is:

"It is truly a vile affront to proper engineering. Like all Ithaca guns (and all American guns), it was available in some high grades with very well done engraving. Sadly, the engravers' work is all but wasted on this very poorly designed farm implement."

Thus spake Zarathustra.

Buy these ancient pieces of junk at your own health and financial peril.

Ithaca 16's make nice bird guns. For years my go to grouse gun was a 6 lb. gun 30 inch barrels choked cyl and full. They are not heavy duty clays guns or appropriate for real heavy loads but used as light bird guns they work great.

They may be a little crude inside, and I wish the screw under the toplever wasn't a wood screw, but my gun is one hundred years old and has seen a lot of use. I would say that is a well engineered product.