doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Flues Model Ithaca

Greetings,

This is my first post here, seems like a great forum.

I recently inherited a wonderful old Ithaca double from my father. Its a gun that has actually been in our family since it was new and was given to my dad many years ago. Its a solidly built ten gauge and though it shows some wear and tear its in very good shape.

I have never considered myself an expert in older shotguns and so recently I did some research on Ithaca guns. I looked up the serial number and to the best of my ability have learned that my gun is a Flues Model, made in about 1924/25. I had thought that perhaps it was an NID and that I should have no problem shooting factory game loads (lead only). Now that I know its a Flues I have some concerns.

I have been reading that Flues model guns have some shortcomings. Especially the earlier smaller gauge guns. I wonder how "safe" it is to shoot. As much as I would like to take this gun on the March Turkey hunt on the Navajo Reservation, I don't want to destroy a family heirloom.

Would appreciate any advice. Once I clean the old lady up a little I will share some pics.

I have a wonderful 12ga Flues, that I hunted with for years.
Just clean it up and have fun. You will need to order some
2 7/8 inch 10 ga from RST or handload as 2 7/8 are no longer available from the big companies.
Just clean it up and have fun

A GREAT heirloom. Look forward to pix! I hear these "short tens" kill stuff....my Rem '89 has 'way too much drop for me tho.

In addition to the very lightweight smallbores, Ithaca built some seriously husky Flues model doubles --



With some RST 2 7/8 inch 10-gauge shells, it should make a great Turkey and waterfowl gun.

Thanks for the advice and I will look into the ammo. Yes, the bores are exceptionally thick and husky and the whole thing seems solid. My father last used it for geese in New England about thirty years ago. I'd like to take it on its first western hunt and use it for turkey.

I'll try and get some decent pics up this weekend.

I have a Flues grade 1 in 20 bore- made in 1912 and looks like NRA VG- 28" barrels choked 2 (mod) and 4 (imp mod) and I use RST 2.5 ;ight loads in it- the Flues guns are a tad lighter than the later NID- remember, Lou Smith revised the basic NID 10 into the 3.5" cannon 10 Mag (Elmer Keith's favorite fezzant shotgun- but then he used a .44 S&W to kill corn crib rats too) The flues guns are great in the 20 and 28 gauges-just use light loads- I have a later (1919) mfg. Grade 1 12 Flues with ejectors on lay-away-- 28" No 2 right no 4 left- Ithaca was astute in marking their chokes with a numerical system- good barrels, and great locktime-Keep that nice old ten- and get those 2 & 7/8" RST's for it--

I should have also mentioned that the Flues came with a buddy, my dad's old Lefever Nitro Special 12 - dated to 1922.

Congrats on the gun. My hunting partner shoots a 12ga Flues built in 1926 and I shoot a Lewis built in 1904. As long as the gun is sound there is no reason to not enjoy it. As previously said, RST has ammo for your gun. Take it out and enjoy it!

http://www.rstshells.com/

Here is what a Flues can do out west.

RWTF, on the Ithaca choke numbering system, 4 = full. 3 would be improved modified.

You find some unusual choke combos on some of those guns. I once owned a Flues 16 that was 0/4--cyl/full.

I'll open the Ithaca tonight and see what kind of chokes its marked with. Pics this weekend.