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

HEY! I am a new poster so i hope i am in the right place. Just picked up an Ithaca Flues 16ga. 2 9/16" chambers grade 4 (no letter) two barrel set made in 1920. One set is 25" ic/ic the other 32" f/f. All numbers match and grade also matches on both barrels and receiver. Gun is very rough in appearance but mechanically in almost prestine condition (IMO). I will use it to hunt birds and other game here in Alabama. I would like to try to find out more on this gun to see what i have as i don't think it was a stock off the hardware store shelf gun but propably a special order. I don't plan on selling it but knowing the history on it would help me decide wheather to shoot her as is or to restore her and have a really nice show peice/hunting gun. I am not wanting a price just need to know if it was at one time a special gun. Can't need put a lot of money in it if it is only a great old shooter. But if it is something special then yea. I have seen some in perfect condition that were very pricy and if this gun should be there then i will try to find the funds to do it. Any help?
Thanks
Tommy

A restored gun is always going to be a restored gun, and will never approach the value of a minty factory original gun. Restoration has to be for your own satisfaction, you will never get the cash back out of a gun that a proper restoration costs.

Congratulations on finding a fine Grade 4 Ithaca. What kind of barrel material? Krupp Fluid Steel? Damascus? Everything you want to know about Ithaca is in Walter Snyder's book --

http://www.shotgunworld.com/ithacabooks.html

HEY! And thanks. Yes i know you never do get your money back but that's not an issue to me. I don't plan on selling it as it was a guift from the son of a man iuse to hunt quail with years ago. He has pased now and i never saw this gun, he never spoke of it but his son said he left it to me. So money would not matter (even if i had it to do the restoration) with reguards to a restoration. I am just trying to see if this gun being a grade 4 and two barrel set should be restored at any cost because of what it is. I have a couple of other Ithaca's but am not that formilure with them. Now i will start learning. I plan on buying Mr. Snyders' book asap.
Thanks for your help
Tommy

You will find that 1 ounce low pressure shells would be what you want to shoot out of that gun. Modern ammo will be too rough on it. I have one and it a joy to shoot and behold. I hope you have many days of pleasure from it, especially with its history.

The Ithaca Flues SXS is one of the finest American classic shotguns. The Flues doubles are uniquely well balanced and light. Of course, 'ham-fisted' abuse can destroy them, but the basic design is an engineering marvel with the fasted lock times of any boxlock design. The successor Ithaca doubles (NID) were billed as improvements, but in reality the firm discontinued the Flues because they were relatively more expensive to make.

J.K.B. von Falkenhorst

Congrats on a fine classic. I own some Flues and Crass, but not a grade 4. Certainly not with a 2 barrel set. You are correct, it was a special order. Perhaps Walt will drop in and have more info.

I hope you enjoy it. As builder states, with the correct loads, the flues is joy.




Pete

Better yet with 7/8 oz loads, if you're shooting targets or something similarly high volume. Less recoil, less stress on old wood.