doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com This poor old gun

About 5 yrs ago, I ran across a 20ga Ithaca NID 3E, factory SST on Crosnoe's site. It was beat up, mistreated and had a peg leg (butt graft) that was coming undone. It was overpriced but I saw a gem in there somewhere.

I disassembled it to find that the stock inletting had been gutted by some hack in the past. The head was split and there was virtually no camming ramp left to draw the action into the stock. The recoil surfaces had been almost reduced to nothing. I started to rebuild the stock inletting to use it as a machining pattern, but spoke to Gunter Pfrommer about restoring it along the way and decided this would be a good way to go.





A few years ago, Gunter completed a nice restock with a blank I picked, as well as refinishing the metal. At the time I started this project, I was envisioning a nice vintage 20g with a straight stock and BTFE for an upland hunting gun. So, I had it converted from pistol grip/splinter to straight stock/BTF. Overall, it came out nice. But the trigger had been mangled by the hack as well and Gunter polished it up as nice as possible. I was never happy with the trigger, so when it started doubling a year or so after the restoration, I just put it away.











About a year ago, I corresponded with Dan May of Miller Trigger about fixing the doubling problem. He said they could probably fix it. After a year or so, I finally shipped it to him. I asked if they could cut off the trigger shoe and replace it to replicate the original mid position as pictured in Walt's book, as well as install a OEM style buttplate where I had done a checkered butt previously. I received it back a week and a half ago and have had it out shooting twice for sporting clays. The trigger works flawlessly, even that funky 3 position tang safety/selector. The restoration of the trigger shoe is just right and the buttplate is as specified for pitch and LOP. Great work by Dan and company(s).

From Walt's book.

I think I'm finally done with this project. I feel good about bringing this one back from the brink and I like the gun better than a newer Ithaca Classic Doubles.

It looks fantastic, nice little gun to tote over rough ground as i assume its light. What weight is it ?

Beautiful, Chuck. Did you do your forcing cone "magic" on it?

SRH

bonny,
I had never weighed it. But, I just did. 6 lbs 11 oz. These NIDs were not particularly light. The figured black walnut is heavier than plain grain and it is very slightly balanced behind the pin. However, it feels great and feels slightly forward weighted when shooting.

Stan,
I haven't done any internal barrel work. In fact I haven't patterned the gun yet.

Well done. Very nice gun.

Fantastic.

I just wanted to acknowledge Jerry at Miller Trigger, who is the one that did the graft of the trigger shoe. Excellent craftsmanship.

Aw, maaaan! If you're gonna butcher an American classic, go whole hog, will ya?

Nice one, Chuck!

Very nice save, and very nice gun photography too. I do believe there's a splinter forend hiding inside of that BTFE. Just a personal preference.

I am wondering why some hack would have screwed with the original factory inletting? Also wondering if cocking indicators were standard on later model NID's in higher grades, or if this is an earlier gun?

Keith,
This gun is a 1927. At least by Walt's listing it fits in that year. Sometimes the deliveries were later. They were still doing indicators in 1927.

As far as the hacking of the inletting, it's clear that the donk that did it wanted to be able to remove the stock without removing the sears. The stock was almost in three pieces when it came to me. I was going to return it, but we settled on a deal.

I don't know Chuck, a straight stock and a BTFE just doesn't seem to go together. Seems that a big honking pistol grip would go better with the BTFE. Otherwise a beautiful gun, even with the single trigger.
Steve

Thats pretty! I like both the single trigger and the BTFE. But I especially love that style of engraving, where you have enough empty space around the engraving that you can appreciate the engraved image.

Mergus

Beauty!

Love those colors he brought out in that frame, perfect job.