Yeti, Be very sure you want to go on that slope. I got on it 20 years ago and can't seem to get off it. A very nice gun-congratulations.
There a only a few guys here that are stuck on this BU bit. I guess they consider themselves the shotgun police and as such feel it their duty to tell us what is good and what is not good. I have laid Ithacas, Smiths Parkers etc. side by side and, while there are differences, I can not see what this BU fuss is all about. If I can't see ugly, it doesn't exist for me. I guess beauty is in the eye of the butt holder. You pays the money and yous make the descision. In the unlikely event you deem it BU, please notify me at once and I will rush to remove it from your view. In the mean time, enjoy that piece of iron made up there on GunShop Hill.
Engraving wise, I think those found on Ithacas are a lot nicer than on many other American guns.
