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Although Andrew McFarland is not working on Hacks gun, is he still doing gunsmithing? What part of Texas is he in?

Thanks,

JOhn

Thanks to all. I appreciate the information.

Turns out to be a 470XXX "Victor, N.Y.".
Absolutely beautiful NIB 28 gauge 26", Mod/IC, DT, Petite BTFE. Fit and finish without flaw.

Can anyone give me a production breakdown regarding gauge or configuration? Thanks

I own a Grade 4 28 bore in the dual digit 471xxx series...The gun is phenomenal!

The Krupps barrel as produced by Merkel are perfect and very robust. The receiver...if I recall correctly was made I believe in Belgium by VGM with USA made innards.

These late guns are about ten fold better than the 470 series Italian guns. The wood is stunning as is the engraving.

ICD was literally 5 miles form my house and I visited Steve Lamboy numerous times at the shop. Steve had numerous production issues with parts from Italy...Making working guns from them was often very challenging for his gunsmiths who were very talented.
(As an example; I cite an Italian supplied barrel set that I examined that had miss matched barrels...28 gauge bores with 20 gauge chambers.....like I said challenging!)

It is really sad that they went belly up. Steve is a good man and always wanted the best for his clients. Toward the end they guns they were turning out were really very nice.

Hello Dave,
Gee, if the newer guns were only 9 fold better than the gun I just acquired, I'd feel ok about the acquisition. I guess all that's left is to split the barrels and stake up my tomato plants, use the receiver as a paperweight and burn the absolutely beautiful buttstock and forend wood to warm the home.
Now how about those production numbers. Thanks, Bob

Sorry Bob - 10 fold may have been an embellishment to get my point across...all the late guns were great cosmetics, strength and function...while some of the early ones would be (in my mind) questionable from a longevity standpoint all were very very pretty.

Like I said; The early Italian parts situation at ICD was very challenging but their gunsmiths were very good!

Both Andrew and Gunther made some fine pieces out of parts that others would have scrapped. Honestly, the time they spent getting each gun right was one of the contributing factors to the company’s demise.

PS - The tomato staking thing freaked me out...send me the wood it you decide on kindling it...;-)

Just picture it, blued steel barrels pounded into the ground with tomato plants fastened with that green gardeners tape.

Bob J. stated that only 500 were produced. If they were made in roughly equal runs, mine was at the latter end of the "Italian production". I've got 28 gauge Superposed, 28 gauge Winchester 21's, a 28 gauge Parker and the cosmetics of fit and finish seem as good if not better. What about the innards? Specifically, what are the issues?

If I sharpen 1 side of the buttplate by scrapeing it on the concrete sidewalk, i can use it to remove ice from my windshield on cold winter mornings. Thanks, Bob

Bob,
Don"t be down on your gun! The 470s are great guns and should function flawlessly while providing great enjoyment and pride of ownership. I have a 4E and a 7E early gun and they are great! I like them better than a late one that I have.
Bob Jurewicz

Dan seems to be aware of most of the "issues" with ICDs. Under no circumstance do you want to buy a Beschi gun as an investment. The parts were rejected by Steve as being inferior and who knows how and who assembled them.
I've seen, shot, and handled many of the gun both Italian and Krupp/VGM. I, currently own 5 (all Krupp) and Bob isn't far behind. These guns have received a lot of "bad press" on this and other forums. I have to believe that most of the people commenting on this issue have little experience with these guns and are far from experts. Dan, you're the exception. It sounds like you have dealt with problem guns.
Were there issues with some of these guns? Yes. The vast majority were well made and truly a bargain at current prices...try and find one. JTH Agency has one for sale, a Krupp gun for $6,500. This gun is a 20ga., 30"bbls, IC/Mod, PG with BTFE. The gun is perfect. Try and find something else out there at this price.
Parker Repros are commanding this kind of money and they were a production gun with issues of their own...a single trigger that doesn't work for one thing and "case coloring" that has the quality of finger paint for another. Somehow, these are always glossed over.

Bob Cash:
The Italian guns are, for the most part, just fine. My friend and hunting partner owns the only two 3Es (late Italian) made by ICD. They are a matched pair with consecutive serial numbers, 20/28ga.,28"bbls, SST, BTFE, ES, IC/Mod, and upgraded wood.
These are very, very nice guns and he actually hunts with them. I prefer the Krupp guns (lighter) in general but that doesn't mean that there aren't very nice Italian guns to be had.
The bottom line is that these guns, in any configuration, are bargains in comparison to what else is out there. Just be aware of the Beschi issue and stay clear of these guns.