doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Identify this SxS Maker ?

Photo is of my recent low cost acquisition: a hammerless 20 gauge SxS marked "Witte Hdwe Co. IXL - St. Louis, MO."

I know that Witte Hardware was a large hardware and gun distributor, based n my hometown. And that they had shotguns made for them, with their own brand name. Although not clear in the photo, there is a pointer dog stamped on each side of the action. 7xx serial number.



I Think this SxS was made by ITHACA, although it lacks any such markings:

1. Who do you think was the maker?

2. If it is an Ithaca, what basic Ithaca model does it match?,

3. Any guess on likely manufacture year (range)?

THANKS

JERRY

It's an Ithaca. Post the serial#.

Yep, an Ithaca FLues it appears to me.

I think its a Nitro Special equivalent.

Flues

Western Arms Nitro variant.

THANKS, I thought it was ITHACA.

Serial number is very low + 776.

What is the key differentiator feature between a Nitro and Flues?

JERRY

Flues





Western Arms Nitro variant

Chuck is right on!! It is a "trade brand" varient of Ithaca's Western Arms Long Range Double. It must be a fairly early example. The Western Arms Co. Long Range Double was introduced in 1929, and in the early 1930's Ithaca opted out of producing "trade brand" guns.


1934


1936

Walt will probably weigh in

http://www.ithacagun.com/pdfs/serialnumbers.pdf

The pin in the extreme front of the frame is for the cocking arms. Flues don't use them,,Nitro Specials/WesternArms do,,(as do NID's.)

Well, I sure stand corrected. Kutter and Chuck have it right. No pin for cocking levers on a Flues but it's there on the later guns. Should have, as I usually do, checked Walt's book before I jumped in. Sorry I added to the confusion.

My first clue was the distinctive pointer roll mark, then the sculpting of the frame, followed by the lack of a tang on the triggerguard and then the extra pin. A fun 'guess who'

THANKS, Guys!

Is the consenus that the likely birthdate was in the 1920's or 1930's?

JERRY

Your gun was made in 1930. #1-16 was made in 1929