16ga.com ~ View topic

Just registered today and have already gained a lot of new knowledge. I would like to get some opinions on the following guns, for I am actively in the hunt:

Ithaca Flues Field
Lefever Nitro Special
L.C. Smith Field

I know the Elsie is a great gun, but I am not that well acquainted with the Ithaca or Lefever. Having said that, would $700 for a very clean and fully original Ithaca Flues Field be in the ball park?

Thanks for your input.

Marc

*Last edited by brdhnt on Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:41 am; edited 1 time in total*

txshootist,

Welcome to the Society. You've got some nice 16's there and I'm sure you will get lots of info on them.

What part of Texas? I'm up in Lubbock.

Again, Welcome!

TMB
________
GIFT CARDS

Welcome to the 16 gauge nut house. I would buy a NID before I bought a flues. The Smith feild grade is a great gun. You are headed in the right direction.

I am over in Richardson. Glad to be here. Thanks for the input.

A Flues could be wonderful quail gun with low pressure loads and the right chokes.

Dear marc,

I just got a Lefever Nitro Special 16 ga 28" (IC/Mod) and it only cost me $325, and it seems to me to be a heck of a lot of gun for the money, it's in great original shape, actually has some checkering, a trim half pistol grip.... I am frankly surpised....it looks like a reliable, sturdy, durable doublegun. I got it for my son, and we've not yet shot it, but it comes up just fine ( I like 2 1/2" at the heel, personally, though many might feel it to be too much "drop", but you can always, easily and cheaply, bend it up to fit if need be) When marketing English guns, the bulk of my clientele refered to these Yank doubles as "clunkers". To me, for shooting a lot (like clays and skeet), the extra weight is fine, absorbing recoil better than lighter "game guns" made in UK and the Continent. I really don't think you'd notice the extra half to 1 pound in the field. This Lefever has a very trim, attractive receiver, seems as well built to me as the LC Smith field, of which I've had 5-6 run thru my hands over the past 10 years (all 16's), but the Elsie IS a true, though rudimentary, sidelock, and simply demands a bit more, ismore desirable on used gun market, but not necessarily better made, in my opinion. I think you'd like the Lefever, and I'm sorry, but I have had just too little experience with the Ithicas to comment.

Good luck, you're barkin' up the right tree me thinks....

Duncan

The Flues is an older, weaker design than the NID (New improved design). I would recommend shooting only light loads through it. As far as the Elsie or the Nitro, both are good guns. I think "part" of the price difference is based on collectibility and desireability. But more important than price (to me) is picking the gun that fits you best. You may well indeed pay more than the difference to make a poor fitting gun fit you.

Member Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 524

The Ithaca you mentioned and the Nitro Special are not of the same quality as the LC Smith...let's just get that right out there now.

I'm not telling you the other two are not decent guns but you have two apples and an orange listed in your 3 gun picks.

Coincidently, I handled all three you mentioned about an hour ago at a local used gun shop. My opinion? I couldnt summon any desire for the Ithaca ($595.00) or the Nitro ($625.00). They also had a Western long Range ($495.00) which seemed the best of the 3 I handled. They were all 12 Ga of course...but still......They were all so heavy and unbalanced. Just didnt feel like anything I'd want to carry. The 16's are better though-no doubt. And, for the price they are solid guns. Better than anything else that much money will buy.

If the Elsie is do-able for you get it over any of them. Better yet, save another $500.00 - 1,000.00 or so and get a feather weight Fox Sterlingworth

I just picked up a 16GA Sterlingworth for 900.00 wighs 5.9 LBS

Welcome TXshootist! I lived in Dallas 15 yrs before moving up here two and a half yrs ago. If I was looking for an American classic, it would be the following:

Sterlingworth
LC Smith Featherweight
Lefever DS

Have fun looking Very Happy

Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 8

Shootistxt - keep youre powder dry, and attend the Market Hall Gunshow this weekend, should be a few good 16s there to look at and try the feel of.