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I have recently acquired a 1927 made 16ga Nitro Special. Can anyone tell me whether it has 2 3/4" chambers? I am unable to tell where the chamber ends and the bore begins using a metal ruler.

Second question: Does the chamber end where the taper begins or is it where the taper ends at the bore?

Thanks,
Marc

Almost certainly started with 2 9/16" chambers. Gotta have a decent gauge to know for sure what they are now. And the chamber ends where the forcing cone starts (the darker area where constriction begins)

Thanks guys. I suppose the only way I can tell for sure is using a proper gage. I'll try the metal ruler again and see if I can measure to where the taper begins.

Cheers,
Marc

Well, upon closer inspection, it looks like in 1927 the 16ga Nitro was still using 2 9/16" chambers. We'll have to watch our loads, although I have heard on this forum where the light 2 3/4" loads can be safely fired in the shorter chambers. Nay comments?

I'll be on the lookout for proper ammo in the mean time.

Marc

Marc-please check this thread http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1983

Revdocdrew,

Thanks for reminding me of the info that was right under my nose. I had read most of it a few days ago, but didn't have the Nitro at the time. When I got it, the guy who sold it to me said he thought the chambers were 2 3/4". Being the doubting soul that I am, I decided to find out for myself. Anyway, according to the info in the thread, I should be able to shoot normal loads (I still interpret that as meaning light loads) without concern. I do not intend to have the gun re-chambered.

Thanks,
Marc

Member Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 743

Whatever the chamber lengths are now, a Nitro made in the 1920's would've come from the factory with 2 9/16" chambers. Ithaca made the Nitros, and they didn't switch over to 2 3/4" on the 16 until the mid-30's. (Hunter Arms, the makers of LC Smith, Fultons, etc, were the last to switch to 2 3/4" 16 chambers, as far as I've been able to determine. They didn't do it until about 1940.)

But in the case of the Ithaca guns (NIDs, Nitro Specials, Western Long Range, etc), they certainly have enough barrel wall steel that you can safely lengthen chambers. Just lengthening the chamber probably won't do much for you in pressure reduction, however--but lengthening the forcing cones probably will reduce pressure somewhat, and may improve patterns.

[/quote]
So Larry, my 1929 Nitro is actually an Ithica, not a Lefever? I always heard of them as LeFever Nitro Specials, but were they made by Ithica under that name? And from what you wrote, I'm assuming somebody else opened the chamber to 2 3/4 before I got the gun?

Thanks,

Duncan[/quote]

Ithaca purchased the assets of the Lefever Arms Company in 1916 and continued to market guns under the Lefever Arms name for a number of years. They introduced the Nitro Special as a lesser-priced boxlock in 1921 and continued to manufacture it until 1948. BTW, when it was introduced, the Nitro Special carried an MSRP of $29.00. In my opinion, it remains the best of the lower-priced classic American doubles.

Looks like you did very well for yourself Duncan

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=63186482
The Glendale Cabela's sold one recently they had listed for $799.

Member Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 743

That's a very good price for a Nitro 16 in good shape. They're solid guns. I paid more than that for one several years back, but it was just about unused, and must have been a special order gun. It had 26" barrels, open chokes, and twin ivory beads. That's not a gun I'd say I seriously regret parting with, but I shot it a lot and shot it pretty well. Some of them do have too much drop in the stock for some people.

Ithaca actually made three side by sides under different names. In addition to the Lefever Nitro, there was also a Lefever A Grade--not many of them out there, made in the mid to late 30's. And then there was the Western Long Range, later ones being marked Ithaca Gun Co as well. They came out in 1929, and are very similar to the Nitro but with more manufacturing corners cut. Uncheckered wood, for example, and a less expensive process used to manufacture the receivers.

You'll find an article I did on Ithaca's economy doubles in the Nov-Dec issue of Shooting Sportsman.

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 376 Location: North ID.

There is a listing for Lefever A grade 16 ga. listed on gunbroker now, with a buy now price of $550,00. Auction #63765226.