16ga.com ~ View topic

Guest

I've run across across a SxS 16 which my gut feels good about, but I have relatively little SxS experience, so I'd thought I'd seek help from you gents.

It's a New Ithaca Double Field, dual triggers, full or pistol grip. It has 28" barrels, apparently choked full and full. Markings on barrel flats are a cross sort of like the Red Cross, and the numeral 4. Barrel flats also marked 2 3/4 chamber. Serial number on barrel flats is 466023. On underside metal of forearm, same serial number, but it is preceded by a captial S and followed with a captial F. Right-side water table marked with serial number and a small "PAT'D". Left-side water table marked with a capital F over the numeral 16.

I'd describe her condition as well used but not abused. Top lever is easily right of noon. I took forearm off and gave her barrels a twist and the rowing/paddling motion. Solid. I can see no sign of any soldering, brazing or welding. All parts I can see look original. Pins look fine and screw-heads look untouched.

Barrels rang true as a bell when I hung them from the lug off of a finger. Barrels are sort of brown/plum on exterior, and I found no pitting on interior, even with a bore light. Some case-color left on receiver, but not a lot -- I'd call it 40 percent or so.

The gun can use a detail cleaning, but so far have not been able to find rust. I think the wood may have been redone once, but I can find no structural flaws in it. Black, elongated diamond or triangle type of inlay at front of forearm, and the hard rubber or plastic butt pad appears to be original -- Ithaca Gun Company, Ithaca N.Y., U.S.A. arranged in a circle around what appears to be a ringneck.

The gun feels solid and sweet. It's sitting here next to me. I was eyeballing it, and the owner/dealer, with whom I have had a very good relationship, said, "Just take it out and shoot it if you'd like." Although we did complete the paperwork and waiting period, he's just loaning it to me. He seemed to like it quite a bit himself and he knows I'm fond of 16s. I told him it might be a week to 10 days or so before I'd have time to shoot it and get back to him, and he said not to worry about it ... just shoot it at my leisure and let him know when convenient.

So, my immediate plan is to put some once, 2 3/4" Rem and Win GLs through it on a trap field. Will probably take a slip-on pad with me in case she's a mule. If I do like the gun, dealer is asking $1K.

Any idea as to date of manufacture? Anything special I should know? How does the deal sound?

If I buy this, I'd probably ship it to Mike Orlen to have it opened to IC/Mod and perhaps have the forcing cones lengthened. I'd also have a pad added locally to bring the LOP a touch longer, but she comes up fairly nicely already.

Any ideas, gents, about whether I am heading down a good path here?

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

MGF: I really can't help you with info on the gun., although it sounds nice! I would say the the Remington RGL is a pretty high pressure load. Above 10,000 psi if I remember correctly from the 16ga. reloader data. Can't comment on the Winchesters. I would recommend something a little more "old gun user friendly" if I were you. Good luck!

Matt

Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 280 Location: Southern Ohio

That's a 1940 N I D Field Grade, I have never seen one with that type of buttplate, but those were the clean up years and anythings possible.. Most of that period had extra nice wood.. As for the ammo, It will handle any factory load of th proper length.. MDC

Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 280 Location: Southern Ohio

That's a 1940 N I D Field Grade, I have never seen one with that type of buttplate, but those were the clean up years and anythings possible.. Most of that period had extra nice wood.. As for the ammo, It will handle any factory load of th proper length.. MDC

That sounds to be a dam nice field grade NID. I'd jump on that and that $1K is what good ones are going for today. As far as them Rem. GL's go don't sweat em, it'll shoot them fine. This ain't a gun you need to use low pressure ammo with. BTW, that cross you decribed as a red cross symbol is the mark of the man who proofed the barrels at the old gun shop. shoot it before you send it off to be opened up and shoot some different loads through it. Just my thoughts but I own many Ithaca SxS's and don't waste time messing with forcing cones-------does nothing at all for pattern/recoil. You'll enjoy that gun and won't have to worry about it breaking down/having to deal with some phoney service dept. of guns made by "furriners". Great huntin gun Wink

Guest

Thanks guys. It does feel like a special gun. Am heading to the club now. Will have a report tonight.

Guest

Just back from the club. Ran some 1 oz. Win and Fiocchi GLs through the NID. She's a sweetie. Apparently choked tight and tighter, but otherwise dandy. I think I'm going to give her a new home.

The chokes on your piece was set up for shells before plastic. The old paper shells did not have shot wads, only cushioning wads. The forcing cones were tighter in the older guns as well as the chokes. When you reload you could use a spreader in the shot wad cup. Full is turkey tite and modified is full in the older pieces.

All older Ithaca SxS's will shoot tighter patterns with modern ammo. The forcing cones are not "tighter" they are just shorter in length. This length does not effect the degree of choke constriction. Plastic wads throw a tighter pattern than old felts did. Most of these old girls had full chokes that were .040+ restictions and mod. chokes at around .025 and the result is just what your getting.
My no. 1 favorite shotgun is a last yr.(1948) NID with 30" tubes its choked .027 and .010 and I would not trade it for anything. I will suggest to you that when you open this gun up send it to a guy like Mike Orlen for the work not some nitwit who will take a number off a chart and make that hole in the end match it Exclamation

Many of these "new" smiths know nothing about chokes in a shotgun, only what they read in some book.

Guest

Thanks, Capt. Mike Orlen is just the man I have in mind. Will contact him. This little gun really impresses me. I may have to get a pad on it to bring the LOP out an additional 1/4" or 1/8" inch, but besides opening it up, that's about it. She's a darlin'.