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<  16ga. Guns  ~  Ithaca SxS "Field Grade" Question
BarkeyVA
PostPosted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:17 pm  Reply with quote
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Location: Williamsburg, VA

I stopped in at Green Top located 6 miles north of Richmond, VA just off I-95. They always have a large number of used guns including a few in 16 ga. Included was one A-5 "Sweet 16" and a 16 ga. Ithaca SxS marked "Field Grade" on the tag. The SxS has a bird dog scene stamped on either side of the frame. Serial No. 257721. It is priced at $799 but they would let it go for $700 plus tax. It it doesn't look that great but it locked up tight and had bright bores.

I am not interested in buying it, but I am curious what model it is and when it might have been built.

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BarkeyVA
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southpaw02
PostPosted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:43 pm  Reply with quote
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It is hard to say without knowing the model. If it is a flues then it could be 1915.Ir it a Lefever it could be 1928.

I have to make the trip up there to see their inventory!


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BarkeyVA
PostPosted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 8:01 pm  Reply with quote
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I think it had Ithaca Gun, Ithaca NY printed under the bird dog on both sides of the frame. It had steel barrels (not damascus) So you think it might be a flues?

Gander Mountain and a Bass Pro are in that area not that far from GreenTop

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BarkeyVA
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southpaw02
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:32 am  Reply with quote
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I am thinking it is a lefever although I could be wrong. I"d have to see it.

I have been wanting to go check out Green Top as well as the Gander & Bass Pro there.
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spj
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 8:18 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 06 Sep 2010
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Location: eastern us

It is very light Flues model with stock dims that could only fit Herman Monster with generous stock extension added of course.

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paul
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ron
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 1:26 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Dec 2007
Posts: 109
Location: S.W.PENNSYLVANIA

I own a 1923 Ithaca SxS 16ga flues field model that has the bird dog scene on both sides of the receiver. The barrels are nitro proof steel. At 6lbs 7oz it's my PA grouse gun.
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spj
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 6:25 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 06 Sep 2010
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Location: eastern us

BarkeyVA wrote:
I stopped in at Green Top located 6 miles north of Richmond, VA just off I-95. They always have a large number of used guns including a few in 16 ga. Included was one A-5 "Sweet 16" and a 16 ga. Ithaca SxS marked "Field Grade" on the tag. The SxS has a bird dog scene stamped on either side of the frame. Serial No. 257721. It is priced at $799 but they would let it go for $700 plus tax. It it doesn't look that great but it locked up tight and had bright bores.

I am not interested in buying it, but I am curious what model it is and when it might have been built.


I have handled it. It is nice old gun that has been on many hunts. If extra drop in stock still fits you it will make wonderful little bird gun, BUT you will have to special order low pressure loads to use in it. Not a problem those can still be shipped to your doorstep.

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BarkeyVA
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:38 am  Reply with quote
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Several things concern me about it. It shows some deterioration on the left side of the stock next to the frame from oil exposure.

I've never shot a gun with that much drop.

Not sure if $700 is a reasonable price given its condition.

With a serial number of 257721, any idea when it was made?

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BarkeyVA
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Researcher
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:59 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 13 Jun 2009
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Location: WA/AK

It is a 1915 vintage Flues Model Field Grade --



Price sounds pretty steep for a well worn Flues to me. In those pre WW-I years Ithaca was making their smallbores very light weight. I'd be looking real close for thin barrels and/or frame cracking.


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BarkeyVA
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 8:58 am  Reply with quote
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Researcher,

Thanks. I appreciate the information.

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Dave in Maine
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 12:57 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Sep 2010
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And if you buy one, you can come home frisky as a kitten.

Who was the genius who wrote that ad copy?
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shanebevel
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:04 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Mar 2011
Posts: 93
Location: Tulsa, Okla.

Frisky as a kitten is indeed a hilarious line in this context.

While both are being talked about here, can someone comment on the quality/build differences between the Ithaca Flues guns and the Ithaca built Lefever Nitro Specials?

I have a Nitro Special in 20ga that is well-patina'd, extremely light and nimble and I tend to shoot very well on woodcock and quail in heavy cover.
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McDerry
PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:32 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 May 2011
Posts: 27

The Flues design died off.

The Nitro Special is the precursor to the Ithaca NID. Ithaca used the newly aquired LeFever name to beta test the design. As it turned out, Its a tank. The design was available in magnum chambers. The weakest link is the 80 year old buttstock. New buttstocks are available.

Of all my older guns my 12 gauge nitro special is used the most.
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UncleDanFan
PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:26 am  Reply with quote
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Sounds overpriced to me. I saw two 16 flues for sale last week, both in the $4-500 range. One had a poorly done stock extension, the other had dark metal and just needed a refinish. Both had great dimensions.

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 3:34 pm  Reply with quote



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The Ithaca built Lefever Nitro Special was never offered in MAGNUM chamberings. The Lefever Nitro Special was supposedly designed with the new Super-X type loads, with progressive burning smokeless powders, in mind. However, the Nitro Special beat the shells to the market place by a year. The Lefever Nitro Special was introduced in 12-, 16-, and 20-gauges in 1921, with the .410-bore added in 1926. The Western Cartridge Co. Super-X loads were introduced in 12- and 20-gauge in their 2 3/4 inch Field cases and the 12-gauge 3-inch in their Record case, in 1922. The 16-gauge Super-X came along in 1923 put up in a 2 9/16 inch Field case.

The closest to a MAGNUM chambering the Lefever Nitro Special ever got from the factory is that from 1934 on the .410-bores were regularly chambered for the 3-inch shell.

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