Can any of you folks tell me the approximate weight of a 16 ga. Ithaca Flues?

Also would be interested in max pressure and load info.

Thanks,

Hman

In Walt's book, Ithaca advertised the weight of the Ithaca Flues 16 GA as 5 3/4lbs. I haven't weighed mine though to verify.

I typically try to stay under 9,000psi with my twist barrelled Flues, Greg Taggart has stated in the past 10,000psi should be the number you stay under. FWIW.

Mike Doerner

My 1924 with 30" tubes goes 6.75lbs.

Mark

My 1917 30" Flues is six even.

With truly great respect for Greg and his advice, it's not hard to stay below ~ 8000 psi and even lower, and I think it's wise to do so IN VINTAGE GUNS (before the mid - late 1920s).

Most good American guns were proved around 15,000 psi in the early 20th century, but this was initially intended to provide a 2 x factor over maximum service pressures. There are a number of reasons this large factor was wise, given the technology knowledge and practices of the day.

Also, while there are a few black powder loads that ran 6900 lups and occasionally higher (particularly using FFFg), the large majority ran in the 4500 to 6000 range (customarily with FFg). These lower loads were used for crusher calibration checks by du Pont as they developed smokeless powders, in the very early '90s (from their lab book notes).

Flues' light frames indicate another consideration, apart from pressure. Recoil momentum (ejecta wt x velocity) should be modest. Greg probably has a better idea of what this means numerically (he's formally studying Flues frame cracks), but I'm thinking 7/8 oz at 1220 fps or less, or perhaps 1 oz around 1050 fps. (My Flues is a 12 ga with decent frame thickness in the area of issue, but I still keep 'em light -- I have other guns for heavy-load days.)

Prior to WW-I Ithaca ads showed Flues Model 16-gauges as light as 5 3/4 pounds, 20-gauges as light as 5 1/4 pounds, and 28-gauges as light as 4 3/4 pounds. In those days the standard 16-gauge load, put up in a 2 9/16 inch case, was 2 1/4 drams equiv. and 7/8 ounce of shot. The heaviest 16-gauge loads listed were 2 3/4 drams equiv. and 1 ounce of shot. By the December 1919 Ithaca catalogue 16-gauges are listed 6 to 6 3/4 pounds and by Ithaca catalogues of the 1920s 16-gauges are said to be 6 1/4 to 6 3/4 pounds.

Weighed mine. With Kick-Eez pad it's 6 lbs 14.3 oz. FWIW. 1920 manufacture.

Mike Doerner