doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com flues 20ga need help with the grade ( S )

hello, i have a flues sxs 20, with 26" barrels, f/f. from the ser # it was made between 22-23. my question is, it has 20 stamped into the water table and an S stamped directly above the 20. the gun has dogs on point engraved on both sides, but obvously isn't a sousa. would the S designate a number 1 special grade?


thanks for any help you can provide,,,,, joe

Yes, the #1 Special grade.

And all this time Walt has been telling the rest of us poor saps that the S stood for Snyder.........and that we needed to send all Ithaca's marked with an S back to him.

hd hawg'r,
This is true BUT no one listens! I'd just like to get my Snyder Specials back home. What's a poor boy (read this old man) to do??

Walt: what's the difference between a #1 Special And a # 1..Also we see the S on Field Grades.. A Field Special?.. MDC

The No. 1 Special was gone from the Ithaca catalogues by 1919. By that time the Field Grade had gotten the capped pistol grip which had previously differentiated the No. 1 Special from the Field Grade with a half pistol grip.

MD,
The #1 had "Stub Twist barrels" and the 1S had "Imported NitroSteel barrels." for most of the 1S life. The 1915 catalog lists "Imported Cockerill Steel Barrels." The S marked frames continued into use as it 'morphed' into the Field grade until the supply was exhusted. My analysis of the catalog listings shows the 1S grade gone by 1918. The 1917 December price list mentions the 1S but stated it was discontinued.

Walter,

We need to put together a canned answer for these questions concerning the S grade marking, and the evolution of all the various No. 1 quality Ithacas from the early ones with engraving through the 1P etc, etc.

Dave

Hello Researcher,
I did that analysis in about 1996 ish. Have it on paper and hope I can find it on a disc somewhere. Probably needs a review and update with recently captured info. Back to you later.

Walt, I have a 16ga that dates to 1910 thats clearly marked 1 with krupp barrels, so where does this fit into you're info?