doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Ithaca Nitro Special ?s

I have a few questions about some Nitro Specials I have acquired. I have a 12,16 and a 20. I have the 16 figured out what shell to shoot and all that. The 12ga I have looked at several differnt posts on the net and I'm still not sure. The 16 and 20 are marked 2 3/4 they are a 1937 and 1940 model. The 12ga is a 1923 model and is not marked for shell length. Here and there on the web I find info that (all 12ga Nitros were 2 3/4 from Ithaca) but some threads say they were I believe if memory serves 2 9/16 or 2 1/2. Does anyone know for sure? I assume a field load of 1oz or 1 1/8 oz of shot running about 1200 or 1250 should be safe to shoot in this gun? Would the 20ga be safe using a field load of 7/8 shot running 1200fps to 1250fps or should I find something a little lighter. All three guns are in perfect shape. Thanks for the help. Michael

nitros all have 2 3/4" chambers...

loads you suggest would be fine for limited shooting...

No, they don�t ed.

The 16s got 2 3/4� chambers around 1937. In the 1920s, the 12s and 20s were short chamber guns. Researcher will be along to give us the exact dates.

That said, Nitros were designed to put up with the heavier loads that were being developed and sold around this time. Yes, they are old guns, but, the loads you are suggesting are not from the magnum section at a �mart somewhere.

There are folk who use 2 3/4 inch loads in shorter chamber guns, which, from all reports is doable if the loads are within the same spec, pressure wise as the loads the gun is designed for. I have been running 2 3/4� guns.

Good luck with your guns. I have a 1937 vintage 16, and it is a great gun for hunting.

Best,
Ted

The 12-gauge Nitro Specials were chambered for 2 3/4 inch shells from the get go. The 16-gauges were chambered for 2 9/16 inch shells from the introduction until 1934 when they went to chambering for 2 3/4 inch shells. I think the 20-gauges were all chambered for 2 3/4 inch shells, but I have never found confirming company literature. The .410-bores were chambered for 2 1/2 inch shells until 1934 when they went to 3-inch.

In 1922, when Western Cartridge Co. introduced progressive burning powder, high velocity loads to North American shotgunnery, they put up their 12-gauge 1 1/4 ounce Super-X load and their 20-gauge 1 ounce Super-X load in their 2 3/4 inch FIELD shell. A bit later they introduced their 1 1/8 ounce 16-gauge Super-X load put up in their 2 9/16 inch FIELD shell. Remington followed suit adding their 12- and 20-gauge HEAVY DUCK load to their Game Load series in 2 3/4 inch NITRO CLUB cases. Remington didn't bother with a 16-gauge HEAVY DUCK load early on as they hadn't made a 16-gauge gun since 1910, and their new Model 17 20-gauge pump was made for 2 3/4 inch shells as were their 12-gauge pump and autoloader. By 1925 they added a 16-gauge 2 9/16 inch HEAVY DUCK Load. Between 1925 and 1930 the HEAVY DUCK load morphed into the NITRO EXPRESS load.

From the late 1890s until after WW-I, the heaviest 16-gauge loads our North American ammunition companies offered were 2 3/4 drams of bulk smokeless powder or 22 grains of dense smokeless powder such as Infallible or Ballistite, pushing 1 ounce of shot. Those loads could be had in the "standard" 2 9/16 inch case or any of the longer 2 3/4, 2 7/8 or 3-inch cases.

The 2 3/4 inch 16-gauge shell really began to get some traction when Remington Arms Co., Inc. introduced their Model 11 and "Sportsman" autoloaders in 16-gauge in 1931, chambered for 2 3/4 inch shells. While Remington's regular NITRO EXPRESS 16-gauge progressive burning powder load was put up in a 2 9/16 inch hull with a load of 3 drams equiv. pushing 1 1/8 ounce of shot, for their new 16-gauge autoloaders they introduced the slightly faster AUTO-EXPRESS with a 3 1/4 drams equiv. charge pushing 1 1/8 ounce of shot --

Hey guys thanks for the info. MR Ted I love my 16ga the little gun is sweet to shoot.

I love mine. I have guns that are worth a bunch of money more than this one, but, it is a great shooter. 6 lbs, 2 ozs, 26� barrels, factory choked CYL and mod.





Best,
Ted

Very nice. Mine is choked mod and full. It is heck on squirrels. You need to be aways off when you shoot them with it, a load of no 6s will tear them up pretty bad.

The "Old" standard short chambering for 12 ga was 2 5/8". Several American companies made guns with 2 5/8" chambers & specified they were for 2 3/4" shells.

As I recall all of my Lefever Arms Co (Syracuse) 12 gauge guns with the large cocking hook have 2 3/4" chambers. I have one which is the earlier two-hook design, Ca 1892, which has the shorter 2 5/8" chambers.

As per Researchers post, the better makers of American doubles would cut any length chamber to order up to about 3�" as I recall.

I have a little NS 20ga, that I think was made into a skeet gun for a youth or lady. It has a short LOP, 13 1/4 to the front trigger, two ivory beads(small mid) and is choked SK-left & IC right. with 28" barrels.

In the old days of skeet you shot the singles all the way around the course and then went back and shot the doubles. It was perfectly acceptable to load just a single round for the single bird. A person with small hands could shoot 21 of the stations with the rear trigger only having to reach for the front trigger on for times. The front trigger has just enough forward movement that you just need to straighten your finger and it moves out of the way and once your finger is past it snaps back in place. You just have to curl your finger again and the gun fire.

I'm vertically challenged so the shotgun fits me well. One year my 24 gram loads for international skeet didn't arrive in time for the state shoot and they let me shoot 20ga 7/8 loads, I took 6th place with a two trigger sxs. I love that little 20. I will say that 100 or 200(I can't remember which) out of that 20 made my shoulder hurt for a few days. I replaced the old hard pad with a Kick-eze for my wife to shoot. It had been a Christmas gift to her a few years earlier so she could shoot pigeons for me training dogs. I had to borrow it for the shoot and when I came home all glowing I was reminded who it belonged to.