doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Best of the Working Man's Doubles

Back in the 1960s, I shot a 20 gauge Flues for 3-4 seasons doing upland hunting. Gun had some issues, barrels had been cut, likely from 28 to 26". Chokes were marked as 2/4 but the remaining amount was more like I/C & � choke which was great for my purpose. A "Whiteline" recoil pad had been installed & chambers were lengthened to 2 3/4". Weight was 6lbs even.

At that point in my life, I had not heard of the frame problem with the Fluese & it has steel smokeless powder proofed barrels so I shot it regularly. My standard load was the 2� DE-1 Oz load. I never shot anything heavier & only precious few of the 2� DE 7/8 Oz loads. I shot it until the ribs popped loose & retired it. In hindsight, I highly suspect they had been "Hot Salt" blued. I did know better than that then but assumed anyone who had re-blued it would likewise, guess I was wrong.

I actually shot it quite well & can recall a few doubles on the covey rise while "Bird" hunting. My Dad & I was doing quite a bit of Beagle Hound running then & it was Bad Medicine on those Be-Bopping cottontails as well.

It never developed a frame problem although I realize now it was actually designed & built for the 2� DE - 7/8 OZ load

I started collecting American klunkers because my dad shot trap and hunted with a Nitro Special with a homemade beavertail forearm. Then I got a Steven's 311 .410 (tenite)for Christmas in 1948 and was hooked. Now I have a closet full of these 'working mans' doubles' that mostly gather dust.

Nice thing about all this documentation of "Hardware store" shotguns- a big ol' rooster cacklin' as his wings beat, coming out of the cut cornfield- doesn't matter if he drops dead from a H&H or an H&R- it's all good. My pick, as also Steve Bodio's, is for the "Working Man's double- the Ithaca NID. My friend, the late Brad B. also endorsed it-- RWTF.

Steve changes guns like I change socks, but, he always has a Darne.

Best,
Ted

While not common here, the working man's shotgun in France was the Robust. Close to a million sold by Manufrance during its day. Gil

Have a Tobin. Weren't they sort of a working man's double in Canada? Also a Henry hammer 12. I think they retailed for less than $4 in the old days.

I don't think the Ithaca NID is in the same class as the Lefever Nitro, Western Longrange, Hunter Fulton, Winchester 24 etc. (That's why Ithaca brought out the Nitro and the Western Longrange as lower priced "working man's" options.) The NID was the best double Ithaca made. True, a Field Grade didn't have much "bling" to it. But the only thing separating an NID Field Grade from, say, a Grade 4, was the "bling": Much nicer wood, a lot of engraving, etc.

I would like to make mention of the guns produced by Hopkins & Allen. H&A made a few high grade SxS's, but most fit this "Working Man's" or "Farmer Grade" category.

OK- agree- local dealer has in his used gun racks, 2 LeFever Nitro Specials- a 16 and a 12-- I usually check them out when I am there having coffee- the 12 has been on the rack for a year, the 16 maybe 6 months- used but good condition, fairly priced, but our area is not a strong marked for older American side-by-sides-- Your accurate observation about the field grade NID and a higher grade being wood, finish and engraving could also be applied to a VH (E) Parker vs. a DH(E) Parker--

I like the trigger pulls on my 12 NID- crisp, and the gun"shoots right where I am looking" every time, ejectors in time, and it was built in 1926=27 era. Don't much care about the cocking indicators, but for the $500 I paid for this 12 Grade 2E--I've gotten over that years ago. If I had to take a "rough country" hunt or tower shoot event in harsh weather, the L.C. Smiths would stay home in the steel vault, and I'd take the Ithaca, every time-hand running.. RWTF

RWTF, the final modifications of the NID got rid of those "snails ears" cocking indicators. That was the version Steve Lamboy used when he brought the NID back with his Ithaca Classic Doubles.