doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Ithaca best fluid steel question

I was gifted this gun, and have always loved doubles. Its in bristol condition and would love to kill some ducks with it, but I'm unsure on wether it will handle 2 3/4 shells. It has Briley thin wall chokes in it.
Any feedback is appreciated.
Not sure how to post pics.

You can email a few to me, and I’ll get them on the board for you.

tedjs@usfamily.net

Best,
Ted

take it to a gunsmith to measure chamber lengths...

original Ithaca made guns are not suitable for steel shot...

follows smiths advise re proper ammo...

and be aware of rst brand ammo made for pre war guns...

Emailed to you
thanks
Dennis

Thanks for that,
Whats the story on RST? I know the shells, but whats the problem with it?
Would TSS work ok with it?

Stick with bismuth shot, or Tungsten Matrix if you can find some. TSS is harder than steel and could damage the choke area of the barrel. NICE shot is another alternative, if you can find some. Stay with lighter shot loads in all of these to help protect the old wood from excessive recoil.

Some of the latest bismuth loads have been getting some bad press of late. People trying to use it in some really tight Full and XFull chokes in vintage doubles have experienced shot fragmentation when passing through the choke. I have several hundred of the BOSS bismuth loads, which have gotten some of the bad press, and mine kill ducks way better than steel, but I'm not using them through chokes much tighter than .025". My bismuth reloads that are loaded with the old Bismuth brand pellets seem to do fine through the tighter chokes, .030" through .043".

Might be worth your time to read over this: https://www.randywakeman.com/How_Nice_is_Nice_Shot.htm

Ed didn't mean to imply "beware" of RST. He actually said "be Aware" of it. That's my guess anyway. With Ed you never quite know for certain.

Good luck. Anxious to see the pics.

gee stan, had to git yo little zinger in der any hows...

let dat be the wurst of yo faults...

give it a rest now...

and try to reflect on how you can be a betta person next year...

You're welcome, Ed.

an dw, be aware does not mean beware...

as to rst, they make fine low pressure ammo for vintage guns...

if in doubt seek professional advise...

and happy new year...

A couple of photos:







Best,
Ted

If the gun is 12 gauge it will handle at least 2&3/4 inch shells. Looks like a very nice earlier high grade NID. I have a similar Kydex comb on mine.

grade 2, I think...

1 1/8 oz bismuth loads should be about right for ducks...

Stan would know, re shot size and chokes...

1 1/8 oz of Bismuth has roughly the same pellet count as 1 1/4 oz lead. 4s or 5s work well in my experience for decoyed birds. I usually use 5s..

I often use 1 1/4 oz lead loading recipes.

I didn't pick up the be aware of as pay attention, I get it now.
thanks

The gun grade will be stamped on the watertable. I think it a Grade 3 or 4. From what I've seen the first grade with checkered cheeks is a Grade 5. This cheek checkering may be aftermarket.

Looks like a nice fully optioned NID No. 4E with the cocking indicators and the short, bulky, beavertail forearm that indicates an earlier gun, 1926 to 34.



The No. 4E normally does not have checkered stock cheeks --



so that checkering may be covering a repair of a split in the head of the stock or the stock is a replacement.

IIRC all of the Flues and later guns were 2 3/4 chambered from the factory. That said, I had a 1935 New Ithaca Field Grade that must have had short forcing cones because it was the hardest kicking 7 3/4 lb gun I have ever shot. Traded it off before I got into measuring tools like Skeets bore gauges and Walker chamber gauges, so I dont really know what it measured. A beautiful Grade 4 you have there.