doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Am I stuck with this Ithaca 10ga?

I was searching on GB for a set of 10ga damascus tubes I could salvage for an arts project. Didn't have to be shootable but I wanted something that was originally of decent quality. No twist, no 'laminated' anything, preferably not thumbprint. Wanted something finer than that but condition doesn't matter because it's going to be cut up and refinished anyway. Found an Ithaca with bad pics and even worse description but the barrels looked pretty decent as far as I could tell. Threw the low opening bid on it and promptly forgot about it. Couple of days later I get the notification that I had 'won'. Won what? I didn't even remember bidding on it.

So I went back to read the description again and study the pictures a little more intensely. The gun has been tinkered with which I knew. Looking closely at the pics I think I understand the story now. I'm thrilled with the barrels for what I paid for them but now with the gun in hand,......even with the modifications,.....it's too nice to scrap out.

Can I link to a closed auction here to show the pictures? The seller didn't even know the gauge, listed it as 'possibly a 12'. I'm not set up to take any new ones right now.

Someone must have wanted a 'rifle'. The top rib has been drilled and tapped with 7-8 holes apparently for the fitting of rifle sights which are now gone. The underside of the right barrel has been engraved 9.3x74R so I'm guessing at one time it had at least one sleeve in it. The stock has been fitted with a ventilated pad and a sling swivel attached to the under rib. I'm no fan of Ithacas or American doubles in general, but it is a grade 1-1/2 Flues(1917) in excellent condition aside from the tinkering. Locks up like the proverbial vault. Barrels are as new inside and out. Even though "I" don't like it and don't want it as a 'gun', it seems like a shame to cut it up.

IS it choked tight? Do you hunt turkeys?
https://www.buffaloarms.com/12-gauge-2-3-4-3-1-4-drams-of-amobp12ga2.html

List it for sale, here. You’ll figure out if your bid was low, or, not.

Good luck, by the way.

Best,
Ted

No, I don't hunt turkeys and don't have any use for it as a 'shooting' gun,.....just want to salvage the barrels. My 'winning' bid was one hundred and fifty bucks($235 with all taxes and fees), so economically it makes sense 'to me' to scrap it. I'm just not comfortable doing it. If otoh someone is sitting on an otherwise 'useless' set of fine damascus 10ga tubes sitting in a corner I'd entertain a trade.

You should easily be able to get your money plus some if you list it on Guns International. It deserves to be left intact. Keep looking...
JR

Barrels are 28" with .770" bores. Right choke is 0.011" and left is tight, 0.032". I guess that's improved cylinder and full or close to it. I may be off by a thou or two.

IT seems to Me that their are a lot of guys on this sight that ''Love'' Damascus barreled guns. With that being said,
you should be able to get about ''5'' times more than what your total cost was.

Dirty Harry

Hey Researcher!! Where are you when we need ya?? Ha-ha!!

It looks interesting, and I would have interest if you decide to move it along.

What barrels are you specifically looking for, composite/Damascus I suppose?? I have set of 10 gauge Parker Damascus barrels that were cut to 20" or so if I remember correctly, and some other longer barrels.

I'm just looking for some 'pretty' damascus that appeals to me. I like the higher grades like a star or chain damascus or something like this Ithaca with a tight ribbon. Just kinda turned off by anything that's a plain grade stub twist or a heavy fingerprint pattern. Something like a cut down, separated or heavily rusted high-grade set would be completely fine which is why I'm having so much trouble contemplating 'ruining' a good condition gun, regardless of the tinkering that's been done to it or how little I have in it. This gun probably deserves to live a little longer. It's been abused by one bubba already and I'd prefer not to be the second. I can use good GRADE junk,......I don't have to destroy a working gun. I have a small pile of 12ga tubes that fit my description but I really kinda need 10s. I've also got a whole closet full of poorer condition Brit doubles in 10 and 12ga that 'could' be shortened to get the scraps I need but I'm not really too keen on that idea either. I can use 8-10" cutoffs or anything up to full length for different projects,....the more the merrier because I'm also going to have to experiment with refinishing.

To see the full description and pics from the auction,..... https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1157762862

They have it described as a 26" 12ga. Pics are dark and rather poor. I should try to get better pics,.....it's really pretty nice overall if you discount the holes in the rib and the butt pad. I'm also not sure but it looks like it has had a couple of small holes drilled and threaded for set screws in the rim recesses, evidently to secure 9.3mm rifled tube(s). I don't think that would affect the shooting, but,......

https://www.doublegunpreservation.com/damascus-barrels

Extra Fine and Finest would be fantastic. Fine as depicted here is more than good enough. When you get down to the Standard Damascus, Laminated and Twist,.....I already have better than that to choose from, although mostly 12ga rather than 10ga.