Dace, I forgot to add that your Nitro Special has a forged steel frame. It was the cheaper version called the Western Long Range Arms gun that had the cast, maleable frame. Also, my gun is numbered 44 guns later than yours. Good shooting --- andno steel, please. You really ought to get Walt Snyder's excellent books on the Ithaca guns. He checks in to this board from time to time and is a very helpful guy with an unsurpassed knowledge of the Ithaca guns. Chopper