Ever have a gun you sold and you later regretted doing so? Here’s mine. Today I got it back after selling it 20 years or more ago to a buddy. I traded him out of it after years of semi-begging for it. I bought the gun over 30 years ago from Thad Scott. At the time, I paid too much for it--$800. Serial #500691 made in 1939. NID 10 gauge, chambered for 3.5” shells. Field grade with ejectors. I used it for turkeys but got tired of carrying it around. So did my buddy. I’d call it a safe queen, but it was more of a gorilla than a queen. I’m happy to get it back. The Prodigal gun returns with its hairline stock crack and non-factory pad. 'Tis a brute with its 32" barrels.

Wow - awesome. I love those big 10s. Congrats on getting her back.

Not to be a jerk, but is the stippling on the bottom of the lug original?

Have a great season.

OWD

Great gun! I have wanted one of those since I was a kid reading Elmer Keith and his Lubaloy #3's.

Congratulations on getting the gun back. I have one that I like using on Canada goose and Swan, when I draw a permit.
mine has Stippling on the bottom of the lug also.

Nice wood for a Field Grade. Why not replace that pad with a reproduction Sunburst?

Agree with Larry...its a nice gun ... and that ol badly fitted tripple magnum pachyderm pad needs to go.

I have gone through a great many guns over the years and still wish I could find the 16 Sterlingworth I stupidly traded away.

There are a few things I want done to the gun. Have the stock glass bedded to stabilize the crack and replace the pad with the repro pad. Someone years ago went inside and buggered up screw slots. He must have used a tire tool or butter knife; I'd like to get those cleaned up. It always amused me why it was ordered with ejectors as if someone felt the need/urge to fire the brute rapidly. In the trade, I got back my old Mec Sizemaster and 10 lbs. of lead #3's and several pounds of Italian nickle-plated BB's. I haven't seen true #3's available in decades. I had a handloaded 2.5 oz. load of #3's that was devastating on both ends of the gun. I feel like I've found a long lost child getting this gun back. Gil

Been meaning to follow up on the stock repairs by Mark Larson on my 10. The head of the stock had small cracks on each side where wood fits against the metal. I sent it off to Mark early November to stabilize fissures and glass bed the stock. There was more damage than expected. Mark shaved the triangular shaped side panels down about 1/8" and added walnut veneer panels and blended them in to strengthen the head. We first tried the sunburst reproduction pad, but it was too small and didn't look right. We settled on the period pad replacement. The gun was ready by mid December but I had to stop him from shipping it as we were out of country Christmas. This is the second stock repair I've had Mark do in the last two years and I couldn't be more pleased.

really nice workmanship

next pic is expected to be with it laid over a brace of geese

Mine is seven numbers before yours, 500,884, shipped April 17, 1941. Mine is a non ejector Field Grade with unusual hard butt, and sling swivels that appear to be factory. Ithaca seems to be the only American shotgun company that regularly installed swivels. My gun doesn't appear to have ever gone hunting. These are some great guns. Maybe I misread your serial number. In the picture, the 6 looked like an 8. Oh, well.

At 11 lbs. wheels should have been an option. . Yours must be in great shape. Mine is 691, not 891.
Gil

Someday I'd like to get one. I also have always had my eye out for a Beretta big 10 for a good price also.

Fun to keep looking.

Congratulations, Gil. Nice job in bringing her home, and also very nice work by Mark. You're gonna have to bring it next time we get together, so I can see how she handles. Maybe we'll call up a big ol' gobbler here this spring, and you can lay him low with the big 10.

All my best, SRH

Great job!!



FWIW, a "sunburst" would not be correct for a Magnum-Ten NID. The Ithaca bridge trestle (sunburst) pad made during the years the NID Magnum-Ten was produced was not big enough for the stocks of the magnum guns. When they came with a pad, as most did, the got a seven-slot Jostam Anti-Flinch or a big Hawkins. Major Askins big Magnum-Ten, made famous by Elmer had a big Hawkins on its original stock, though it is hard to see in this photo --



P.S. I stopped by the Cabelas in Boise on my way to Las Vegas last month, and I've got to say that restock of old No. 500000 is really hideous!!

Thanks. Mark has a great eye, instincts and talent.
Stan, it would be a good late season "stretch out and greet them" dove gun with a load of chilled #6's.
Gil

The last 10g. NID I had to fit a pad to, the CSMC karge size sunburst pad was JUST big enough to do so. I know what you mean.

I have seen Mag Tens with the Sunburst pad, so I guess some butts are small enough and some pads are big enough. Elmer Keith's #500,000 was probably restocked by Iver Hendrickson, his stockmaker of choice. I wouldn't think that Elmer's other stockmaker, David Trevallion, would build a "hideous" stock.

My big ten 500606 wears it's original Hawkins pad and still gets to kill a goose or two every year. It's a field grade extractor gun.

Gil,

Ballistic Products has nickel plated lead #3's in stock. Back in the waterfowl lead days I'd have given my left ear for a bag of their #1's. I did shoot up 50# of 3's that I found at a local handloading shop. Deadly on snows and tall mallards! Still have one handloaded #3 left, 1 3/8 oz., something like 35 gr. of Bluedot over a Ljutic wad. May stick it in my bottom barrel this turkey season. Oh, nifty NID, let me know if you foolishly decide to get rid of it again!

Steve

Geez, Gil, most guys are looking for lighter guns to lug around as they get older. If thats what you wanted, good on you.
Anybody figured out what to do with a dead Canada goose? When I draw the short straw and end up with one, I have it ground into sausage. Seems like a waste of good beef or pork that gets mixed with it, however.

Best,
Ted

A ROUND ACTION COMES HOME:
In 1968 I bought an early Dickson Round Action non-ejector and sold it in 1972.
However after about ten years I regretted selling the gun and endeavoured to replace it, but could never quite get what I wanted.
In February 2002 a friend told me of a non-ejector Round Action for sale and quoted the serial # which I recognised immediately as the gun I once owned.
When the owner heard of my interest in the gun he was quite amenable to my buying it. Sentiment is not good thing to go shopping with, but in the end I purchased.
It is in its original oak and leather case.
So after 30 years a Round Action comes home.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/ptarmigan11/MyPictures0010_zpsc75dc42a.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/ptarmigan11/MyPictures0017.jpg

Thank you skeettx!

RG

Researcher,
Was that monte carlo stock shown in your picture of E K gun original???
Thank you!!
Bob Jurewicz

Red Grouse, what a gun! I would be happy to swap with you.

Ted,
Everyone needs a reminder of their foolish youth. Mine weighs 11 lbs.
Three other reasons:
1). There is no fool like an old fool
2). See no. 1
3). This one you'll love. Drumroll. The gun I swapped for it was my 1998 SBE. Ta-da!
Gil

Ya' want another SBE? I've got one of the first, maybe 8 years older than your former gun was, and I can't figure out what to do with the thing, as it won't run on less than 1 1/4 oz loads. Hell, I got a bunch of 3 1/2" Roman candle looking loads I'd toss in with it.
Make me an offer.

Best,
Ted

Ted, thanks, but even though they are great for their purpose, mine was a dedicated turkey gun and I now prefer single-shot hammerless subgauges for the job. I also see a few more gobblers with Brutus Maximus, just for old times' sake. Gil

Interestingly I ran across two(2) 500,000 Ithaca 12 G Magnums this weekend. One is a grade 2 with extractors and the other a 4E with single trigger, Vent Rib and Monte Carlo Stock.
Price is Big but I'm very tempted.
Bob Jurewicz

Bob, didn't they only make 87 of the 12? Gil

87 total. 24 grade 2 at 12 G, 14 grade 4.
Price is 5K and 8k.
Bob Jurewicz

In the last decade or so, I've run into two of the Magnum-Framed NID 12-gauge 3-inch magnums, an optioned up and messed with No. 2E (500144) and a really clean Field Grade, and they were both bulged back of the chokes!?!

People often assume that steel did that, but, faulty reloads and big loads of 1s, 2s, and 3s were doing that before there was any suggestion of steel in shotgun ammunition.


Best,
Ted

It doesn't necessarily take big loads of big shot, either, as I had a Stevens M311 twenty gauge that bulged both barrels just behind the chokes. This happened in the late 60's so was well before steel shot was ever thought of. Only factory loads were used and no shot size larger than six, mostly 7 1/2s and 8s. They were not big bulges but were definitely noticeable to the naked eye.

I always wanted a NID mag 10 but the ones I see when I got the jingle where more than I wanted to spend for such a specialized hunting implement. I recently picked up a Spanish Zepher for $450. I've seen them on GB for around $900. After a close examination of it these guns are greatly under priced. The lock interior with it's double intersepting sears are like a watch. They would have to go for $3000 or more if they where built today. Mine patterns superbly with bismuth. I only got out once this year with no luck so hope to try her next year on Canadas.

I've waited for years to buy a Magnum NID but I want a 34 inch one which is about like rocking horse shit, mighty rare.

I had a chance at one a couple years ago but the chokes had been fooled with, probably to shoot steel, so I passed.

One of these days.....


DLH

Researcher
Didn't Cousin Bob have a 34-inch Grade 1E Magnum-Ten?

Yup. Bob has passed on. I never had any truck with his children, so I have no idea where that gun might be now.

Some years ago, Steve Barnett had this 34-inch No. 1E Magnum-Twelve for sale --

Ten plus years ago, I very briefly I owned two Ithaca NID's.

Both with 32" barrels. One was a 10ga Mag, the other a 12ga w/ Krupp barrels.

I posted on this forum about them. The posts brought what, at the time, seemed like silly offers and I let them go. The 12ga went to New Ithaca Doubles(or whatever the name). As explained, they could not get 32" tubes. I was told it was upgraded to 4E status with only the frame and barrels being re-used. Done for the Sporting Clays shooter they sponsored.

Let me look, I may have a picture or two still on my computer.

Researcher,
would you happen to have pictures of those NID's with bulged barrels, I shoot my couple of NID's on a pretty regular basis and I would be pretty upset if I was to have this happen to one of mine? I know reason for bulge could be many things, but would you say overload would be your guess, steel shot, or a barrel obstruction?
Thanks,
Stan

No I don't. The No. 2E was at the Cabelas flagship store in July 2004, and was actually only bulged behind the choke in the left barrel according to my notes. The Field Grade was at the August Big Reno Show in 2011, and I haven't been able to lay my hands on any notes on it. I suspected using steel shot in them, but I suppose it could be other causes.

You gents have probably seen this before, but here is my Grade 1 NID Magnum 10 gauge.

I've got two other NID 10 gauge Ithaca's. Neither are magnums, but I have been thinking lately that I might have one too many. Open to a conversation. JW 509-205-0357

Nice job on getting the ol' gal back Gil.