A friend of mine was supposed to buy this gun from me:



It is a 1937 Ithaca Nitro Special, marked from the factory as 2 3/4" and 26" barrels with factory cylinder and modified chokes. Won it, quite by accident, on a gunbroker auction a while ago, in need of a barrel blue, and a cleaning, but, nothing else. Totally unmodified in any way, and about 100% case colors and varnish. Although the barrels have been re-blued by our own Ken61, the rest of the gun looks unused. Really. What a drag. Another bummer, it is a 16 gauge. Now I'll just have to keep it around, and feed it with the Heavi-shot I got from a guy over on 16gauge.com, when I have to shoot no-tox, not often, but, hey, it happens. Why not use an older American double when you are forced to shoot no-tox? I have 4 boxes of ten rounds each of 16 gauge #6 Heavi-Shot, it should last years for me.

Friend said he didn't need it when I saw him tonight. Works for me.

I can't put my finger on exactly why, but, using an older, lower grade gun of any sort, that somehow survived depression, WWII, the 1960s, disco, and the twin disasters of the Carter and Obama administrations, in wonderful condition, is a cheap thrill for me. I'm not actually disappointed this one is staying around. 1 year older than my mother, choked about perfect, and looks like a million bucks, except, well, it is a Nitro, and a little hard to look at, but, nice to shoot.

Welcome back, even though you never really left.


Best,
Ted

A typical American worker making a little over a dollar a day and only having the one gun hanging on hooks over the door with a handful of shells stuffed into an old leather bag, its all he can afford but she's a tough old gal for not much money.

Glad you kept it Ted.

I know they are out of Fad & Fashion at the moment but I still like 26" barrels. And in 16 ga choked cyl/Mod, I couldn't come up with a better combination. I will say as far as styling goes, not as well finished of course, but its lines etc are better than the famous 21 to me. It's still square backed but at least the bar has a bit of contouring rather than looking like a Cigar Box. Also it was Ithaca's first design with the newer heavier loads in mind so are tough guns, what's not to like about it.
As you say being made in 1937 makes it one year older than your Mother, she & I must be the same age. I was born in March of '38, Great Year.

Glad to see you hold the Clinton administration in high regard Ted!

Sorry couldn't help myself...

& FWIW, I'm happy the old gal stayed home with you too.

+1 on 26" barrels. Still great at being what they were meant for, use in a grouse or a woodcock cover.

I like 26 inch tubes....And that Nitro has found a good home...Lucky guy

Miller,
Mom was born on March 31, of 1938. I hope your health is much better than Mom's, while she is still here and sharp as a tack, she won't be doing any grouse hunting, 26" tubes or not. I like barrels anywhere from 25" to 28", don't have any over 28" at the moment, but, I had 30" on a MacNaughton boxlock, and a Western Arms, both 12 gauges, back in the day, and I liked them, too. If the gun is proportional, and handles well, barrel length isn't a huge concern to me. This Ithaca Nitro, in 16, handles above pay grade.
Every time I see a model 21, I think the same, exact thing. I blame Klunk for pointing that out. There were a lot of good ideas that started out on the Nitro that ended up on the NID, a solid double that is worth more than a Nitro, but doesn't shoot any better. +1 on having a 16 that is up to whatever ammunition I can stuff in it.
Can't say I'll keep it forever, but, it has a slot in the safe today. Selling a gun of my own is a really rare thing for me, however.

Best,
Ted

Wow. I just checked my 16 gauge ammunition stash, and I'm dangerously low:



The box of 1 1/8th oz Remington high brass 16, that has the tape on it, just came from a garage sale. It has a price tag on it from Coast to Coast-remember them?

Not sure what to use 1 1/8th oz of 7 1/2s on, but, I'll think about it.

I'm likely in violation of some man code rule for it, but, I only own two 16 gauges at the moment:



1957 Ithaca 37, lefty safety, 28" modified barrel (that I 'kinda wish was a 26") nice, but not perfect shape. I'm a sucker for an older gun that has it's original, if a bit shrunken, buttplate and no adjustable choke blob thingys on the end of the barrel. I've fallen away from the pumps in recent years, but, had this one at the sweet 16 shoot in St. Paul this spring.

Best,
Ted

damn Ted....Just this last Friday I drove up to Mpls Mn. to pick up a rescue 2yr old Yellow Lab confiscated from a puppy mill; she was processed through your Mpls humane society in Golden Valley..675 miles round trip.....If I knew you were selling the Nitro Id of given you 3 big ones FTF along the highway somewhere and brought two ladies home....

It ain't worth 3 grand.

Best,
Ted

.....

Ted: that gun is a prime candadate for using those very reasonable Herter's 16s that Cabelas sells.

Roger that, Lloyd. I'm going to probably work first through those # 5, 6, and 7 Eley VIP loads that were anything but reasonable when I bought a pallet of them, back in the day...


Best,
Ted

Ted - great grouse/woodcock gun with perfect chokes and barrel length although a little heavy for all day walking and you don't need to worry about scratching it up walking through the perfect grouse cover.

If those are 2 1/2-inch then I'd be conserving them for that perfect someday Darne.

Ted: From what I can see in the photo , the barrel re-blue looks fantastic !

Any comments on the process?

Our own Ken61 did the barrel black, and while he strives for perfection (and, a 1000 grit finish) I asked him to go no more than 320-400, as I suspect that is what would have been done at Ithaca. Comments further than that I can't speak to, but, he might.

I've got the perfect Darne, Lloyd-it just happens to be a 12 that fits a lefty. The best and cheapest ammunition is the stuff I already own.

Tom,
I'm never more than a few hours from a sandwich break while grouse hunting. I haven't hunted a full 8 hour shift in many a moon. I think the Ithaca weighs something like 6 lbs, 4 ozs, it was actually less than a 20 gauge Nitro a gent at my local club brought one day when I had mine along. It isn't too heavy for any day afield I'll be involved with.
Some are heavier, some are lighter. So it goes.

Best,
Ted

Mine is right there also at 6 lbs. 3 oz. and while it doesn't have that sweet balance its light enough to carry all day in the rain, snow, sun, its just that type of gun.

However, I owned an incredibly heavy and bulky 16 gauge NID, an incredibly heavy 20 gauge Flues, and a beautiful 16 gauge Flues built in 1920 I believe that was incredibly light and lively. The Ithaca is all over the place weight wise.

Sold them all and kept the Nitro probably because nobody wanted it.

Ted, I like that Nitro. The stock with those pointy panels really looks good!