I like the looks of the gun, but have no knowledge about it. It seems to be a dependable design and decent handling, but it's not a hot topic like a Fox, Lefever or obviously, a Parker. I know there's no NID porno-book with with the subtitle World's Finest Shotgun or America's Best Shotgun, but is just a lack of literature or is it not up to snuff mechanically/handling/other?

Because they look funny?

Cursed with "butt ugly" appelation (as in BUNID) by the late Mr. Ruppel. Not really uglier than the Flues model but engraving is really a bit better on the Flues IMO. Strange cocking indys on the NID for first couple of years. Folks were crazy about the ICD/Lamboy recreation; don't know why they aren't goofy about the originals. Every time someone asks about a servicable double for little money here, the NID comes up as a good choice.

jack

The world is upside down sometimes. I have watched NIDs sell for less than Nitros on the auction sites. The NID is a strong modern design with shootable demensions. The Nitro was a cheaper double that should not be confused with either a real side plate Lefever or the NID.

I picked up a 20 gauge NID "star" grade this week for $650.00. Nice shape, 90% blue, 50% case color, 28" barrels, far better than a sub $1,000.00 gun and it was a small bore. I would buy them all week long for that money. Ithacas are the last American vlaue that I see in decent numbers for a fairly low price. Unless it is a 28 or .410 they just do not sell for too much money. Same gun in 12 are often seen in the $500.00 range and I try to pick them up when I see them.

Remember a few years ago when every German guilde gun was $400-600? Now you have to add a one in front of that price. NIDs will be a gun to go up in value soon, unless I miss my best guess. Shooters are being used up and the pool we have to draw from is getting smaller every day. As the game hunting goes down due to decreased chances and demand and interest in old guns increases as it is doing right now these type of guns will be great for informal clay target shooting. Kind of like cowboy action shooters for the wing shooter.

I'd expect the NIDs to pick-up steam, now that we all have our Sterlingworths behind the kitchen door and a chikin dinner on the table.
All makes and grades have their moments, guess it's time for the beefy built Ithicas to shine.

2600$ Sterlingworth is a great buy. After all, it's really an XE for casual Friday. Oh my! I always run with the sheep but thank my stars I get winded after a while.

jack

Uh, exactly what part of a Lefever sidelock is real, KY Jon?

Since the rest of the world seems to believe it is a boxlock. Which, they are, actually.

It is no more a real "sidelock" then a Tobin-less, maybe since a Tobin has sears on it's sideplates, but, little else. Don't get me wrong, I like a Lefever. But, a sidelock it isn't.

Best,
Ted

Ted, I called it a side plate not a side lock. And it is just that a side plated gun. Just as a Fox is not a Fox model B so a nitro is not a proper Lefever.

You called it a "real" sideplate gun!

It just struck me a bit like a blonde starlet calling her implants "real silicone", if you get my drift. No offense intended!

While Uncle Dan didn't really have anything to do with the Nitros, you 'gotta admit, a Nitro might be the king of American using guns, and I've seen a few that looked like they had served in several wars, and were still ready for a day in the field. Uncle Dan didn't have anything to do with the DS guns, and we still consider them Lefevers. Tough as they are, I don't have a lot of trouble thinking of Nitros as a good gun, alongside their Western Arms Long Range brothers, and association with the Lefever name.

Getting hung up on a name might cause one to miss the fact that the guns are best judged in use.

Back to the topic, NIDs are really ugly, useless guns, and I don't think ANYONE should consider buying any more, no sir. They need to be kept cheap, because they are so useless, especially the small bore guns, in high condition. So, don't buy any. Not until I get mine.
Best,
Ted

I got mine and want more. And I mean NIDs not blonde with implants. I assume that is what you meant by your last line.

By the way the proper term is "genuine silicone implants" as in accept no cheaper ones. They are hard, round, covered by a scar and ugly up close. Kind of like some people view of NIDs. There that should keep the price down for a while. Oh yeah, the 28s are hard to find shells for, the 16 is dead, the 20 is too light and the .410 is a boys toy. There, that should depress all small bore sales for a few months.

When I see an NID I just start laughing and pointing, "look how ugly that thing is and you walk around with that thing in broad daylight"? If we keep it up maybe just maybe nobody will notice what a tremendous gun the NID is!!!! I'll keep the last sentence buried deep in the body of the text so hopefully no one will read down that far!!!
All the best

Have purchased 2 20 GA NID's recently. After shooting them, I wonder why I spent the money I did on Parkers and Smiths.

I don't know what world you guys are living in but NID's and now even Nitro Specials are pricey. You can't find an NID at any of the gun shows around here in 16, 20, 28 (Hah!!) or .410 for under 12 to 15 hundred. And Nitro Specials (yes, Ted, they are a damned good gun! Pretty, not really, but damned useful and with a lot better handling dynamics than any other hardware store gun) in 12 gauge sell for 400-500 with the smaller bores going for much more. Wish I could find me a nice 20 ga. NID for under a grand. Chopper.

Unfortunately, this will be at the same place you can find a nice Parker, Fox, or Smith 20 ga for under $2,000. Not sure where that would be. And they aren't getting any cheaper from what I see. Just a few years ago it was an entirely different story.

No ..... don't buy them ..... big ugly shotguns ..... Just send any you may have to PO Box 182 for for recycling.

Bouvier

I'll take the blond with implants and I bet Wonko would, too.

Here in New England, and especially northern New England, I have
always found a great deal of respect and appreciation for all Ithaca guns, and of course, the NID. Ithaca shotguns and Winchester rifles were the first choices of the older hunters in my family. They successfully brainwashed me, but I am quite happy with the results. The only slightly adverse effect is that I have drifted away from the doubles in favor of the early Model 37's, but all my daydreams of being afield are always populated with Ithacas, NID's and Model 37's.

Ed Pirie
West Topsham, Vermont

"They are hard, round, covered by a scar and ugly up close."

Friends, it all depends on the skill of the surgeon. Uh,, let's not get into how I know what I know, but I am here to tell you that some of those jobs are very nearly undetectable, both to sight and touch. I have knowledge of three jobs that you have to look VERY CLOSELY AND UNDERNEATH to see any scar at all, and even then it's hard to detect because it's hidden in a natural crease line. The only other thing I will have to say about this is that I acquired this knowledge perfectly innocently, thank you.

There is less buzz about Ithaca NIDs because there are less of them, and they were made during the Depression when production of high dollar guns was low and slow. Only about 45,000 NIDs to 222,000 Flues, 202,000 Fox, 242,000 Parker Bros., 236,000 Lefever Nitro Specials, and even about 66,000 Western Arms Long Range Doubles. There should be four our five threads each about Flues, or Fox, or Nitro Special, then about NIDs, just based on the numbers.

You guys are behind the times. Now they put them in thru the belly button and there is no visible scar............implants, not NIDS!

"They are hard, round, covered by a scar and ugly up close." I was talking about NIDs not you know whats. Well I should have been. It might be safer.

My partners' wife insisted on showing me her implants a few months ago. Both she and her husband are very happy with her 38DD size. Funny thing is that they found out, from my wife who was with me at the time, that her set is larger and real. Kind of like having a original Parker small bore instead of a reproduction. Shame I like legs. Married my wife for her brains, high income and keen desire to keep me in both guns and shells. About all I could ask for in a girl.

NIDs are right fun to buy these days. Even the graded ones are not too expensive yet. Sure that will be a thing of the past some day but for now they are the last real value I see in a American vintage double.

Jon, Your social gatherings are lots more interesting than mine. Jake

this post is useless without pictures!

Dubbletrubble's comment reminds me of a line in "Seat of Justice", a 1958 Corey Ford work. Hentracks Hennessy had swatted his wife for ruining his venison stew with her crystal salt shaker with a loose top. Hentracks had ground the shakers into dust with a Remington era .410 Parker, skeet configured with single trigger and beavertail forend, bored full and full. She, in turn, broke one of his prized fly rods. He, in turn, swatted her with a canoe paddle. She, in turn, ran Hentracks into court for assault in front of Judge Parker. She described the welts that the canoe paddle caused to her butt. Judge Parker proclaimed that evidence available for examination should and would be presented in open court. Unfortunately for the spectator gallery, the "butt evidence" was not to be presented and Hentracks was found Not Guilty.

By the way, the Corey Ford reference is one of very few references in the mass media to the .410 Parker. As far as I know, only one magazine cover pictures a .410 Parker. This was a 2005 issue of the Skeet Shooting Review, the NSSA publication. Parkers have been pictured on a very few covers over the years, but this is the only known .410 represented.

I would submit, sight unseen, that the lady's attributes do not, by any stretch of the imagination or fantasy, deserve comparison to a "small bore", original or not. I am surprised that eightbore let this slight pass unnoticed, as I think the comparison should have been at least an eight if not a four bore.

Ya just never know when gun-thread's goin to veer toward T&A, but thanks for ALL the info guys.

If I overpay and get this nice NID, I'll post the pics and lie about the price

IF you like the gun you never overpay. Money comes and goes but gun memories are forever or until you start to getting brain farts,...infarts, .... whatever you get when you kids know the end is near and the money you have worked and saved so diligelently will be the tax-mans' and then theirs. Point is if the gun suits you buy it and enjoy. Many of us miss fun of owning and shooting a good gun because we are looking for the perfect gun.

I'd like to find a nice N.I.D. in 20 gauge sometime but as others have stated, the war (pumpgun war and ww II) put an end to the greatest of Ithaca doubles rather quickly and not too many are available. It's not because they didn't hold up, that's for sure.