doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 4E Ithaca NID double trap with straight stock

Wanted to share some information on an unusual Grade 4 Ithaca NID I came across recently. Gun is heavily optioned with beavertail forend, factory single trigger, 32-inch barrels, vent rib with double invories, and very rarely seen straight hand grip. Even more interesting than the straight grip, the gun has a parallel comb stock with dimensions at 1-9/16 by 1-9/16..... first parallel comb I've seen on a double-trap SxS. Take note in this pic how the wrist was made to accomodate the high/parallel comb, and still maintain a conventional ~ 5" butt height. Gun is choked 3 and 4 (I-Mod & Full). Somebody sure knew what he wanted, and with some limited info I'm hot on his trail! Walter Snyder tells me this gun was shipped in early September, 1926. Recoil pad is a NoShoc. Of course the gun has the extra-high NID frame for smooth sighting transition to the vent rib, a really nice setup like on the special Fox Trap Grade guns.

For those of you with factory Miller type triggers in Ithacas, I'll report that extra light loads will not reliably reset the trigger inertia mechanism. At least not on this gun. First round out on a sporting course with the gun (mixed shells) showed that I need something like 2-3/4 DE x 1 ounce loads (as a minimum) for 100% reliablity. Silvers

Ithaca factory Miller triggers are inertia operated? I've only owned one and no longer have it, but it lives just up the street. I will try to check on it.

Bill, the trigger is mechanical but the inertia mechanism keeps the gun from doubling due to the recoil setback and the involuntary counter-recoil. Gun will occasionally double with exra light loads, like 2-3 times in 100 shots fired. Sorry for the confusion. Silvers

Silvers,
Great looking gun! I have a 4E, fully optioned, at the Miller Trigger Co. Works fine with snap caps but doubles (with live ammo) if the right barrel is fired first. Does not double if left barrel is fired first. Dan thinks just a little tweaking of the inertia block is required. I have several NIDs with sst and this is the first to require help. They should be independent of loads from my experience.
Enjoy your great American classic!

Frank,Fine looking 4E. Bobby

Thanks Walter and Bobby, maybe I should re-try those extra light loads? Triggers worked perfectly (no doubling) on the second round of 100 shots on a sporting course. And I was switching the selector on each station (every 6 shots) to check it thoroughly. That was with 1 ounce 2-3/4 and 3 DE loads. This 4E double trap sat over many years without being fired, and maybe the first round of 100 while using mixed extra-light loads, freed up some sticky parts. I haven't taken the gun apart to check; no need to since she worked perfectly on the second round of 100, no matter which barrel was fired first. Frank

Silvers, Also, very rare to see a gun marked with the 3 for IM. I have seen a few but not common. I shoot 1 oz., 17.3 grains of Clays. A light load but I don't know the DE.

Frank, don't worry too much about the trigger until you use the gun a bit. Sometimes it is the shooter who is milking the trigger a bit that is the problem. The gun may not be the problem.

Sweet NID 4E!! Good find, Frank.



Ithaca built some other unusual NID stocks for picky folks --



Lon B. Smith's NIDs.

Frank, here is little brother-3E but with double triggers and a splinter. Its waiting to grow up to be a REAL double trap gun. It does have its 'Noshoc' pad already.