doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Another NID Ithaca

Last week I picked up an Ithaca NID on Gunbroker, even with the terrible pictures and description I could see it was a 12ga #3 gun, straight grip with an ugly white-line pad and short extension, probably with ejectors. I decided to take a chance at 1450.00

Today the gun was delivered, it was a #3E NID, 28” barrels with a factory vent rib, choked .020 in r/b, .042 in l/b, factory straight grip with 13’ of wood, splinter forend, serial # 433793. It has excellent bores, 85-90% blue, traces of case color, excellent engraving, quail on r/s, woodcock on l/s, duck on bottom in front of floorplate. Stock dimensions are low but shootable at 1 ¾ x 2 ¾, except for the stock, I am pretty sure it is all original. Maybe Walt can tell us for sure.

What kind of pad should I put on it, I have a red Noshoc that will work, my first choice. I wonder how common this configuration is in vent rib guns? I will post some pictures after some clean up on the gun.

Jim

Not at all common! Consider a Sunburst?? or a Hawkins or your Noshoc. Vent rib NIDs are very desirable (IMHO). Straight grips even more difficult to find. I have some of the repro Sunbursts if you decide to go that way.

Mr. Snyder,

Will keep this short so as not to derail this thread.

Would you please contact me via e-mail at:

turnstone@bitterroot.net

It's in re: to a factory original three-barrel 'Ithaca' hard case I've recently come into. I've a couple of questions regarding same, if you would?

Robert Harris
Conner, MT

An NID serial number 433793 would be from 1926 production. The Grade 3 was the lowest grade offered with the option of a vent rib up until the 1932 or 33 time frame. A lot of the early NID period retail catalogues only offer the beavertail on Grades 4 and above, but the Dealer's Price Lists from the get go offer both the vent rib and the beavertail on Grade 3 and above. The Ithaca "bridge trestle" pad was introduced in the 1931-2 price lists, so the No-Shoc or a Jostom Anti-Flinch would be the period correct choices.

Ithaca NID period catalogues are virtually silent on grip choices, and I've only seen a handful with anything but capped pistol grips. It seems most of the straight grips I've seen were on Skeet guns, but one was on a very late Grade 2 Magnum-Ten I was about an hour late to score at Randy Shuman's years ago.

This is the only "round knob" NID I've come across --

It is listed as a 16 ga. shipped 5/15/30 SO--you could get by with a Sunburst, wouldn't be out of the question. Tell people your gun was a beta test site.

I was surprised by that statement. I have wanted to add a grade 4 Flues or NID to my collection. I have found three NID 4E's(two in Montana)and all had vent ribs, beavertails and capped pistol grips. On all three I was put off by the vent rib (I thought they were common...) and the VERY blonde wood.

Walt, I don't know if your remember our conversation but the Grade 4E Flues I passed on had 28" barrels with a swamped rib. It had an aftermarked non-selective single trigger that scared me away.

James, how 'bout some pictures? thanks!

From the guns I've looked at over the years, it seems to me that a high percentage of the Grade 4 and higher NIDs I've seen have vent ribs, and most appear to have been set up as trap guns. Shooters getting a doubles gun mate for their Knick single barrel trap gun. I hope this doesn't get my PGCA life membership revoked, but I think Ithaca, using a special high breech frame for their vent rib NIDs with a flat rib, produced a much better gun then that ramp on Parker Bros. vent rib double guns. We sometimes find a Ramp on an Ithaca with a vent rib, but that occured when the rib was added after initial production.

that is interesting, Walt the gun is actually a 12ga, but stranger things have happened. Most of the pads I have seen would be a problem on this gun as there is only 4 1/2" of depth at the butt so I will probably stay with the Noshoc.

Pictures tomorrow.

Jim

I have 2 or 3 grade 4s with all the options EXCEPT the vent rib. Sure wish they had it. Maybe some one would like a trade?? I am talking about factory vents.

James, curious as to what LOP you need. Taking 14.5 as about average that's going to be 1.5 in. of pad & spacer. Maybe a butt transplant?

James, If the gun represents a big problem, perhaps I can buy it.

James, My mistake. 433973 is listed as a 12 . Grade 3, 12/28 with vent rib, pad and sights. Shipped 10/25/26. I transposed the numbers in my doting years. Hawkins or Noshoc are proper.

Well, Osa Johnson's 20-gauge 4E and my 16-gauge 4E don't have vent ribs, and I'm sure I have seen others. But, I stand by my observation that a high percentage of NIDs in grade 4 and above have vent ribs. Vent ribs do seem to be very scarce on my beloved Ansley H. Fox doubles -- I've never owned one.

The gun will be 14 LOP with the Noshoc and weigh 7lb 7oz. It would be a crime to do any thing to the nice feather crotch stock and I can use a leather slip on pad if necessary. I don't know a whole lot about Ithaca and Fox vent rib guns but I do know that a Parker or LC Smith with a vent rib and field dimensions is unusual; most are target guns as Researcher says, I would guess that it is the same with an Ithaca. At any rate it is a sleek, trim gun with the straight stock and splinter f/e and i can live with that at least for a while.

I agree that a high percentage of grade 5 and above NIDs have vent ribs, Grade 4s are a mixed bag from my experience. I have 5 grade 7 NIDs, two 20 gauges and three 12 gauges. One of the 20s has all the options. The other has only ejectors, nothing else. Of the 12 gauges, 2 have vent ribs and the other only ejectors and a beaver tail fore end. I have kinda been on the lookout for a nice 4 or 5 with all the target options for shooting trap doubles. I have somehow accumulated 3 grade 4s none of which have the vent rib. Anyway, that's been my experience. I did corral a nice grade three 20 ga. NID with ejectors and vent rib, which now that I remember it, must get out and shoot.

The straight grip stock for NID #457,456 is separated from the gun. It appears to be a Grade 4, has a very factory looking Hawkins pad. Maybe Walt can give us some info on this gun in case anyone needs this stock one day. It is very high condition and expensive but will be released to someone who really needs it, preferably the guy who owns gun #457,456. It has a gold plate with the name "Roy" engraved. Maybe Walt will confirm that I have Roy Rogers' old stock. Bill Murphy

457456 was indeed a 4 grade . Original gun had 30 inch barrels and 'all the extras'. Went to a W L Meyers in 1935. [He was my great uncle Roy. I think he had the gun restocked in spruce to lighten it a bit] Actually, I might have a gun to fit it. Please PM me price and details.

Unfortunate that Roy (Rogers?) instead of W L Meyers has his name (or initials) on the gold initial plate. W L Meyers shares initials with William Leonard Murphy (also known as "eightbore"). If you have a need for the stock, email me at wilmrph@verizon.net . It is not for sale for any reasonable price but...there is that Cutts gun.