Back to the gun and shells. I have a 1927 12 gauge Ithaca (NOT Ithica, by the by) Grade 2- DT, ext. 30" M&F (no 2 and no. 4 chokes) and also a 1916 Field Grade 12 gauge L.C. Smith, same specs and stock dims as the NID- 30" M&F- one of the many nice things about Smith 12 gauges, they had std. 2& 3/4" chambers, as does the NID. I shoot up to 1250 fps. 2& 3/4" AA Handicap and also 1& 1/4 no. 6 RST pheasant loads in them all the time- although if I were hunting in SD with the 1&1/4 loads, I'd use one of my several 12 gauge Model 12's. When pheasant shooting with either of these "un-matched pair" of 30" barreled 12 bore doubleguns, I use a 1& 1/8 ounce load of 7&1/2 shot in the right barrel (front trigger, modified choke) and save the heavier 1& 1/4 ounce load of no. 6 chilled for the left barrel (rear trigger, full choke. I do this whether shooting over pointing dogs or flushing dogs.
I consider either of these solid oldies (The Smith is on the R or std. frame-Ithaca did not offer frame size options: R or FW as with the LC Smith- or the 1-1&1/2-2 frame sizes on the "carriage bolted Parker guns"-- One of the many things that jerks my chain on the gun sellers internet websites (GB, GA, GI, and also Cabela's-- besides spelling Ithaca as Ithica, is the idiots that describe the pre-1913 field grade L.C. Smiths they are trying to sell as being "On the OO size frame" Bullcookies- that is a pre-1913 grading number code from Hunter Arms- after 1913 it was designated as the Field grade.
I also prefer my Smiths (I own and shoot 5- all 12 gauge) to have extractors- easier to close and recock, and as I do a lot of barnyard and farmlot shooting in the off bird seasons, and I also reload, not having to shag my empties out of the cowshit or cornrows is a advantage- it also reduces greatly the chances of the farmer's livestock ingesting the plastic hulls-
Only one of my 12 Smiths is on the FW frame- a 1940 mfg. 12 Ideal grade- 28" Imp. cyl. and Mod- DT, Ext- and it will sometimes double if I fire a 1250 load in the right barrel first, same as when I should choose to fire the left barrel (rear trigger) first- but with 1150 fps. loads, it functions like a Rolex-- so, if your Smith is on a FW frame, you might want to check this out. What I do is load the second barrel with a snap cap with masking tape over the primer area- if your gun is doubling, when you open the breech, besides the pierced or dented primer on the shell that fired, you will also see a hole pierced in the masking tape. Not a good thing.
