They sold a lot of Ithaca doubles. Built to a price point. Think about the millions of days those guns got carried in the field. Think about the train load of game taken with them. Field grade gun are just that, guns for the field. If you want a higher grade gun then go for it but do not belittle others for their choice.
I had a uncle who bought a Cresent .410 during the depression because that was the best he could afford. With that gun he was deadly on quail. It must have shot thousands of quail and most times it was two birds on every flush. Later in life he could afford any gun he wanted but for quail that was his lifelong gun. I use that gun one day a year for Dove. It is choked full and extra full because he had a local gunsmith backbore one barrel for about six inches behind the choke. It shoots a very tight pattern and he used that barrel for his second, longer range shot with great effect.
