Ithaca 4E help

[Researcher]

The price of the single selective trigger on the NID when it was introduced in 1926 was $30. It stayed at $30 through the first 1932 Ithaca Gun Co. catalog. By the second 1932 Ithaca Gun Co. catalog, the introduction of the Excise Tax jumped it to $32.45, and also saw the introduction of the Harry Howland designed non-selective single trigger at $6.50, Patent No. 1,889,049 granted Nov. 29, 1932. For 1933, the prices remained $32.45 and $6.50. By the 1934 Ithaca Gun Co. catalog the price of the selective single trigger dropped to $21.60. I believe that price drop indicates the break with the Miller brothers and the introduction of the use of the Harry E. Howland designed single selective trigger covered by his Patent No. 1,818,852 granted Aug. 11, 1931.

Ithaca Gun Co. was busy during the early 1930s. In addition to the trigger business, the first 1932 catalog added the 28-gauge NID to the listed offerings and the second 1932 catalog saw the introduction of the Magnum-Ten. Also during that time they introduced their Nestor F. Smith designed "bridge truss" recoil pad. And, they were gearing up to build their slab-sided knock-off of the John M. Browning designed Remington Model 17, but patent infringement problems pushed that introduction off to 1937.

[James Palmer]

Thanks to all for the info.

[James Palmer]

Does anyone have Walt Snyder’s contact info by chance. Or a way to get research letters for Ithaca’s.

I have a question regarding another 20 ga Ithaca and the owner claims is factory 24 inch Barrels.

J

[Reggie B]

I can't help with any of that but, there is a pretty active group of Ithaca guys on the forum at shotgunworld.com. I bet someone there can offer up something on the 24 inch barrels.

[Reggie B]

Now that I think on it some more, I think Walt posts there under the title "Ithacanut". I have also snooped around some and it appears that 24" barrels were available from Ithaca. I don't have any details, only that there are Ithaca guns with factory 24" barrels.

[Researcher]

In the early Flues years, Ithaca Gun Co. offered 24-inch barrels on their 20-gauge guns and after the 1912 introduction of the 28-gauge on them as well. By the July 1919 Ithaca Gun Co. catalog the only 24-inch barrels offered were on the 28-gauge and by the 1920 catalog no 24-inch barrels were offered. However, we see quite a few Ithaca with barrel lengths not in the catalogs. The 1915 Ithaca Gun Co. catalog only offered the 28-gauge with 24 or 26-inch barrels but I have a No. 1 Special, verified by Walter, with 30-inch Cockerill Steel barrels.

As I understand it Walter has sent all the Flues era records to Cody and maybe someday they will get around to offering letters from those records. When I was at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, with the Remington Society in late September 2014, I saw several boxes from Walter Snyder on the receiving racks at the McCracken Research Library.

[Harold Pickens]

I shot the course at Hausmann's with a fellow PGCA member who was shooting a 4E 20 with 24" barrels

[birddogdoc]

I just purchased an 1927 NID grade I miller trigger with extractors .410 for $5500. It has 26 inch barrels which I guess is common for .410's

[Bill Murphy]

There are Flues era guns with factory 22" barrels. I have a letter on a ten gauge with factory 22" barrels. I don't recall if the letter mentioned the original buyer.

[James Palmer]

How would one order a letter?

J