Ithaca Flues

[James L. Martin]

I just got a new double, a 16ga Ithaca Flues with 30 inch barrels and its only 6 lbs 2 oz . I know to shoot only light loads in it. Anyone else see a 16 with 30 inch tubes ?

[Researcher]

The 30-inch barrels for the 16-gauge Ithaca doubles were a regular catalogue offering for Ithaca doubles from the earliest Flues era catalogue I have --


December 1919

through the 1946 NID era catalogue. The offering of 30-inch barrel 20-gauge doubles was sporatic. Ithaca Gun Co., of course, provided what the customer ordered and I've seen and handled several 32-inch barrel 20-gauge NIDs which were never catalogued. This 1915 No. 1-Special 28-gauge with 30-inch barrels was never a catalogue offering --

[High Brass]

A 30 inch 16 ga. Flues is my go to bird gun. Choked cyl/full and six pounds even. I just shoot 1 oz. loads at 1200 fps or less. Although I have shot pheasant with 1 1/8 oz. a few times. Not fancy, but a good gun.

[Steve Hodges]

My 1912 Flues 16 Gauge is at the opposite end of the spectrum. 5 Lb 14 Oz choked Cyl (0) and full (4) and so measures, with 26" barrels. It's deadly on Grouse and Woodcock. My Dad bought it in 1932 for $25 from an estate here in NH. It is mine now as he passed 6 years ago at 90.

[Researcher]

Early on, Ithaca Gun Co. offered their Flues small bores in quite light weights --



By the mid-1920s, Ithaca had beefed up their Flues doubles quite a bit. In the 1912 through at least 1915 Ithaca catalogues they give their smallbore weights as --

16-ga 5 3/4 to 6 1/4
20-ga 5 1/4 to 5 3/4
28-ga 4 3/4 to 5 1/4

In the July 1919, Ithaca catalogue --

16-ga 5 lbs. 14 ozs. to 6 1/2
20-ga 5 1/2 to 6
28-ga 5 to 5 1/2

In the December 1, 1919, Ithaca catalogue --

16-ga 6 to 6 3/4
20-ga 5 3/4 to 6
28-ga 5 1/4 to 5 3/4

In the 1925 Ithaca catalogue --

16-ga 6 1/4 to 6 3/4
20-ga 6 to 6 1/2
28-ga 5 3/4 to 6 1/4

[charlie cleveland]

i would like to run across one of those 32 inch barreled 20 ga or a 16..and maybe one of those 4 3/4 lb 28 ga...nice guns shown..i m picking up a 30 inch barrel 16 ga shortly its a ithaca with damascus barrels and a 3 position safety..charlie