ithaca lewis 10 ga

Milton Starr · 06-30-2011, 04:56 PM

I just layawayed a lewis in 10 ga with great bores and the wood is still good looking. Its been a challenge to find a old sxs.that wasn't consignment. I should have it paid for by last week of july. What quality was the lewis? Like a field grade? How many 10 ga ituaca lewis were.made?

Jack Kuzepski · 06-30-2011, 07:09 PM

Milt,

The Old Ithaca doubles were named after the designers, Lewis, Crass, Flues and Minier. Each model (Lewis, or whatever...) had grades Field, grade 1, grade 2, etc.... Look on the water table to see what grade yours is. The water table will be marked with the gauge, serial number and grade. You can check doublegunshop.com in the Other Useful Information section, click on High Grade Shotgun dates of production, then click on Ithaca. You can look up your serial number for the year it was made. I have a Lewis model 12 ga grade 1-1/2.

Jack Kuzepski

Brent Francis · 06-30-2011, 07:54 PM

Ive had an old Lewis that I bought 25 years ago. It is a field grade made in 1903 with fluid barrels and except that the wood varnish has darkened a bit and some of the case color has faded a bit you would swear it was a new gun. I shoot it some and its a pretty good trap gun but the old Ithacas mostly have alot of drop at the heal. On the other hand it is very well made and I think they are nicer looking than the later flues and NID models. I should have bought a beauty that just ended today on gun broker a grade 3 with chain damascus barrels that I think went for about 500. Im trying to go cold turkey on gun buying. The engraving on the old crass and lewis ithacas was beautiful arguably as good as any of the high grades of that time.

StubTwist · 06-30-2011, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brent Francis

Ive had an old Lewis that I bought 25 years ago. It is a field grade made in 1903 with fluid barrels and except that the wood varnish has darkened a bit and some of the case color has faded a bit you would swear it was a new gun. I shoot it some and its a pretty good trap gun but the old Ithacas mostly have alot of drop at the heal. On the other hand it is very well made and I think they are nicer looking than the later flues and NID models. I should have bought a beauty that just ended today on gun broker a grade 3 with chain damascus barrels that I think went for about 500. Im trying to go cold turkey on gun buying. The engraving on the old crass and lewis ithacas was beautiful arguably as good as any of the high grades of that time.

I can't agree more with you regarding the Ithaca Crass and Lewis graded guns. James Tyson who has had articles in DGJ on Ithaca and probably the nicest collections of Ithacas I have ever seen.

Milton Starr · 06-30-2011, 08:14 PM

I will have to wait to have it in hand to see the serial # . It has what I guess you would call brown damascus barrels. I noticed the stock looks different than the 12 ga lewis models I seen.

Old and Reliable · 06-30-2011, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milton Starr

I will have to wait to have it in hand to see the serial # . It has what I guess you would call brown damascus barrels. I noticed the stock looks different than the 12 ga lewis models I seen.

I may be picking up a pre-Flues boxlock outside hammer Ithaca 10 gauge with Twist barrels- a Grade B I think--mainly for the barrels if within usable wall thickness stds. and parts- the buttstock is messed up- but has original period BP and grip cap--

I have a Flues Grade 1 20 made in 1911- extractor gun- very light, well balanced- has good dims, not the 3 & 1/2" DAH often found on pre-1930 era side-by guns--I recall reading once that if you wanted a light 28 or 20, the Flues was a good choice- just use 2.5" 20 gauge shells, not sure about the 28--The Ithacas didn't have the graceful lines of the pre-1913 Smiths, the Phila Fox guns or the 1895-1925 Parkers (IMO) but they were one heck of a lotta gun for the money- and I'll wager a case of white flyers (135) that more ATA records set with SBT's were with Ithaca "Knicks"--

Brent Francis · 06-30-2011, 09:31 PM

the lewis and crass have really beautiful gracefull sculpted form. The later ithacas were marketed for their strength but I think the early turn of the century models were as gracefull as any of the parkers and Smiths

Milton Starr · 06-30-2011, 10:44 PM

The 10 ga looks.kinda like that but.with engraving on the bottom of.the receiver.

Brent Francis · 07-01-2011, 07:37 AM

Yours is probably a grade higher. The one above is a grade one.

Milton Starr · 07-01-2011, 07:36 PM

Grades don't.matter to much to me any fine sxs is a good looking gun in my book.I can't wait to get it. Iwas going to get a zabala 10 ga sxs but I can't stand the beavertail forend and Its cost more than the price.of the gun to have a splinter made for it.