Has anyone ever seen this?

[TOOL MAN]

Hey Deanno,

Here's one of my trap-shooting buddies from Ft. Dodge. This guy owned a lot of "iron" and in his day produced more diesel smoke than Cummins. Notice anything unusual on the breech end of that rib? My guess is this was an after-market piece designed in the basement by some tweaker/tinkerer much like the "K-Man" himself. I agree with Brian that it's a false rib, emitting a similar sight picture as a full vent version.

[Pa SxS]

Agree Tool Man. It's probably an aid to sighting similar in function to the V found at the breach end of a Parker vent rib. But again, if your eye height above the stock is not changed up or down, and the muzzle end of the rib or front sight is not moved up or down, then your POI will not change no matter what device you add to the rib. This assumes that the height of that device still allows you to see the front bead. If you can't see it and have to lift your head (eye), then the gun will shoot a higher POI.

BTW, you haven't aged a bit!

[TOOL MAN]

Your Eminence,

I can't disagree with you but perception is still nine tenths of the law. There is no doubt in my mind that an item as odd, mysterious, clunky and unbecoming as this, was conceived by none other than a trap shooter!

[Quail1]

Jury's out.

Walt Snyder just messaged me after having looked at all of the photos that we have to date of this "device".

I quote,

" There is no mention of anything special about the rib or anything so I think it is post factory. I have never seen anything like this before. At first I thought it might be a swamp rib affair but that is not the case. So-I don;t know--keep it or leave it????".

I then sent him the photo that Steve posted. His reply,

"May have been a fad at the time??"


I'll have to put more thought into it and won't hurry to take it off. I expect I will try to shoot it some with the "device" in place. But I would guess it won't end up staying on. The gun will look much smoother without that sitting on top.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Chuck Bishop

Agree Tool Man. It's probably an aid to sighting similar in function to the V found at the breach end of a Parker vent rib. But again, if your eye height above the stock is not changed up or down, and the muzzle end of the rib or front sight is not moved up or down, then your POI will not change no matter what device you add to the rib. This assumes that the height of that device still allows you to see the front bead. If you can't see it and have to lift your head (eye), then the gun will shoot a higher POI.

BTW, you haven't aged a bit!

Chuck.... you're a dedicated trap shooter, I know. And as such, you adhere to the proscribed tenets of what must be done in trap shooting to be a consistently successful shooter.... and one of those tenets is to keep your cheekbone pressed to the comb. And a dedicated trap gun has pretty straight dimensions - in any case, a lot straighter than this little gun.
This 28 gauge Ithaca wasn't made to be a trap gun - it was made as a game gun - an upland gun most likely. In those days a hunter would most likely have kept his head more erect and would, upon the flush, have brought the gun up to his line of sight - - - and that's the point of this little device - to more precisely direct his line of sight with the front bead a bit more elevated than the breech end of the barrel rib.

I don't know how I can explain it any better than that.

[Dean Romig]

[QUOTE=Steve Cambria;160807] It's a false rib, emitting a similar sight picture as a full vent version.



Right Steve - that's what I suggested in my initial post and that it would raise the POI of the shot charge.
I don't however, agree that it was done by a tinkerer. Until it is proved otherwise I'm sticking with the 'factory installation' for the simple reason that is is matted exactly like the barrel rib.