Ithaca flues

[Mike Franzen]

Picked up a nice little Flues 20 gauge yesterday. Very light and locks up like a vault. Built in 1910 this is going to make a great little bunny buster.

[Rick Losey]

nice

and that is one spiffy gun store you shop at

[Mike Franzen]

That's the lobby of the Hyatt at Rupp Arena

[Dave Noreen]

In the early years of the Flues, before The Great War, Ithaca Gun Co. built their small bores very light weight --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/Ansleyone/Ithaca%20and%20Lefever/LightWeightFluesAd.jpg

Beware of thin barrels and frame cracking!!

[Mike Franzen]

I have checked for cracking in wood and metal with a magnifying glass and the gun is sound. The barrels appear to be in very good condition. They ring and have a mirror finish. There were 4 minor dents which were easily removed. I'll weigh her later today and see just how light she is. I don't know much about these guns but looking at examples online I saw many were Damascus and case colored. This one appears to have blued steel barrels and blued frame. Any thoughts on that?

[Dave Noreen]

99.44% sure it left Fall Creek Water Power Lot No. 6 with a color case hardened frame, and being a 20-gauge most likely chambered for the "standard" 2 1/2 inch shells of those days. What grade is it?

[Mike Franzen]

It's probably the lowest grade they made. Here are a few pics. Wonder what the S over 20 means?

[Dean Romig]

Mike, from your pictures it looks to have been case color hardened and now has a bunch of dark "patina".

[Mike Franzen]

There is no trace of any case colors I can find. I wonder if it's steel barrel or Damascus. Guns made after this one had dam bbls. But again, I see no patterns.

[George Stanton]

I've got a lot of doubles suitable for bird hunting but found that I usually grabbed my Flues 16 when going out. Great guns. My 16 weighs 6 lbs. even with 30 inch barrels. Your 20 is probably lighter.

[Dean Romig]

Case color is definitely visible in the picture of the water tables.

[Mike Franzen]

You're right Dean. I saw it as well when I looked at the pics. HB I plan to weigh the gun today and I'll post the results. It's very light. Makes my Parker 20's feel like a hand cannon

[Dave Noreen]

The gun looks like a Field Grade of that era. Normally the barrels on the Field Grade were roll-stamped "Smokeless Powder Steel" on top of the right barrel.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/Ansleyone/Ithaca%20and%20Lefever/IthacaFluesField1912-13.jpg

The quite similar No. 1 Special would have had a capped pistol grip and Cockerill Steel barrels.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/Ansleyone/Ithaca%20and%20Lefever/IthacaFluesNo1-Special1912-13.jpg

[Mike Franzen]

The little gun weighs in at 5 1/4 lbs. the 28" bbls are only 2 1/4 lbs

[Mike Franzen]

xxx

[George Davis]

Hope you took in a UK game while at Rupp Arena, go WILDCATS!!!!!

[Dave Suponski]

Nice find Mike. Brings back memories. My first double ever was a 20 gauge Ithaca Flues. 26" barrels and about 5 1/4 pounds. I wonder who I sold that gun to....

[Mike Franzen]

I am happy with it. It's my first Ithaca. As soon as I picked it up I knew it was for me. I hope to make some good memories with it too. I wouldn't mind feeling "frisky as a kitten" when I get home

[Larry Stauch]

That's the first picture I've seen of Mike without a good looking woman next to him.......:rotf:

[Mike Franzen]

What do you mean Larry?

[Larry Stauch]

Like I said.....you lucky dog.:crying: