nice gun....charlie

Ithaca Nitro Specials
 

Just an observation,

From what I've seen in the past, the Lefevers produced by Ithaca were sent out with the butt plate with the opposing half circles )))))(((((.

The butt plate with the Ithaca Gun Co INC was for the NID's.

I did not read this, just what I've found. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Stan

For most of the production life of the NID, they had a plain horizontally grooved butt plate. Here on a No. 5E --

Attachment 84063

Here on a Field Grade --

Attachment 84064

On the Lefever Nitro Specials they used the curved lines.

Attachment 84065

Here on an A-Grade

Attachment 84066

The butt plates with the horizontal grooves and the Ithaca Gun Co., Inc. at the bottom were primarily used on the Model 37s, but did appear on a few of the very last post WW-II NIDs --

Attachment 84068

Also on a few NIDs restocked by Ithaca in the 1950s and 60s. Note that 1946 vintage, high condition, Nitro Special Brian provided a link to, 356035, has this butt plate.

I want to hear the stories and details of all those woodcock, pheasants and grouse shot with that gun :whistle:

Beauty in the eye of the beholder
 

Craig, hard to discount those guns completely. They all put food on the table. Most all of them got used hard, I bet, so to find a good example now is no easy feat. Some makers built so many utility guns that it may color how folks view the company in general. Ithaca made something like 250000 field grade guns,but their high grade guns are beautify done. You know I’m biased !!:)

I bought this 16ga Lefever Nitro for my Son, as a present for graduation from the Navy's Nuclear program..... I bought him this gun for 2 reasons....

1. It's built like a tank and can handle any off the shelf 16ga shells(no steel shot)
2. It is a "working mans" gun, that was in all but brand new condition.

I paid $600 for it if I remember right, last year saw one that was identical to it sell for well over 1K on GB. At the time, I was concerned I'd paid too much for a Nitro... But, after watching that auction, felt better about it.

Joseph, That's a beauty!...and a 16 to boot!!

Thanks, one of the nicest looking Nitro's I've ever seen in 100% original condition...... He is very happy with it, and I don't have to worry about him having to shoot 2.5" RST's out of it.:)

My son's nitro has the horizontal lines Buttplate. It's a 1946 or 47 gun. I need to go look that up.... :rolleyes:

Just checked, his is a 1946 gun....356614

I have a stevens 410 double 3 inch gun you never have to worry about what shell to shoot in it...come to think of it I have never heard of any body saying any thing about what shell to shoot in a 410 except maybe the chamber length 2 inch versus 2 1/2 and 3 inch....I looked on my oldest shell boxes 410 they say just watch chamber length...nothing mentioned about barrel steel...I wonder aout this because a 410 has some mighty high chamber questions...I thought maybe I had seen some composite barrel 410 s but I may be remembering wrong....does anybody out there have a Damascus or wire twist 410......charlie