Yes

How did we get from a No. 3 to a Field Grade?

Yes Randy,

I handled the Field Grade Craig is referring to I believe, very late NID, NO Ithaca marking or engraving, barrels were 32” with what I believe was an Ithaca factory vent rib. I thought it not factory but after looking it over with Brian Hunt we came to the conclusion that it was original. The serial # I believe was in the 469,000 range, one of the last NID’s out the door.

The vent rib was not level from top of receiver like typical where the vent rib frame is higher on Ithaca NID’s generally.

The vent rib was ramped from top of receiver if you know what I mean? I thought you may have handled that one.

Sorry for the confusion Dave,
Me and Randy were referring to a 32” 20 gauge Grade 3 NID that was posted a few years back, it was a phantom I guess, it was sold before we called, only a few hrs after posted:cuss:

Craig is referring to a the 32” 20 gauge Field grade encountered at the Southern I believe in 2022, one of the last NID’s with no marking.

That sounds like a gun I saw at Louisville or one of the OGCA shows when the PGCA was there maybe 25 or more years ago. When I saw it my thought was someone had found a set of barrels and forearm for one of those finished 16- & 20-gauge Field Grade frames and stocks that Terry Turnbull had a big cardboard box full of at Creekside when I was there in 1986. $150 each at that time. They must have never been barreled when NID production ceased at Ithaca.

Thanks for that information Dave,

That may explain why I've encountered a handful of unmarked NID frames over the past couple years.
Were the frames you encountered marked with a serial #?

Yes Stan, it was at the 2022 Southern and this gun was how I first met you. The gun was owned by a friend of a friend and he was interested in having you take a look at it.

Stan, the one I found at Vegas a decade or two ago is identical to the one you describe. I sent it home to Maryland and as far as I know, the recipient still has it. I don't think they were put together from the unmarked frames that floated around the East Coast 40 or 50 years ago. How would anyone come up with sets of 20 gauge vent rib 32" barrels to finish the guns? I think the three guns described in this thread were real production guns, very late. Like Stan, I was suspicious of the gun's originality so I turned it over to a friend.

Thanks Dan,

Sorry I didn’t recall who put me on that one, I just remembered whose it was and that it was a head scratcher, the first one I had seen.

Bill,

This one currently resides not too far from Md, in VA if it hasn’t moved since I last talked with then owner. It was not for sale when I was asked to offer my opinion.
I did however have a chance to purchase an unmarked NID 12 gauge with three sets of barrels that were loosely fitted. Is is currently a project gun.
Former owner’s grandfather worked at the factory and was able to acquire said gun

When I was at Creekside in 1986, I remember them marked F and 16 or 20. I can't swear they were serial numbered but in that they were color case hardened and completely finished stocks and frames I suspect they were serial numbered. That was a while before I was crazy enough to be recording such information. I was at Creekside a few months before the Gun Owner's Relief Act of 1986 took effect and I didn't want any of them bad enough to mess with an interstate transfer.

I dare say the 20 I mentioned won’t be for sale in the anywhere near future . That individual likes it quite a bit and his recently married daughter has a decided preference for the gun as well .