Ithaca flues
 

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.

nice

and that is one spiffy gun store you shop at

That's the lobby of the Hyatt at Rupp Arena

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/v3...ghtFluesAd.jpg

Beware of thin barrels and frame cracking!!

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?

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?

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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/v3...eld1912-13.jpg

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

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ial1912-13.jpg

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

xxx

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

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....

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

Pictures
 

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

What do you mean Larry?

Photos
 

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