Ithaca NID issue
 

I have a 1930’s Ithaca nid field with ejectors. My issues is when it’s closed it seems to lock up very tight, the lever is well right of center and even with the forearm off the gun seems to lock like a vault but upon firing a gap about the size of a piece of paper appears at the barrel/receiver like the gun is partially opening. I can push the lever to the left and it’ll close again. After having this happen I cleaned the action very well and lubricated everything but it still happens. This is even with lighter loads or heavier loads. Is this a locking bolt issue or a locking bolt spring issue? Where could a guy buy a new replacement bolt spring?

Try holding the top lever hard to the left while firing. See if it happens then.If it does, there is probably some wear somewhere in the locking system that is tight laterally but is moving under recoil.

From what you described it's likely the camming surfaces on the barrel extension and locking bolt need to be looked at by a competent ‘smith. If you try doing it yourself the fix can be elusive and you may make it worse; Elmer Keith wrote about having the same problem with his NID Magnum and it took several gunsmiths to finally fix it. I suppose it could be a weak lever spring but I think that probability is low ..... but that's easy to confirm/deny. Sorry I don't know of a source for a NOS lever spring.

Ok, are there any good Ithaca nid smiths out there?

This is an issue that is not uncommon with rotory bolt locking guns such as the NID, Fox and Smith. The bolts wear in sometimes to where the forces of firing wants to lift the barrels and open the gun. Replacing the bolt or reworking how the existing bolt is bearing on the locking surface is the way to fix it. Stiffening up the top lever spring can sometimes be a reasonable stop-gap.

I guess the hard part is finding a gunsmith that is competent with this system, smiths that know old SxS guns are getting harder to find every year unfortunately. I wanted to get some choke work done anyways so maybe I can get it done all at once.

Gunther Pfrommer

Make that 2 for Gunter Pfrommer! He’s the NID man for sure!

Is he out of Va?

Yes—google him and he comes right up