Hi Frank, It's a mystery to me as well. I just received an email reply from Les Hovercamp, former Master Gunsmith for Ithaca who after retiring from Ithaca set up his own shop (Diamond Gunsmithing). Les says that anything is possible but he's never seen one blued out of the factory. My uncle was (I'm being polite here) very frugal so I doubt he would have paid any $$ to have it blued. Maybe he bought it from someone else who did though. That part of the history was long before I came along. In as much as my Dad was a ex-machinist at the Charlestown Navy Yard during WWII and tinkerer, if he blued it, he would have said something to me as it was my gun. And I know my brother would not have touched it (I would have shot him if he did!) Anyhow, as you saw, it's in very good condition and I'll probably put it up on this forum for sale as I think I'll get that Fox SW 20 ga. The Fox 20 SW will make a nice starter gun for my grandson when he's old enough to go for a 'walk' in the woods with Papa. Have you guys used any of those decoys of mine you picked up?
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