Ithaca 10 gauge NID magnum

[Phil C]

I took a look at a Ithaca 10 gauge magnum yesterday and plan on going back to buy it today.
Its a grade 2 with 32” barrels with 3 1/2” chambers. By the serial number it was made in 1933. It has a beavertail forend and single trigger.
It does a an after marker Pachmyer pad that will need to be replaced.
Other than this it is in very nice high condition with very nice wood.
This gun weighs a ton, will need to weigh it when I get home but it seems as heavy as my 8 gauge.
I really don't need this gun but sometimes you can't walk away from a special gun. ( so much for my new truck fund)
My understanding is there was only 164 no. 2 guns manufactured.
I will post pictures when I get it.
In the meantime I have a few questions.
What would be an appropriate pad for this gun?
How common were these guns delivered with Single triggers and beavertails forend?
I will order a letter from Cody what information might I expect to get?
Can anyone tell me which issue of DGJ might have an article on these guns? Or possibly other publishers article worth reading?
Any and all feed back is appreciated.
Thanks Phil

[Researcher]

I suspect a letter from Cody is the only way to know when an Ithaca NID Magnum-10 was made. From my observations I've seen features that don't match up with the chronology. I don't believe that sales of these very specialized guns took off very fast being introduced right into the very depth of The Great Depression. Here is the introduction from the second Ithaca Gun Co. 1932 catalog --

Magnum-Ten Announcement 1.jpg

Magnum-Ten Announcement 2.jpeg

and an ad from the July 1932 National Sportsman --

July 1932, National Sportsman, Magnum 10.jpeg

Capt. Chas. Askins did articles "American Magnum Duck Guns" in the August 1932 Outdoor Life and "Magnum Shotguns" in the July 1932 The American Rifleman.

Capt. Askins apparently didn't keep his Magnum-10 serial number 500000 very long as Elmer Keith did an article "The Ithaca Magnum Ten-Bore" in the September 1935 The American Rifleman. Thirty years later, Elmer wrote "Long Shots and Far Away!" for the December 1965 Guns & Ammo. By then serial number 500000 had the hideous restock that it still had last time it was on the market.

500000 06.jpg

Col. George W. Busbey wrote of his adventures with a Magnum-10 in his article "Magnumitis" in the 1957 11th Edition Gun Digest.

The Magnum-10 I use to own had a seven-slot Jostam Anti-Flinch. I'd suspect that the big 15-heart Hawkins repros would work well. The Ithaca bridge trestle pad at the time was no offered in a size large enough for these big guns but Kings Ferry made repros in a larger size.

[6pt-Sika]

When I had the Ithaca NID Grade 2 Super 10 I wanted a Mag 10 in the same grade to match it . Sad to say that goal was never reached .

[Phil C]

Pictures

[Phil C]

Pictures

[mobirdhunter]

My field grade is over 10 lbs. It took a Fall turkey on the wing at 57 yards. My arm is now longer from toting that behemoth.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Garry L Gordon

My field grade is over 10 lbs. It took a Fall turkey on the wing at 57 yards. My arm is now longer from toting that behemoth.

Did you shoot factory 3 1/2” when you popped Mr. Gobble Bird ? I’ve shot 3 1/2” 10’s in a number of semi auto’s and a pump . But in the fluid steel Belgium barrels that were fit to my Grade 2 the factory 2 1/4 ounce stuff is stout to say the least .

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by CraigThompson

Did you shoot factory 3 1/2” when you popped Mr. Gobble Bird ? I’ve shot 3 1/2” 10’s in a number of semi auto’s and a pump . But in the fluid steel Belgium barrels that were fit to my Grade 2 the factory 2 1/4 ounce stuff is stout to say the least .

I used off-the-shelf 3 1/2” shells. The gun really punishes my middle finger with the recoil (even with its weight). I started shooting the back trigger first to eliminate the issue.

[10 bore]

Originally Posted by Garry L Gordon

I used off-the-shelf 3 1/2” shells. The gun really punishes my middle finger with the recoil (even with its weight). I started shooting the back trigger first to eliminate the issue.

Funny about back trigger 1st. I started shooting my dads 12 ga. NID when i
was
14 years old. I was shooing 1 1/4 oz duck loads in it and every time I shot the front trigger 1st i would cut my middle finger open. I just couldn't reach the front trigger with my small fingers. I have a lump in my middle finger just behind my knuckle from healed up scar . Now I too shoot back trigger first 99% of the time with all my SxS's. On in coming birds thats the way it should be done any way after all they are getting closer.

scott
I have a super 10 and with all the test patterns i shoot i find the ithaca's shoot the tightest patterns. I did get a 99% pattern with a 1 oz of 7 1/2's with one of my super 10's

[Phil C]

I believe it. LOL.
I need to hurry up and shoot this gun this weekend. Thursday I have rotator cuff as well as carpal tunnel surgery and shooting my magnum rifles and shotguns will be on hold until this fall.