Damascus Warning

[Bruce Day]

During the Depression , Ithaca Gun Company was in trouble as were others . Ithaca had been advertising and warranting all its fluid steel and composite barreled guns as safe and warranted against bursting. A new president was brought in at Ithaca and promptly started an advertising campaign promoting only fluid steel barreled guns and saying that the old ones were unsafe to shoot. Many outdoor writers were given free guns and wrote articles to the same effect.

Since composite barrels ran out in the late 1920’s there was no need to defend the old barrels. Buy a new gun because the old ones are unsafe was the advertising ploy. And the outdoor writers got free guns and free hunting trips.

The new Ithaca president became president of SAAMI and continued his campaign against Damascus guns. He was much the personable type and well liked. He increased sales at Ithaca and the company survived.

Some time ago I published advertisements and industry letters documenting the above.