Help ID-ing older hammer Ithaca 10 bore

[Milton Starr]

So it doesn't shoot? I found a baker 10 ga hammergun for 1500$ im lookin at getting. Waiting to hear back on the bore conditions

[Old and Reliable]

Originally Posted by Milton Starr

So it doesn't shoot? I found a baker 10 ga hammergun for 1500$ im lookin at getting. Waiting to hear back on the bore conditions

I tested the sears and hammer-firing pins- they are spring loaded and are the rebounding lock type- I didn't weigh the trigger pulls, but can-- I test fired each lock with a piece of pine against the breech face, and both firing pins penetrated the wood to about 3/32" (est'd) depth- this gun was in storage for years, all the serial numbers match every where- even on the buttstock at the grip inletting, and on the back side of the trigger guard bow- all screws and BP and front sight are original- NO dents, dings or loose ribs and both barrels (after I swabbed them out with Hoppe's No 9 and also a bronze bristle barrel brush-) shine like mirrors- I will re-assemble it, the top tang is a bit "proud" of the stock so I will deepen that recess to get a flush fit, and get some fotos posted for you and my pal Charlie- I do not have any BP 2 & 7/8" paper shells to test fire it, but if you decide to buy it- you may test fire it with those loads- the wall thickness at breech and the 32" taper to the muzzles is substantial- the barrels weigh 5 lb. 2 oz- and have good brown and grey swirl patina-Do you have a small lad with a wheelbarrow handy to carry it to your deer stand or turkey blind for you- it is heavy, as are all 10 hammer Twist barreled doubles- but has good balance-and the chokes and chambers have not been altered- and it will cost you less than the other hammer 10 gauge you are looking at in the $1500 range. 100% return for refund (less shipping insured) as long as it is in the same condition as it was when I send it your way- does the other party with the $1500 gun offer that warranty? I hope so- I stand behind 100% everything I offer for sale on the PGCA Forum- NQA- whether it is a recoil pad, a used buttstock or a complete gun-let me know what your thoughts are--at your convenience of course--

[Old and Reliable]

Or, for that matter, a Butcher or a Candle-stick Maker either. Good friend and Master Gunsmythe Brad B. ID'd this as a Ithaca NIG A grade and the serial number makes it 1904- So, when it goes up for official sale (with fotos) as it was made after 1896- need to ship via FFL route- price will be close to 4 figures (the barrels are without pits, dents or dings and the mechanicals are correct too) and a five day shooting with BP short 10 gauge loads inspection return option will come with- stay tuned for more details-

This has the rear mounted hammers- like the Baker Ithaca Mike McIntosh shows in his 1989 book "Best Guns" but it also has the curved "Ram's horn" side bolsters as do the hammerless Crass series Ithacas- a "puzzlement" to me, not being an Ithaca-er-- but if anyone in my ken knows, it would be Brad-

[Milton Starr]

This is the sellers bore description



E BORES DOE HAVE SOME PITTING. IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THERE ARE ANY EXTREME PITTS, BUT THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF IT. IT LOOKS AS IF IT COULD BE HONED OUT TO A LARGE EXTENT. I BELIEVE THAT THE BARRELS ARE THICK ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE OF LITTLE CONSEQUENCE AS FAR AS STRENGTH IS CONCERNED. IF I WERE GOING TO USE IT FOR A SHOOTER MYSELF, I WULD LEAVE THEM ALONE

[Old and Reliable]

Originally Posted by Milton Starr

This is the sellers bore description



E BORES DOE HAVE SOME PITTING. IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THERE ARE ANY EXTREME PITTS, BUT THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF IT. IT LOOKS AS IF IT COULD BE HONED OUT TO A LARGE EXTENT. I BELIEVE THAT THE BARRELS ARE THICK ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE OF LITTLE CONSEQUENCE AS FAR AS STRENGTH IS CONCERNED. IF I WERE GOING TO USE IT FOR A SHOOTER MYSELF, I WULD LEAVE THEM ALONE

-- Milton- for what's it worth in passing- honing any ID cylinder even with a pilot to allow for "out of round" can have its hazards- but the laps of iron and steel forge welded to make these older barrels- rather than the continuous metallurgy of a lathe turned proof steel barrel from a blank- I'll defer to others who have worked with Twist/Damascus barrels, but remember this- older BP shells developed their greatest pressure curve in the initial breech area- later smokeless shotgun powders have lengthened that pressure curve somewhat-the RST engineers have really been a asset to those of us who enjoy shooting the older fine doubles, no matter the gauge- Pitting can cause a barrel to fail in that area, just as a slag inclusion can cause a weldment to fail under load stresses. FYI!!