Shotshell pressures circa 1906

[Bruce Day]

In the early 1920's SAAMI service load maximums for 12ga 2 3/4" nominal were running 10,500psi, so some of these loads were over that. With Parkers of the era and before intended for 10,500 service loads, a person can understand that a steady diet of those heavy commercial loads of the time could loosen the jointing and stock.

Bringing those circumstances to present day, the same loads are still there. The manufacturers will tell you that their 3 1/2 dram 1 1/4 oz loads are ideal for pheasant and are at the SAAMI max. We were seeing one maker put up 100 shell specials at the Mitchell SD Cabelas made of 3 1/2 dram 1 3/8 loads of #4 shot. Really 11,500?? The ads were that was what a person needed for the 3 bird a day weekend.

The Ithaca ad is interesting because within 20 years the president of Ithaca would be touting his guns now made with fluid steel barrels and encouraging sportsmen to buy new guns because he alleged that the old Damascus barrels were likely to blow up at any moment. Forty thousand pounds! The few tests to destruction that have been done on 12ga 2 frame Parker 12's blew at around 28,000 pounds. What was the wall thickness of those Ithaca's ? .060 min and .180 at four?

[Kensal Rise]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

...The Ithaca ad is interesting because within 20 years the president of Ithaca would be touting his guns now made with fluid steel barrels and encouraging sportsmen to buy new guns because he alleged that the old Damascus barrels were likely to blow up at any moment... What was the wall thickness of those Ithaca's ? .060 min and .180 at four?

After a lengthy career in advertising, I can confidently tell you the objective behind this early 20th century advert drivel is... Sales! Why?

1) Fluid steel barrels were just getting popular, and few sportsmen wanted the old Damascus.

2) Some other underhanded ad men put out some baloney that Damascus barrels would blow up with nitro powders. These characters were probably employed by a competing gun company trying to sell more fluid steel barrels.

3) Ithaca did not want to get stuck with a back room full of Damascus barrels.

4) They bored 'em thick and told the ad men to make up some believable copy that the unwashed would bite on. But Ithaca knew they were safe barrels to begin with.

5) The sporting pubs made more ad revenue.

A happy ending.

[Drew Hause]

The Ithaca "double thick nitro breech" bs started about 1900



1903




L.C. Smith started the "broad breech" marketing back in 1886 while still in Syracuse



And Hunter Arms the "Guaranteed Never to Shoot Loose With Nitro Powder" about 1897



One way Lou Smith found to dispose of the Damascus tubes; previously shared by Brad Bachelder. 1922 Lefever Arms Co. (Ithaca) Nitro Special (introduced in 1921) with fluid steel right and 3 Iron "Oxford" left tube stamped IHR, likely Heuse-Riga Fils known to supply damascus tubes on Flues models. Barrels were originally blued



I'm thinking the barrel finisher knew