When Ithaca introduced the Flues Model in 1909, they were making their smallbore very light and delicate.
These are the guns often seen with cracked frames.
These guns were probably fine with the light 2 1/2 inch shells they were designed for, but North American Nimrods of the more is better ilk were for sure stuffing the heaviest loads they could buy in these little wands, and Ithaca saw they had a problem. By the mid-1920s, Ithaca had beefed up their Flues doubles quite a bit. In the 1912 through at least 1915 Ithaca catalogues they give their smallbore weights as --
16-ga 5 3/4 to 6 1/4
20-ga 5 1/4 to 5 3/4
28-ga 4 3/4 to 5 1/4
In the July 1919, Ithaca catalogue --
16-ga 5 lbs. 14 ozs. to 6 1/2
20-ga 5 1/2 to 6
28-ga 5 to 5 1/2
In the December 1, 1919, Ithaca catalogue --
16-ga 6 to 6 3/4
20-ga 5 3/4 to 6
28-ga 5 1/4 to 5 3/4
In the 1925 Ithaca catalogue --
16-ga 6 1/4 to 6 3/4
20-ga 6 to 6 1/2
28-ga 5 3/4 to 6 1/4
Savage didn't actually begin stating their Fox doubles were chambered for 2 3/4 inch shells until the second printing of the brown "art deco" Fox catalogue, usually found with 1938 or 1939 Retail Price sheets --
From about 1939, the Savage built Fox doubles were stamped on the left barrel --
This stamp is also found on Fox doubles of any vintage that were sent back to Savage for service and rechambered to 2 3/4 inches and reproofed.
Threaded Mode