Ithaca SBT - Page 5

Stan Hoover · 07-19-2022, 09:29 PM

Kevin,

Like Dave said, I’m not aware that Platinum was ever used, the guns I’ve seen were all Grade 5’s that had Silver, I’ve not observed a higher grade with Silver, although I think the Grade 6 guns had some Silver on the detail of the Indian archer on the side.

The manufacturer’s would of course build a gun to a customers specs, so I guess Platinum could have been requested.

There was a gentleman on this site who recently purchased a NID 5E trap gun with the Silver birds, he suggested that they’re Platinum?

I would have to seek an expert to tell me the difference, I do not know how to tell the difference.

Stan

Bill Murphy · 07-20-2022, 08:25 AM

Kevin gave us an entertaining post about some of his experiences in an earlier time. The "Ralph Luttrell" he mentions was my boss in the late sixties when I was in my early twenties and the general manager of the National Capitol Skeet and Trap club and Mr. Luttrell was the president of the club and responsible for hiring me. My recollection is similar to Kevin's experience with Mr. Luttrell, who once gave me a Model 97 trap gun and a box of shells and sent me to the field for a test round. The gun was defective, would not lock in place to fire and was a potential death trap. I returned the gun to him with the comment that the gun "needed some work".

Bill Murphy · 07-20-2022, 08:27 AM

Stan and other readers, did you notice that the Ithaca order not only contains 20% of the total production of Sousa Grade Knicks, but also contains another rarity, a Knick with a Cutts Compensator?

Stan Hoover · 07-20-2022, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Stan and other readers, did you notice that the Ithaca order not only contains 20% of the total production of Sousa Grade Knicks, but also contains another rarity, a Knick with a Cutts Compensator?

I did notice that Bill,

what an awful abomination to ruin the looks of a great trap gun

Maybe you like them, I have no experience with them and I think I’ll just stay with shooting poorly before I resort to trying something as ugly as that.

I apologize if I stepped on any toes,

Stan

Stan Hoover · 07-20-2022, 01:52 PM

This is one of the greatest threads of the past 3 months, but it is beginning to test my patience severely! We need to see MORE pictures of these great Ithaca SBTs and more definitive information

Kevin,

I will do my best to oblige with more pictures later this evening. I wish I could show you a Sousa grade like Bill has, but unfortunately I parted with a 7E and a Sousa 12 years ago, thought I needed to utilize the money other places

Stan

Researcher · 07-20-2022, 04:14 PM

Thumbing through the NID pictures I've saved, I still see silver birds on No. 5Es to 453707 --

453707 05.jpg

and gold birds by 455765 --

455765 03.jpg

Stan Hoover · 07-20-2022, 09:44 PM

Kevin,
We may be able to get this one adjusted to fit you

I would think this one was probably a regular at the Grand American and probably adjusted for many different shooters.

Was it easier to build the adjustable stock around the straight grip, or why the straight grip? I know the English grip was fairly common on the Flues SBT.

I just wonder what happened to the original barrels, were they damaged while shooting or….. I’ve been watching for a 34” Flues barrel that is reasonably close in serial number, tried a few, but haven’t located one that fits better than the one it currently wears.

I would have to double check if Walt stated that the Ithaca inlays are Silver in his book, I think they are Silver.

Bill Murphy · 07-21-2022, 07:06 AM

Stan I assume you own this great A. P. Curtis try gun. What a great gun. A local collector owned a Curtis gun like the one pictured for many years, offered it for sale for around $1500 and had a rough time getting a buyer. I'm sorry I missed out. Can you remember the serial number of your Sousa so I can add it to my list if it isn't already there?

Stan Hoover · 07-21-2022, 09:10 AM

Bill,

The try gun is aspecial one and yes, I am the caretaker of it currently. I will have to put that serial # up, maybe someone can help me out with a barrel that fits better.

The Knick Sousa was serial # 400355T

Stan

Bill Murphy · 07-23-2022, 04:24 PM

Thanks, Stan. I have that Sousa serial number in my files. I don't think we will ever find that more than 10 Sousa Knicks exist since Walt Snyder searched the records for me well into the Dollar Grade era and didn't find any more Sousas. Are you saying that the barrel on your Curtis gun is not the one that was made for it at time of manufacture?