Stumbled upon an old Ithaca SXS 12 ga that has caught my eye and itch.
Might any of you fellows on here be able to give me any ideas on what I have found as to value and usefullness as a quail/woodcock rig ? I have run the serial number and best I can come up with is a Ithaca Grade 4-E SxS from the 1920-21 years.
I have a couple of pictures I could text if anyone cares to help me with value , things to look out for , and whether it has any drawbacks for use with use concerning modern ammo?
Thanks in advance.
Ejector gun. 3-3500 if nice.
Best to buy with the caveat if having an independent expert examine the gun and give you a report. What to look for:
Barrels: ensure they ring when suspended by the hook. Failure to ring lien a church bell indicates a loose rib, a costly fix. Have them measure wall thickness, chamber depth an check for any hard to see defects or pitting. Wall thickness should be well over .030" with these guns.
Check that barrels are on face, no gap or looseness between barrels and breechface. Take off fore end, hold this juncture up to light while putting hand pressure on both parts. There should be no light or gap, no looseness vertically or horizontally.
Top lever should be right of center.
Check ejector timing.
Ensure screws are not buggered. Telltale sign of amateur work.
These are just a few. These are nice old guns, but they are nearly 100 years old and a lot could have happened to the gun in that time.
I found a Ithaca expert, he pretty much stated what I thought, rear stock replaced, completely buggers value.. 500 is about right.
If any of you fellers know of a pretty work horse style SXS 12 in the 1k -1500 range shoot me a pm.
I'll keep my eyes open. There's some double traffic in my part of Montana, but not enough to keep prices above average. Often good 12-gauge SxS's can be had for decent prices. If I see one will let you know.
Give RST shells a try if you end up with a vintage double. Great "period correct" ammo for your double! Reasonably priced, perform suburb, and as a bonus they have that beautiful paper shell smell when fired.
I have a 20,16 and 12 gauge LC Smith; all 1920's, 1930's vintage and the RST shells perform flawlessly.
Strick9, I was in your neck of the woods last week..had a great time.
Thanks Godogs. I have narrowed the search to an AH Fox Grade AE with mod/mod , Ic/mod or if I have to F/mod.
I reckin you were at the Sewee , its a hoot. Glad you had a good time brother!
Yep, SEWE. Stayed in Mt. Plesant.
I have an old British Guild SxS, 12 ga, choked LM/IM and from checking the proofs, around a 1920s gun, that I've been thinking about getting rid of. I got $2k into it and just looking to get my money back out of it. Got it when I lived in Alaska. Bought it maybe 2005 or 2006. English stock and made in Birmingham (If I remember right). It just sits in the back of my gunsafe taking up space as I can't hunt anymore.
I would buy an AYA #2 or 4-53 depending on budget and forget about the possible problems associated with a turn of the century gun. For the money Ugartechea is usually a find SXS as well with the possible exception of some guns that were made by the workers to get their backpay when management wasn't involved during a brief period of restructuring.
Here are some resources.
http://gun.home.cyberverse.com/
I'm pretty hooked on the AH FOX AE grade at the moment. I have looked at the Uggis though as well as most of the others. I did find a rather nice Husky and Lefever but from what the old school smiths of which I have spoken they all point to the Fox.
Consider a Parker VH/VHE on a #1 or #1 1/2 frame. I second the use of RST shells.