Ithaca NID Field Gd 16ga.- SINGLE TRIGGER EJECTORS, LEFTY

Here we have a unique Ithaca NID Field Grade 16 gauge.  According to Walt Snyder’s book, “The Ithaca Gun Company- From the Beginning’ the Ithaca Gun Co. can be considered the most successful of all the vintage American double gun companies.  Why would I say that?  Consider they had 7 different models totaling over 420,000 total doubles produced.  That does not count the Western Arms, Lefever Nitro, Lefever Gun Co., or Single Barrel Traps.  All told Ithaca was the most prolific of all makers at well over 1/2 million break action guns produced.  Parker made approximately 250,000 guns.  L.C. Smith was the only company to come close at 439,000 guns produced.  At that time, the Ithaca was priced nearly the same, grade for grade, as the other makers but outsold the other makers by at least 50%.  They offered better figured wood and more decorative checkering patterns than their competitors, delightful engraving patterns, and a gun that functioned the way it was expected to.  The buying public considered the Ithaca the better gun.  Ithaca’s final rendition was considered their best and strongest model, called the New Ithaca Double, or NID as referred to today.  The NID is the strongest built action of all the vintage American double guns except for the Winchester M21, a late comer.  This Ithaca NID 16ga, sn459673 built in 1935, has a single non-selective trigger and ejectors.  The gun retains most all its factory original metal finishes, including 98% factory blue on the barrels and trigger guard and 98% factory bone and charcoal case color on the action.  The barrels are tight on the hinge pin and breech face with mirror shiny bores and tight ribs.  The factory original wood is beautifully figured on both sides of the buttstock and the forend has the classy ebony forend tip.  The checkering is superb.  The gun fires the left barrel first and the left barrel has the more open choke.  John Olin had his guns reversed choked like this so he could fire the left barrel first on  going away targets.  His reasoning was the recoil from the left barrel, being closer to the centerline of your body, would cause less body movement and therefore quicker recovery time for the second shot.  It is factual that this helps, even though it is minimal.  The chokes are factory original as can be determined by their long steady tapers to the end of the muzzle.  If they had been altered there would be a parallel section of choke toward the muzzle.  The stock is neutral cast, so will suit both right-handed and left-handed shooters. This is a VFI Certified gun with a 90-day mechanical warranty, as VFI has stripped the action and forend iron to the smallest parts, Ultrasonic cleaned all, scrubbed all parts to shiny metal, inspected all for integrity and function, lubricated and reassembled, a $450 service in our shop.  The gun is ready for years of service with no worries.  In addition, the chambers were lengthened to 2 ¾” and forcing cones to 1 ½” tapers which allows the use of readily available modern ammunition, creates better patterns, and reduces felt recoil noticeably.  This is a $440 service in our shop.  With the scarcity of 2 ½” shells, this is a very welcome alteration.  Review the photos and specifications below and you will find a very worthy shotgun ready for the uplands or clays course.  There is nothing that needed to be done to this gun but take it on an outing.  The gun is priced very affordably for such a high condition American side x side with ejectors, single trigger, gorgeous wood, and all services already performed.  Thanks for looking!