Here’s a lovely old beauty at Collectors:
A little background: Ithaca’s “Flues” shotguns were based on that eponymous patented action, and were so popular that they ended up driving Remington our of the double-barrel shotgun business. Some believe that the single-barrel variant shotguns were the best-selling ones of all time.
For me, the only speed-bump on this particular gun is the semi-pistol grip (rather than the straight “English” stock that I prefer). That said, I’d get this one in a heartbeat. Know why? Here’s its description, from Collectors:
The barrels have 98% blue with just a bit of surface pitting, on the underside, probably from holding them there. Bores are excellent. The receiver has about 60% faded case colors with some light staining and speckling. Stock is very good with most of the varnish and some light marks. A good looking example you wouldn’t be afraid to shoot.
And the kicker: its serial number places its manufacture (I think) in the mid-50s — when I was born — and the above description could be an answer to the question: “If Kim was a gun, what would he be like?”
Old-fashioned, well-used, a little battered, but still trustworthy, and deadly.
Quod erat demonstratum.
“–when I was born –“.
I think my wife mentioned that she likes to sew. One of her prized possessions is a Singer Featherweight made the year she was born.
There was a time I told war stories. Now, I teach history.