How Old Is Too Old

[fishnut 2,358]

I inherated a ithica 16g sxs shotgun due to a death in the family recently. The gun is in good condition minor rusting and no pitting and looks to be in good working order. i did a little homework and the gun was built in 1915. So my question is is this gun safe to shoot bird shot through it without it blowing up due to its age and the type of metal the barrel was mabe of? thanks in advance guys.

Adam

[dave545 15]

ill take it off ur hands in case its dangerous

[hd2000fxdl 422]

How about some pic's.

 

Are there any areas that look like that are a problem, if so post those pic's also.

 

If in doubt, bring it to an armor and have them give it the once over.

[Old Glock guy 1,127]

Oh, I thought you were talking about shooters, not guns. I'm almost 60, and I can still run and gun with the best of them. Actually, it's my running that's still pretty good. My shooting kinda sucks.

[fishnut 2,358]

i will try to post pics tonight or tomarrow, no damage of any kind though. i was more wondering if the barrels wound hold up to the pressures it modern ammo

[chris327 30]

It depends if it has a damascus barrel or not.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

If it has damascus (twist) barrels, it should be apparent from its appearance. I believe by 1915 they were no longer using damascus. The problem you may have is that it is quite possibly chambered for an obsolete 16 ga round. I believe that during that era, 16 ga was 2 9/16" long. I don't know enough about shotguns to know whether a shorter, available, round would work. Heck, I don't even know if there is a 2 1/2" modern 16 ga. Parker seems to be our resident shotgun expert, and I'm betting he'll be along shortly and can give you the complete lowdown on your gun and these questions.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[tt-33 8]

rst has short chamber rounds in 12 and 20 am almost sure they've got one of the short 16s any time you shoot a hundred year old gun use common sense go low pressure high or low brass in no indication on pressure

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

Post a pic of the barrel proof marks and we can tell you %100 more about your gun.

 

No gun is "too old". Yours may only be capable of firing difficult to obtain black powder, weird sized ammo, but its not "too old" to shoot. If its unsafe due to other conditions we cant know just from a text description over the internet.

[fishnut 2,358]

ok here are the pics lets see if they work

[djg0770 481]

smokeless powder means it's not black powder

 

my guesstimation is you are good to go but let a few of the other guys weigh in.

[Parker 213]

I inherated a ithica 16g sxs shotgun due to a death in the family recently. The gun is in good condition minor rusting and no pitting and looks to be in good working order. i did a little homework and the gun was built in 1915. So my question is is this gun safe to shoot bird shot through it without it blowing up due to its age and the type of metal the barrel was mabe of? thanks in advance guys.

Adam

Bob is correct, barrel steel will be modern, not Damascus, and safe to shoot but it will have short chambers unless modified. 2.5" shells are available and not expensive to purchase. The date of your shotgun would put the serial number before 400,000 and the year 1915 would make it an Ithaca Flues model. NID's (New Ithaca Doubles) hit the scene it 1925.

 

If it's in good condition, you have a very fine shotgun that's from a bygone era. RST sells modern 16 ga. 2.5" shells in light and field loads, right up to heavier copperplated lead shot loads for faraway pheasants and the like.

 

 

Here's a nice read on the Flues by Roger Pinckney (If you recognize the name, Roger is a contributing writer to Gray's Sporting Journal and is often found in their bi-monthly publication.):

http://www.shotgunli...ry-to-tell.html

 

 

Kevin

[hd2000fxdl 422]

Hey with out seeing the chambers, I'll give ya 50 buckaroos for it.

 

I like it as is, dang pretty gun.

[fishnut 2,358]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I am going to order some shells and bring it out once and a while.

[tt-33 8]

rst has shells for $ 105 to 150 based on what you are looking for I use the 12 ga 2 1/2 lites they work great for clays or quail