ithaca side by side, year of manufacture?

[v8stang289]

I have an Ithaca side by side 20 ga, and i am trying to determine what year it was manufactured. The gun was purchased new by my great grandfather. I believe it to be a field grade, because of the bird dog engraved on the side. It also says "smokeless powder steel" on the top of each barrel. It has its "dents and dings" due to many years of reliable use, but it still functions flawlessly and shoots great.

It has a 6 digit serial number 286946

thanks for any help!

 

[gunut]

Ithaca

Ithaca Flues.....made 1917

Most likely has short chambers [2 1/2in] ...flues are great handling upland 20ga guns but are known to have thin metal on the sides of the receiver and can crack if shot with heavy loads...Id stick with light 2 1/2in shells and have it checked over by a smith B4 using it, but with the correct shells/loads it should make a fine lite upland gun......

 

[Dave McCracken]

Have a smith look it over before firing, please.

I'd be chary of any heavy loads. This looks like a great candidate for superlites....

 

[v8stang289]

thanks for the replies. The gun hasnt been sitting up or anything. My dad has had it for years and it has been used regularly. I'm not sure of the chamber size but i know that both 3" and 2 3/4" shells have been shot in it(they fit, werent forced in or anything).

 

[zinj]

I'm not sure of the chamber size but i know that both 3" and 2 3/4" shells have been shot in it(they fit, werent forced in or anything).

Whoa there!

Shotgun shells are measured from the fired length, not the crimped length. A 3" shell will easily drop into a 2.75" chamber, but the crimp will open into the forcing cone and cause a dangerous pressure spike. I am almost certain that none of the pre-war Ithaca doubles were chambered for 3".