ithaca flues model 20 ga. -Is it safe??

old single shots

I have an Ithaca flues mdl. 20 ga. It is ingood mechanical shape. tight,good lockup,etc.I have been shooting high brass loads with no apparent problems.Is this a safe practice with this particular model.

nord

High brass is one thing. Magnum loads are another. Flues models have a delicate frame. Under certain conditions they tend to crack.The gun isn't dangerous to shoot, however it may be dangerous to the gun to shoot it.

old single shots

Nord, Thank you for the reply and info.What load could i use without endangering the gun? What about so called (game loads) or low brass loads.Were these guns designed for black powder loads?

laxcoach

Your Flues MAY have a 2-9/16" chamber instead of the modern 2-3/4" chamber. Not that this affects safety, but will affect your pattern and possibly cause extraction problems. A competent gunsmith can correct this issue if it exists.

AdamsQuailHunter

Your Ithaca Flues was designed for smokeless powder. She is perfectly capable of handing both game and field loads. I would not feed her 2-3/4 inch Magnum shells - particularily on a regularly basis. Will it blow up in your face -- NO -- but it will shake the beejeers out of her and excelerate the wear on her.I don't have an Ithaca hammer double or a Lewis (Redpanda beat me out on the one that was on Gunbroker aution -- but I don't hold it against him). I have most everything else. I like my 20 gauge Flues in tight cover -- in fact she is my favorite for that type of work even though I HATE double triggers and wish she had a single trigger like my Fox BSE - 20 gauge.

old single shots

AdamsQuailHunter-- Thank You Old SS

nord

Laxcoach is soooo correct! Your gun is most probably designed for the shorter shells. I should have remembered because I has two Elcee's done at the Ithaca Custom Shop and that's one of the things they insisted on taking care of.While the shorter chamber lengths won't be a safety issue, they considerably increase recoil. Take a delicate frame and punish it like that and there's always a chance for damage.And remember - The amount or dram equivalent of a givin load isn't always the deciding factor. It's the pressure generated by a given load. Thus, there are "light" K-Mart loads that have far more potential to cause damage then say a Winchester or Remington high base load.If you're really concerned about the gun, consider doing some research and loading your own shells. That way you can control pressures and still throw a good load of shot.

jwc21

I am a collector and user of fine Sxs shotguns and rifles. I also hunt quail and dove,here in the south and pheasant in the west and midwest along with an occasional trip to mexico for quail. My solution to the problem of short chambers and delicate guns is to use 2.5 inch shells exclusively in all my guns. These low velocity shells pattern much better in my guns, have low recoil and do no harm to the guns.You will find these short shell available from many sources at little or no additional cost.

old single shots

Thanks to everyone for all your help and info.