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One for Elsie historians/ experts

laxcoach
I just acquired a Grade 2 Elsie in 16 ga. that is chambered 3" and is so marked on the barrel flats. I compared the font to a 12 ga. 3" gun, and the stamping is the same. Anyone want to offer why this was done, as I don't recall 3" 16 ga. shells ever having been manufactured.
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  • nord
    Any idea of what year the gun is?

    Next, as a graded gun you could order just about anything from the folks in Fulton.

    Last idea is that chamber length has been known to effect choke performance. Maybe someone was testing that theory.

    Anyway, not too surprising.

    Nord
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  • laxcoach
    Nord, it's a 1908 gun, straight stock, selective trigger, ejectors, raised rib, two ivory beads, 27-1/2" barrels, choked IC/M 2" deep-- obviously a special order, but the chambers mistify me ! My guess is that, since the original owner lived near Fulton, he had it re-chambered at a later date.
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  • nord
    Perhaps done at Ithaca Gun, but probably at Hunter. When I had my two Elcees in to the Custom Shop at Ithaca one had a replacement forestock. When I got the guns back the forestock was original (much to my chagrin). In the end it didn't matter because I had the rebuild date engraved on both pieces and they aren't going anywhere outside my family.

    I inquired as to the why and how of the new numbers and learned the following... Ithaca felt that since the guns were in for a complete rebuild and that the non-matching part was original, the serial match was appropriate. When asked about the matching stamps I was informed that these WERE Hunter stamps. Further, I was told that half the tools there were former Hunter tools.

    My guess is that your gun is original and that someone felt the need to pack a bunch of powder into a shell. The memory of 10ga. guns wasn't that old in the early 1900's and smokeless powder wasn't a known quantity. If it were a field gun, then I wouldn't be surprised at a later modification... Just not a graded gun.

    But then, what do I know?




    Nord
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  • laxcoach
    Thanks, Nord. I can always count on you to offer knowledgable opinions on our obviously common "interest".
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  • laxcoach
    BTT for other opinions.
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  • groundhog devastation
    Laxcoach, Are you going to be "hawking" that one in front of the civic center Saturday? If so I'll trade you a 597 in 22Mag and 100.00 for it, sight unseen!!![:D][:D][:D]GHD
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  • laxcoach
    GHD, nice try--but no thanks. I'm going to Greensboro Saturday to see if any of the Tarheels can tell me more about it, but I'll probably be in Roanoke Sunday with it ONLY to show it off. I've found that anything more expensive than a H&R Topper won't sell in Roanoke or Salem !!!!!
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