I did it!

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:50 am
I went and did it. I bid on (and won) a crass hammer gun.

Here are photos from the auction, I will post more when I get it.

pix667587431.jpg
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pix339785872.jpg
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--Jim

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 3:45 pm
Nice looking gun. I think I have seen a number of other Ithaca guns for sale with a wooden deck in the back ground, I believe that specific seller may be a Ithaca fan as well.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:18 pm
Jim,
That's a beauty! I'm sure that you're going to love it. :D :D :D
I'm just guessing, but when you get it, check the serial #. You may find that it's a Lewis.
But it will still be great!
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:44 pm
Thanks Guys! I will check it right away Skeeter when it comes in. It doesn't matter to me, it was in good shape and has hammers. And was a good price.

you could be right 77, this seller had quite an eclectic variety of auctions.
--Jim

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:35 am
Beautiful Damascus pattern on the barrels, too!
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:26 am
Thanks for noticing!
I am kinda amazed a gun that old is in that good a shape. the barrels thumped nice and clear too.
--Jim

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 6:09 pm
My wife regularly shoots trap competitions with a SxS muzzleloader that was made in the 1850's by Sam'l Buckley, who became one of the founders of what is now known as BSA.
When you start with quality, and then take care of it, there's no telling how long they can last.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:25 pm
BPskeeter wrote:My wife regularly shoots trap competitions with a SxS muzzleloader that was made in the 1850's by Sam'l Buckley, who became one of the founders of what is now known as BSA.
When you start with quality, and then take care of it, there's no telling how long they can last.



Very true SKeeter. A muzzle loader? trap? That is just too cool.
--Jim

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 7:21 am
Go to NMLRA.com and check out all the shotgun events in the last nationals.
There's trap, skeet (where I usually hang out), sporting clays, and an event similar to sporting clays called the Quail walk, which is supposed to simulate more of a hunting situation.
We do have to make some allowances for muzzle loaders-
Trap is shot at 10, 16, and 20 yds.
In skeet, for a lot of matches, we only shoot the singles (this is where folks with single-barrel guns can compete)
But we also shoot doubles in other matches, as well.
Wife won 5 medals at trap :P (I was very proud, but don't tell her I said it)
I choked in the flintlock finals on skeet :cry:

It was a couple of the guys on the skeet range that got us started on the BP cartridge matches.
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 11:23 am
That is insane Skeeter! I knew guys (and gals) shot vintage shotguns but I never knew there were muzzleloader competitions. How long does it take you to complete a round of skeet? do you stay on station and reload or leave and another shoot while you reload?

So your wife took home 5 medals? That is very impressive! But yea, you wouldn't want her to get a swelled head or anything :D

Hey, you made it to the finals, that is something. I know, not as good as winning, but impressive jsut the same!
--Jim

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 3:32 pm
It's kind of hard to describe how we shoot, it's kind of like describing a dance.
We do not reload at the stations, but instead we are walking back and forth after each shot (or second shot with double barrels) to the reloading bench. Of course, safety is always uppermost, and we have a range officer that keeps a close eye on that. But with experienced people, it goes smoothly.
We use a rotational system which allows shooters to work at their own pace, but that will also affect how fast you can shoot a round. If I'm there by myself, or with just a few folks, I can shoot 16 birds with my single barrel in less than 45 minutes, but if it gets really busy, I've seen it take twice that. With the double, under 1/2 hour.
Wife had to really push getting in a round of trap (15 birds) in at the end of the day. She did it in 12 minutes. The reloading area is a lot closer on the trap range, so there is a lot less walking, but that was still really hopping.
We usually figure that a 10-bird Quail walk match will take about 1/2 hour, and for a single-barrel shooter, it almost feels like we are doing wind sprints back and forth to the reloading area.
Here are a couple of pictures of my nephews, one shooting trap, and the other at skeet, last June at Friendship.
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Jake trap.JPG
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 9:21 am
That's very interesting Skeeter, thanks for sharing that.


Look at all that smoke!
--Jim

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 5:32 am
So, what is the update on your double?
Do you have a range report yet? :)
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:36 pm
BPskeeter wrote:So, what is the update on your double?
Do you have a range report yet? :)



It came in today. I haven't even logged it into my book yet, too long a day, but I will give it a good going over tomorrow morning. I still have to get shells for it. I might start out with a few boxes of RST until I can tool up for Black powder type reloading.
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:29 pm
False Alarm, Skeeter. It turned out to be a shipment from Ithaca for a customer.
I guess the seller just shipped it out Thursday, it will be here nearly next week.
Dang!
--Jim
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:03 pm
My Crass came in today! It looks and feels great! I did check the serial number, it is in the 36000 range, so it looks like it is a crass and it was made in 1899.

I did break down and ordered some shells from RST so I hope to have it at the range very soon!
--Jim

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:32 pm
Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
Pictures! Pictures!
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:25 pm
BPskeeter wrote:Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
Pictures! Pictures!


Thanks Skeeter, I will post, very soon. I cleaned it up but it really wasn't that dirty. I used a pick to get into the cracks and a bit of CLP on the bores and there was just some dried oil the bores only have a little bit of fuzzy in them, and I think some lead fouling, but otherwise they are surprisingly shiney
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 11:20 am
I took my shiney new (old) Crass out for a couple of rounds. 32 inch barrels, mod on both barrels. LOP on the front trigger is 14 1/2" I used RST Max-lite 2 1/2" shells. I shot a pair of 18s. Not great, but I think the gun is a wee bit too short for me. I am thinking of putting in either a silvers or sunburst pad to get it a little longer. I sure don't need it for the recoil. Those RSTs were like shooting a 28 ga. Took me a few rounds to stop noticing the hammers falling.

It got a few stares and a few folks wanted to check it out, but none wanted to try it.
--Jim

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 5:41 am
That was great to hear!
If you were noticing the hammers falling, then your eyes probably weren't on the bird, so that might account for a couple of misses. People shooting flintlocks for the first time have the same problem.
I normally shoot in the 19 - 21 range, so an 18 with a new gun is very respectable!
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:43 pm
BPskeeter wrote:That was great to hear!
If you were noticing the hammers falling, then your eyes probably weren't on the bird, so that might account for a couple of misses. People shooting flintlocks for the first time have the same problem.
I normally shoot in the 19 - 21 range, so an 18 with a new gun is very respectable!



I can imagine that people would have a bigger problem with flintlocks with the falling hammer AND that puff of smoke but yea, I need to learn to ignore the falling hammers. I still need to make it a littler longer though. I prefer a 14 3/4-15" LOP if I can manage it. Still, I do not want to damage that gun. I'll put up with the LOP if it meant I had to hack it up. anything that survived over 100 years deserves some respect.
--Jim

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PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2012 7:58 pm
Very nice looking Ithaca-congrats!

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PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2012 5:38 am
For a short term, you could try a slip-on pad. We keep one around in case I even need to shoot one of the wife's guns. Then, if that helps, mount one permanently.
We have been using an all-black pad, with no white lines to detract from the wood or call attention to it,
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PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2012 8:47 am
doubleslover wrote:Very nice looking Ithaca-congrats!



thanks Doubles. It is in great shape, you can tell it was well care for.
--Jim
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PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2012 8:49 am
BPskeeter wrote:For a short term, you could try a slip-on pad. We keep one around in case I even need to shoot one of the wife's guns. Then, if that helps, mount one permanently.
We have been using an all-black pad, with no white lines to detract from the wood or call attention to it,



Yea, I'll probably do something like that for now, Skeeter. Besides, it will help protect that old buttplate from any bumps in the gun rack at the range. I think I need something on the order of 3/4" but I'll try a 1/2 slip on for now and see how that feels.
--Jim
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