Ithaca Model 51 Trap

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bearhunter

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I picked up an Ithaca Model 51 Trap 12ga at the Vernon Gun Show on Friday. Beautiful shotgun with great finish and handling along with gorgeous sunburst, Turkish Walnut furniture.

These rifles are supposedly made on a Czech design by SKB out of Japan. This one doesn't have a made in Japan stamp. It says "made in USA." Not sure I believe it. Ithaca was using Black Walnut at the time for anything they made stocks for in the US. I believe it's an import.

This shotgun was the property of Paul Reiben out of Kamloops and DCRA fame at one point until he decided he had had enough and sold it to the fellow I purchased it from. Paul was pretty fussy about his personal firearms and this rifle is not out of character.

Anyway, these things are notorious for needing spring and buffer kits. Anyone know where I might find this kit in Canada or the US????? The shotgun hasn't been made since I believe the mid 1980s, much to the chagrin of the people on the Ithaca and GunBoards site.
 
First off it's not a rifle it's a shotgun. Secondly most companies back in the day offered upgrades and/or options on trap guns so it might very well have come with turkish walnut. Turkish walnut is very common on trap gun offerings and yes Ithica did make guns at home. Not all were imports. It may also be that someone had a stock set made for it. As for buffers and springs you can try this fellow.

http://diamondgunsmithing.com/
 
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Buffers and springs were issues with the 51. It was also prone to breaking the action bar/carrier assembly. All of these things can be remedied by the link provided by Spank. The difficulty will be the cross border shopping. The 51 was a beautifully crafted gun by Ithaca in the USA. It's mechanical short comings led to its demise. Think of it as a quirky classic automobile. They can be shot and enjoyed they just need a lot of TLC.

Darryl
 
Thanks for the replies guys. Much appreciated.

Yeah Spank, my bad ;-0 I know better than to call a shotgun a rifle.

I am not a shotgun man by a long shot. Up until recently my only shotgun was a Remington 1100 Magnum 12ga. I replaced the stock on it with a synthetic because after many seasons of jumping ducks and geese on the sloughs/creeks/swamps/farm ponds/fields, the original was beaten and broken beyond repair. The synthetic isn't nearly as esthetic pleasing but it's very durable. I quit shooting Trap and sold the Beretta single shot I had because I have serious arthritis issues in my shoulders.

That link and the information on it will do the job just fine.

Thanks for the heads up on the op rods as well. Makes sense. If the buffers are worn or the spring broken then the rods will be damaged.

As for Ithaca making firearms. They were an old firearms maker in the US for well over a century. I was going on hearsay as to the design of the mod 51 and where it was made. I know better than that as well. Hence the "supposedly" in the post
 
I have one that I bought at auction a few years ago, sure enough action bar was broken and missing a piece. the only source that I know of is to find one of the few gunsmiths that deal in Ithaca shotguns and buy a broken one and have it Tig welded. Buffers and springs are cheap in comparison. Try Ron Sharp in Ontario for parts.
 
mr.e moose said:
I have one that I bought at auction a few years ago, sure enough action bar was broken and missing a piece. the only source that I know of is to find one of the few gunsmiths that deal in Ithaca shotguns and buy a broken one and have it Tig welded. Buffers and springs are cheap in comparison. Try Ron Sharp in Ontario for parts.
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I'm not familiar with Ron Sharp. Google search doesn't show a site. Do you have contact info???

As for TIG welding a broken action bar (op rod) I have access to a machine on occasion. So far this shotgun doesn't have anything broken I can see. I haven't been able to take it out yet as everything around here is tinder dry. The ranges are all closed and the bush/fields are just to dry to risk it IMHO. Maybe being to cautious but???????????
 
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