Ithaca xl900 12ga

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JTucker

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I have been offered the opportunity to purchase Ithaca xl900 12 gauge from a friend. We have not discussed price yet. The gun is in very good condition except for the stock being loose. I am under the impression from my father in law the stock can be tightened up without any issues. What would be a fair price for the gun? I don't want to steal it, but I also have to intention of paying top dollar.

Thanks
 
That model is notorious for stock issues, I've had two......both with stock issues! Excellent shotguns but the stock is a weak point. Ask the owner to tighten it and if you are comfortable with it go for it. Here's what to look out for, check the bottom where the little bump out from the receiver meets the matching notch in the wood. Look for a space or chip missing from the wood. If you see a little chip or 1/8" gap around that bump out in the receiver, it's easy to fix with epoxy or the like. What you have to look out for is a longer crack in that same area, still fixable but do so asap. The problem with this gun is that little bump out at the bottom rear of the receiver is the only thing keeping the stock from spinning. A chunk missing or a big crack will mean your stock will literally rotate. Wood for these is near impossible to find and you can expect to pay north of $300 for Ex. Cond or new old stock wood. If you buy it and need a complete action with magtube let me know, I have one in the EE. Good luck.
 
Pending a clean certificate of health for the stock the gun is a well made semi by SKB of Japan. They carry nice and handle very well. All the ones I have seen have been reliable performers for their users. Having said all that they don't command high prices. One in 100% condition might fetch 400.00. A well used one should be worth about 275.00. If it has a Modified or IMP CYL choke it may fetch a few bucks more. The bore is chrome lined.

Darryl
 
Other's seem to have had good experiences with them but I did not. I bought one new in 1977 and from day one it was the most expensive single shot I had despite being taken back a couple of times to rectify the problem. And yes, the gun was kept clean every time it was used. But it was a nice, light handling gun.
 
Very good condition means different things to different people. The XL900 is a well built gun. It came in different configurations, the most common being 12 gauge, 2 3/4 inch chamber, a 30 inch (actually measures 29”) barrel with full choke. Unfortunately as with most guns of this era, their usage is limited because of this configuration. The full choke would need be altered to handle modern steel loads and is not the best choice for most upland applications. Most XL900s were designed as field guns and are lighter than most would enjoy shooting trap or skeet with. There was trap and skeet models but they are extremely rare.

In good condition a standard XL900 (30 inch full) would be worth between $300 and $400, VG $450 and in excellent condition $500. NIB or as new might fetch a little more to the right buyer.

The field model 12s were also available in 28” with a modified choke and the even rarer 26” with Imp cylinder. These make an awesome upland gun and would handle some light loads of steel. They should fetch $50 to $100 more to the right buyer.

The 20 gauge versions seldom become available but are perhaps the most desirable of the series.

To make things even more complicated, they came with different checkering and wood quality. The hand checkered models with French type walnut are head and shoulders above the pressed checkered models. They also went through a time where some enhancing of the wood was done. Not as bad as Beretta’s “extra wood” but pretty tacky. The pressed checkering and enhanced wood drops the value to near nil IMO but some don’t seemed to be bothered by it.

The loose stock obviously should be addressed before firing. It is a little more than tightening the nut as these were skim bedded at the factory with epoxy. Where the wood meets the receiver is stepped and the majority of the recoil should be loaded onto the inside portion of the stock. When dry, contact may be lost with the raised portion of the stock and splitting or cracking will occur along the outer edge of the wrist.

I have a few and enjoy them very much. If well looked after they will last a lifetime or two.
 
Remember there is a very small following for these so the cult LOL value(s)are going to be much higher than the average Joe will pay
No choke tubes etc will make it a hard resell if down the road if you don't plan on keeping it a long time and have to consider that
Parts if ever needed are also very tough to find
It would have to be mint for me to pay $300 for it
Cheers
 
3macs1 said:
Remember there is a very small following for these so the cult LOL value(s)are going to be much higher than the average Joe will pay
No choke tubes etc will make it a hard resell if down the road if you don't plan on keeping it a long time and have to consider that
Parts if ever needed are also very tough to find
It would have to be mint for me to pay $300 for it
Cheers
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When you own one you have a tendency to watch them on the EE when they come up for sale. Excellent or minty ones that are advertised with pictures are gone without a BTT if under or around $500. A $300 one would be gone in minutes. What you would pay for one is not relevant. I can’t believe what people ask for and receive for some shotguns but that doesn’t change the value.
 
MK2750 said:
When you own one you have a tendency to watch them on the EE when they come up for sale. Excellent or minty ones that are advertised with pictures are gone without a BTT if under or around $500. A $300 one would be gone in minutes. What you would pay for one is not relevant. I can’t believe what people ask for and receive for some shotguns but that doesn’t change the value.
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Like I say there is a very small following for them today and you are one that likes and gathers them which is cool
I remember them new and in my dad's shop. They were not a semi shotgun gun people ran to or stashed for their grand kids is all I am saying
I think my point is relevant for what I call a non XL900 cult member would pay and if I am wrong on parts for them please tell me where you get them in canada since I know of no place. I also remember them being known for jamming. In the end you have a vintage gas operated 2 3/4 " semi with a fixed choke which as I say has a very limited market in 2019
Would I trade you one of my old old superx1 for it not in your life but hey to each their own .We just belong to different vintage shotgun cults :) LOL now Darryl might :) Wait now that is not a good example since he restores old remington model 58's :) and that group is even smaller now

One thing I do known if I was in your group I would be grabbing that mod choked VR barrel in the EE for 160 bucks
Cheers
 
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3macs1 said:
Like I say there is a very small following for them today and you are one that likes and gathers them which is cool
I remember them new and in my dad's shop. They were not a semi shotgun gun people ran to or stashed for their grand kids is all I am saying
I think my point is relevant for what I call a non XL900 cult member would pay and if I am wrong on parts for them please tell me where you get them in canada since I know of no place. I also remember them being known for jamming. In the end you have a vintage recoil operated 2 3/4 " semi with a fixed choke which as I say has a very limited market in 2019
Would I trade you one of my old old superx1 for it not in your life but hey to each their own .We just belong to different vintage shotgun cults :)
Cheers
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You are misinformed. The XL900 is a gas operated semi that actually held a record for reliability. IIRC several thousand rounds of target loads without cleaning which at the time was best of the bunch. They are more reliable than the 1100s etc. from that era and are valued the same by those informed.

Parts are readily available from SKB and eBay although major components like stocks and barrels are getting harder to find. Fortuneately because of their strong following there is lots of parts and donor guns around. Right now for example there is a complete action, a barrel, and two inexpensive XL300s that have the same internals on the EE.
 
MK2750 said:
You are misinformed. The XL900 is a gas operated semi that actually held a record for reliability. IIRC several thousand rounds of target loads without cleaning which at the time was best of the bunch. They are more reliable than the 1100s etc. from that era and are valued the same by those informed.

Parts are readily available from SKB and eBay although major components like stocks and barrels are getting harder to find. Fortuneately because of their strong following there is lots of parts and donor guns around. Right now for example there is a complete action, a barrel, and two inexpensive XL300s that have the same internals on the EE.
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Cool.We have different opinions here which is fine but Misinformed I'm NOT considering we sold them new and remember enough about them that I didnot keep any in my stash but have a sample of many other vintage semi's of the day . That says it all for me
If their claim to fame is functioning when not being clean now I know why I never seen them as the best of the bunch since I clean all of my guns after firing even one round
Also e-bay stopped shipping gun parts to canada some time ago
take care :)
Cheers
 
3macs1 said:
Cool.We have different opinions here which is fine but Misinformed I'm NOT considering we sold them new and remember enough about them that I didnot keep any in my stash but have a sample of many other vintage semi's of the day . That says it all for me
If their claim to fame is functioning when not being clean now I know why I never seen them as the best of the bunch since I clean all of my guns after firing even one round
Also e-bay stopped shipping gun parts to canada some time ago
take care :)
Cheers
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Wow! Do tell where this impressive store was and under what name. It would seem they carried every make/model and that you were given free access to help yourself and sample all the goods. Sounds like quite a life.

BTW I am sure the XLs work better clean than dirty.
 
MK2750 said:
Wow! Do tell where this impressive store was and under what name. It would seem they carried every make/model and that you were given free access to help yourself and sample all the goods. Sounds like quite a life.

BTW I am sure the XLs work better clean than dirty.
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Oh Boy. Why cannot you just accept that we have a different opinion on this gun and it's value which is fine and be done with it.

There was only so many semi's in those days so yes most shops had examples of most and yes I had access to what we sold or worked on, I shot them,cleaned them and later on fixed them and even kept some when dad passed of the few hundred all makes and models he left me and my brothers but 2/3 are now long gone :(

So yes I still own some old semi's model 1148, 1100, model 11 ,superx1, A5 etc from those years but no 900's why because trap shooters were tearing them apart and sorry Darryl no 58's :)

Take care
 
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As mentioned in my previous post, I had an XL900 from new. It was not reliable at all. Maybe I just got a bad gun but from all the people I hunted with over the years, and from guns that were used at the trap range I belonged to at the time, I don't think I ever saw anyone else with an Xl900. Saw lots of Remington's. In fact ,I also had Remington's and still have one but the XL is long gone. No way I'm going to be convinced the XL900 was a better built gun than the 1100. But just my opinion and discussing 1100's is getting off topic.

OP, if the gun is cheap enough then buy it but if you are looking at $350.00 to $500.00 then why not get something that parts are more readily available for?
 
gunsaholic said:
As mentioned in my previous post, I had an XL900 from new. It was not reliable at all. Maybe I just got a bad gun but from all the people I hunted with over the years, and from guns that were used at the trap range I belonged to at the time, I don't think I ever saw anyone else with an Xl900. Saw lots of Remington's. In fact ,I also had Remington's and still have one but the XL is long gone. No way I'm going to be convinced the XL900 was a better built gun than the 1100. But just my opinion and discussing 1100's is getting off topic.

OP, if the gun is cheap enough then buy it but if you are looking at $350.00 to $500.00 then why not get something that parts are more readily available for?
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I agree
It was because they tore them apart shooting trap if I recall correctly. Low use they maybe Ok like hunting BUT
In fact I seem to remember Spank who shot a ton of trap saying the same and may have had one new also
Cheers
 
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All the comments are very helpful. It is a gun I know nothing about so I appreciate it. Typically I am a person who would by a new gun, buying these older guns is definitely of interest to me, but out of my norm.
 
We have to keep this in perspective. There are numerous guns that will last a lifetime when used only for small game hunting and possibly waterfowl. There are guns that will last for hundreds of thousands of rounds and mostly dedicated to clay shooting. The two types keep owners happy for long times also. To evaluate a gun based on durability as a target gun when it was meant to be a field gun is inaccurate. Now most of us shotgun aficionados desire guns with built in longevity but there some that are happy with a gun that shoots every time a mallard or an old jack sails by.

Darryl
 
3macs1 said:
Oh Boy. Why cannot you just accept that we have a different opinion on this gun and it's value which is fine and be done with it.

There was only so many semi's in those days so yes most shops had examples of most and yes I had access to what we sold or worked on, I shot them,cleaned them and later on fixed them and even kept some when dad passed of the few hundred all makes and models he left me and my brothers but 2/3 are now long gone :(

So yes I still own some old semi's model 1148, 1100, model 11 ,superx1, A5 etc from those years but no 900's why because trap shooters were tearing them apart and sorry Darryl no 58's :)

Take care
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So is the name and location of the store a secret?

I have no problem with differing opinion. It is mindless contradiction that irks me.

Anyone that gets rid of their excellent condition XL900 for $300 or less is throwing money away. As a buyer I have no problem with it. A google search of some shotgun forums would be a good idea for the OP.
 
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