The Prodigal Gun Returns--Ithaca NID Magnum 10 gauge

[gobblergls]

 Ever have a gun you sold and you later regretted doing so?  Here's mine.  Last week I got it back after selling it 20 years or more ago to a buddy.  I traded him out of it after years of semi-begging for its return.  After seeing an ad in the Shotgun News, I bought the gun over 30 years ago from Thad Scott a recently departed gun dealer from Indianola, MS.  At the time, I paid too much for it.  Serial #500691 made in 1939.  NID 10 gauge, chambered for 3.5" shells.  Field grade with ejectors; 32" barrels.  I used it for turkeys but got tired of carrying it around.  So did my buddy.  I'd call it a safe queen, but it was more of a gorilla than a queen, and it being a hair under 11 lbs., there is nothing feminine about this brute.  I'm happy to get it back.  The Prodigal Gun returns with its hairline stock crack and non-factory pad.  Turkeybuster should remember this "blaster" from the past and the spectacular misses it generated from my shoulder.  In addition to the gun, I got back my old 10 gauge MEC Sizemaster, a sack full of hulls, powder, wads, etc.  I was also tickled to get back about 10  lbs. of lead #3 shot which is unobtanium these days.  I'll need to run down some primers and I'll be back in business with this old gun.  I plan on having a stock man glass bed the stock and add a reproduction Ithaca Sunburst pad on the butt.
When I hunted the gun, I shot a 2 1/8 oz. load of big shot out of the left barrel for far away birds and a spreader load of 2.5 oz. of #3 out of the right barrel for close shots. Over the years,  I've progressed through 12 gauges, 20s and spent last season carrying a 3 lbs., 9 oz. single-shot .410 (successfully).  Whether or not I tote the gun in the woods again ( I feel I will occasionally for old times' sake), I am very grateful to get the old gun back; my buddy was a good steward of it for two decades or more.   I feel like I've found a long lost child getting this one back. 

[Old Gobbler]

Hang onto that , those are rare indeed

[surehuntsalot]

beautiful shotgun

[Spring Creek Calls]

That would be a great duck gun while hunting from a blind. Wouldn't want to carry it far though.

[owlhoot]

that is sweet

[Pfitz]

Thats slick, definitely one to hold on too. Thanks for sharing.

[eman375]

Ahhh, always nice to get and old family member back in the fold.  And just in time for Christmas!

[gobblergls]

Thanks, folks.  The stock man finished his work and I should have the receiver back in a week or two.

.  And just in time for Christmas!

, Jingle-Bang! jingle-bang!  Merry Christmas all! Gil