The Ithaca Gun Company First Produced a Single-Barrel Trap Gun in 1914

Their guns were based on the Emil Flues three piece lock design and known as the Flues Single-Barrel Trap up until 1922 when it was replaced with a New Improved Design (NID) created by Frank Knickerbocker.

1917 Ithaca Flues shotgun
1917 Ithaca Flues Grade 4E single-barrel trap gun.
Remington, Browning and Parker Shotguns are usually my favorite Shotguns, but I fell in love with this Ithaca 4E Flues antique Trap gun at first sight. I've read that Ithaca made a habit of producing guns for which Remington patents had expired. Ithaca really hit home runs with the Flues and Knickerbocker trap guns as far as I'm concerned!

Flues Single-Barrel Trap (1914–1922)

This is a 1917 Ithaca Single Barrel Trap Gun - Early Flues Model Grade 4E with better grade of engravings - 12 Gauge - 32" Ventilated Rib Barrel with Excellent Bright Bore - Automatic Ejector - Factory Original Blue Finish and Color Case Hardened Receiver with Engravings in EXCELLENT Condition except for slight rub marks on left side of barrel near receiver area over chamber area - 14-3/4" LOP to Center of Pachmayr Recoil Pad - Checkered Walnut Stocks with Ebony Inlay In Forend Tip in EXCELLENT Condition - Blank Silver Shield Inlay in Buttstock - Serial# 2780xx - Tight Action.

Flues Single & Double Trap Serial Number Table

Year of DOMBegin Serial NumberEnd Serial Number
1914242600256699
1915256700268199
1916268200276899
1917276900289299
1918289300299799
1919299800315399
1920315400343335
1921343336356513
1922356514361849
All of these guns are more than 100 years-old today.
1917 Ithaca Flues receiver and stock detail
Detail image from the original Ithaca Flues page.

Note: The Ithaca Flues Double was very popular at the time and accounted for the vast majority of the serial numbers represented in the table.

For detailed photos of the Ithaca Flues Single Barrel Trap, visit the original photo-gallery page.

Ithaca Flues Photo Gallery

Writer Note

Ithaca really hit home runs with the Flues and Knickerbocker trap guns as far as I'm concerned!

Ithaca Flues forearm
Flues forearm detail from the original page.

Collector Takeaway

The Flues and NID articles belong together. The Flues page preserves the earlier single-barrel trap lineage, while the NID page follows the later Knickerbocker design. For collectors, the table, grade, serial number, rib, ejector, stock details, and remaining finish are the key facts to keep attached to this example.

Ithaca Flues Photo Gallery Detailed photos from the original page. Ithaca NID Knick The later replacement for the Flues single-barrel trap. Remington 90-T Previous shotgun navigation link from the source page.
Greg Cook

About Greg Cook

Greg Cook writes about firearms collecting, personal history, and the stories behind interesting guns. His Army MOS was 76Y, Unit Armorer, and he brings that practical background to his collector articles.