The 'Ithaca Hammerless' marked SxS is a 'Crass' Model Ithaca double.
(Ithaca's first hammerless SxS shotgun)
It came out in both hammerless and hammer gun and were both originally marked 'New Ithaca Gun' on the sides of the frame.
Later the hammerless model got the 'Ithaca Hammerless' marking and the hammer style continued with the "New Ithaca Gun' marking.
Made from the late 1880's til 1901/02
If you do not feel confident in firing an older gun w/damascus or twist steel bbls using smokless loads (or any loads),,,then don't do it!
No one is making you or suggesting that you do so.
I will only pass this info on so that you will have an idea of how many shooters of vintage shotguns (and rifles) use their older firearms today.
Damascus & Twist steel bbls are still accepted and routinely proofed for smokeless powder in England. They use the same proof in them as a steel bbl.
The idea that all damascus bbls are unsafe or that all are safe is simply too broad of a statement.
Present condition will dismiss many of them as will it many sets of smokeless steel tubes. Pitting, wall thickness, over boreing, over extended chambers, ect are only some of things that should take them out of service. Unfortunetly many smokeless steel barrels are never checked well enough and are assumed to OK,,because they're 'nitro smokeless steel.
Short chambers are the norm in the older guns,,especially pre WW1 and even pre 1925.
English guns in 12ga are not all that uncommon in a 2" chamber length though a 2 1/2" 12ga is more likely to be found.
Any gun rechambered to a longer length cartridge there would have required a re-proof by law and so marked. In this country,,no such thing and as such many guns are re-cut and unless you know or care about it, it goes un-noticed.
Perhaps no problem on one gun with beefy bbl walls,,maybe not a good idea on a lightweight field gun with purposely light bbls to begin with.
Lengthing the forcing cone on older guns from their abrupt short angle to a more modern taper is done often as a way to both lengthen the chamber and modernize the cone. The 2 9/16" chamber recut with a simple modern forcing cone removes little metal but allows the shell to open freely and the wad(s) to exit smoothly.
Certain 2 3/4" loads fired in a 2 9/16" chamber have shown no increase in breech pressure over original length shells. 'Certain' is the important word. Reloading comes in to play here, and strict adherence to component recipes is very important. Not every modern length shell in a short chamber is a safe bet.
Smokeless loads in a damascus bbl,,,
#1 is that the bbl and gun must be in top condition as I first mentioned.
#2 the load must not be just any load.
'Low Brass' or 'Low Recoil' loads do not necessarily mean low pressure.
The loads must be of breech and bbl pressure equal to or less than the BP pressures the bbls were made and proofed for.
Certain smokeless powders along with specific cases, wads, primers and shot loads can produce this. Alter the reloading recipe,,even the style of case crimp,, and you're asking for trouble
The pressure curve of these specific loads has been shown to be the same or slightly less than the BP load for the gun. Independent Lab tests.
Much info on these test, the loads, guns, equiptment, ect over on doublegunshop.com or in the DGJ.
Again, this not a rant to push anyone into using smokeless loads in Gramp's damascus break-open.
Just information about what many shooters are doing and thought you might find it interesting.
