Way back around 1951, when the U.S. was facing the Soviet Union in the Cold War, a need was perceived by the U.S. Air Force for an emergency survival gun that could be packed by our pilots. It had to be simple, shoot both rifle and shotgun ammo, and be able to be fired while wearing cold weather mittens.
The Ithaca Gun company of Ithaca, New York, developed a gun that met these requirements. Here is one of those guns:
Contracts were let, and the guns were issued. The gun developed was a folding over-under piece. The upper barrel was chambered for the .22 Hornet cartridge. The lower was for a .410 3-inch shotgun load. A lift-up latch over the rear of the barrels allowed the action to break open, and an automatic spring-loaded extractor lifted both rounds partially for extraction. A unique palm trigger was utilized so it would work with gloved hands. A lift-up section in the top of the metal buttstock covered holes that accepted 9 Hornet rounds and 4 shotgun shells. The barrels measured 14 inches in length, making the piece subject to the National Firearms Act and registration. Folded, the package measured a scant 15 inches in length for carrying in a pouch. The flip-flop rear sight had a peep with a 100-yard zero for the rifle, and a V-notch with a 25-yard zero for the shotgun. A push-pull device on the rebounding hammer allowed firing either the upper or lower barrel. There was no manual safety, as the rebounding hammer and the rather heavy trigger pull were deemed sufficient. The pivot pin for the break-open action could be totally removed so the halves could be separated for packing. There was no forearm on the gun, and pilots were advised that if downed, to wrap a section of the barrels with paracord from their parachutes to avoid burning the hands with frequent use. These are no longer issue arms; most pilots now carry just a sidearm. With GPS technology, it's not expected that a downed pilot will be on his or her own for extended periods.
A demand arose for a civilian version of this arm, and in the early 80's, Springfield Armory took up this task and imported a very similar gun made for them by CZ in the Czech Republic. This was called the M6 Scout. Here is a pic of one of these, made in 1984:
The main difference between this gun and the issue version is the length of the barrels, which are a civilian-legal 18.25 inches. The upper barrel is chambered in .22 LR, although some Hornet and .22 WMR barrels have been made. The lower is in .410 three-inch. The buttstock carries 15 .22 LR and 4 .410s. Later versions of this gun had a long trigger guard over the palm trigger; a lawyer-friendly device not in keeping with the original. Some all-stainless steel guns were made in lieu of the original Parkerized tool steel configuration. Springfield Armory quit importing these guns in 2004, and they are no longer made. I bought mine in 1984 for $150. Today, because of demand, they sell on the used gun market for between $400 and $1,200, depending on the model, caliber and condition. The original no-trigger-guard models command higher prices as do the stainless guns.
Hope you found this summary interesting. If you look for one of these guns now, good luck. I haven't seen one at a gun show for years, but they do pop up on the auction sites here and there.
John
The Ithaca Gun company of Ithaca, New York, developed a gun that met these requirements. Here is one of those guns:
Contracts were let, and the guns were issued. The gun developed was a folding over-under piece. The upper barrel was chambered for the .22 Hornet cartridge. The lower was for a .410 3-inch shotgun load. A lift-up latch over the rear of the barrels allowed the action to break open, and an automatic spring-loaded extractor lifted both rounds partially for extraction. A unique palm trigger was utilized so it would work with gloved hands. A lift-up section in the top of the metal buttstock covered holes that accepted 9 Hornet rounds and 4 shotgun shells. The barrels measured 14 inches in length, making the piece subject to the National Firearms Act and registration. Folded, the package measured a scant 15 inches in length for carrying in a pouch. The flip-flop rear sight had a peep with a 100-yard zero for the rifle, and a V-notch with a 25-yard zero for the shotgun. A push-pull device on the rebounding hammer allowed firing either the upper or lower barrel. There was no manual safety, as the rebounding hammer and the rather heavy trigger pull were deemed sufficient. The pivot pin for the break-open action could be totally removed so the halves could be separated for packing. There was no forearm on the gun, and pilots were advised that if downed, to wrap a section of the barrels with paracord from their parachutes to avoid burning the hands with frequent use. These are no longer issue arms; most pilots now carry just a sidearm. With GPS technology, it's not expected that a downed pilot will be on his or her own for extended periods.
A demand arose for a civilian version of this arm, and in the early 80's, Springfield Armory took up this task and imported a very similar gun made for them by CZ in the Czech Republic. This was called the M6 Scout. Here is a pic of one of these, made in 1984:
The main difference between this gun and the issue version is the length of the barrels, which are a civilian-legal 18.25 inches. The upper barrel is chambered in .22 LR, although some Hornet and .22 WMR barrels have been made. The lower is in .410 three-inch. The buttstock carries 15 .22 LR and 4 .410s. Later versions of this gun had a long trigger guard over the palm trigger; a lawyer-friendly device not in keeping with the original. Some all-stainless steel guns were made in lieu of the original Parkerized tool steel configuration. Springfield Armory quit importing these guns in 2004, and they are no longer made. I bought mine in 1984 for $150. Today, because of demand, they sell on the used gun market for between $400 and $1,200, depending on the model, caliber and condition. The original no-trigger-guard models command higher prices as do the stainless guns.
Hope you found this summary interesting. If you look for one of these guns now, good luck. I haven't seen one at a gun show for years, but they do pop up on the auction sites here and there.
John
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