Ithaca Gun Company
Encyclopedia
The Ithaca Gun Company is a manufacturer of shotgun
s and rifle
s originally established in Ithaca, New York
in 1880.
(in 1989, Remington purchased a design from Ithaca, the Mag-10
shotgun, which they produced as the SP-10
). Ithaca also produced the M1911 pistol and the M3 Grease Gun
for the United States military during World War II
. Its 12-gauge shotguns were the standard used by the Los Angeles Police Department
and New York Police Department, and even sold to the Royal Thai Army in the early 1980s to arm farmers against communist infiltrators. Its hunting shotguns were known for their fine decorative work, typically waterfowl or hunting dogs.
Around 1877, Leroy Smith went into business with William Henry Baker. They moved the W.H. Baker Company, which manufactured double- and triple-barreled shotguns
, from Center Lisle, New York
to Syracuse
. In 1883, Baker, Smith, and several partners moved to Ithaca and established the original Ithaca Gun Company. The company was responsible for much of the early industry of Tompkins County
, especially during World War I
and World War II, and counted among its later patrons John Philip Sousa
and Annie Oakley
.
(1883–1916) was a manufacturer of guns in Syracuse, New York
founded by Daniel Myron LeFever
(1835–1906) who was an American gun maker, popularly known as "Uncle Dan LeFever". He is best known as the inventor of the hammerless
shotgun, first introduced in 1878. The company was in the business of gun manufacture until 1916 when they were incorporated with Ithaca Gun Company in Ithaca, New York
who continued with the LeFever gun production until 1921.
neighborhood of the city, on a slope later known as Gun Hill, where the nearby waterfall supplied the main source of energy for the plant. In later years, the company came under criticism regarding environmental pollution of Fall Creek, especially by lead
, which led to a Superfund
remediation effort. Various plans to demolish the derelict plant and to redevelop the land have failed over the years, on account of the cost of remediation and community objection to construction proposals. The factory was condemned in March 2006.
company which later became General Recreation, Inc. It filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in 1979. In 1987, new owners Ithaca Acquisition, Inc. moved manufacturing to King Ferry, New York. In 2005, it received a $150,000 development loan from Cayuga County
, and in May of that year moved to larger facilities in Auburn, New York
. After a potential buyer withdrew, however, the indebted company was closed and many of its assets sold at auction on November 29, 2005 to the Marshals of Ithaca Guns, USA LLC. Finally, David Dlubak bought the current Ithaca Gun Company and acquired the company's assets in June 2007. Since then, the factory has moved to Upper Sandusky, Ohio
and undergone a total revamp, covering all areas of the manufacturing process.
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
s and rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
s originally established in Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
in 1880.
Production
Ithaca became famous for building firearms based on expired patents owned by Remington ArmsRemington Arms
Remington Arms Company, Inc. was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York, as E. Remington and Sons. It is the oldest company in the United States which still makes its original product, and is the oldest continuously operating manufacturer in North America. It is the only U.S....
(in 1989, Remington purchased a design from Ithaca, the Mag-10
Ithaca Mag-10
The Ithaca Mag-10 is a gas-operated, semi-automatic shotgun chambered in 10-gauge . It was produced until 1989, at which point Remington Arms bought the design and used it as the basis for the Remington Model SP-10....
shotgun, which they produced as the SP-10
Remington Model SP-10
The Remington Model SP-10 is a gas-operated, semi-automatic shotgun chambered in 10-gauge . The design is based on the Ithaca Mag-10.-External links:* *...
). Ithaca also produced the M1911 pistol and the M3 Grease Gun
M3 submachine gun
The M3 was an American .45-caliber submachine gun adopted for U.S. Army service on 12 December 1942, as the United States Submachine Gun, Cal. .45, M3. The M3 was designed as a more cost-effective alternative to the Thompson, optimized for mass production...
for the United States military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Its 12-gauge shotguns were the standard used by the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
and New York Police Department, and even sold to the Royal Thai Army in the early 1980s to arm farmers against communist infiltrators. Its hunting shotguns were known for their fine decorative work, typically waterfowl or hunting dogs.
Around 1877, Leroy Smith went into business with William Henry Baker. They moved the W.H. Baker Company, which manufactured double- and triple-barreled shotguns
Double-barreled shotgun
A double-barreled shotgun is a shotgun or combination gun with two parallel barrels, allowing two shots to be fired in quick succession.-Construction:...
, from Center Lisle, New York
Lisle (town), New York
Lisle is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 2,707 at the 2000 census.The town is in the northwest part of the county and is north of Binghamton. The town also includes a village called Lisle.- History :...
to Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. In 1883, Baker, Smith, and several partners moved to Ithaca and established the original Ithaca Gun Company. The company was responsible for much of the early industry of Tompkins County
Tompkins County, New York
Tompkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and comprises the whole of the Ithaca metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,564. The county seat is Ithaca, and the county is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community...
, especially during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II, and counted among its later patrons John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
and Annie Oakley
Annie Oakley
Annie Oakley , born Phoebe Ann Mosey, was an American sharpshooter and exhibition shooter. Oakley's amazing talent and timely rise to fame led to a starring role in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, which propelled her to become the first American female superstar.Oakley's most famous trick is perhaps...
.
Lefever guns
The Lefever Arms CompanyLefever Arms Company
The Lefever Arms Company was a manufacturer of guns in Syracuse, New York founded by Daniel Myron LeFever who was an American gun maker, popularly known as "Uncle Dan LeFever". He is best known as the inventor of the hammerless shotgun, first introduced in 1878...
(1883–1916) was a manufacturer of guns in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
founded by Daniel Myron LeFever
Daniel Myron LeFever
Daniel Myron LeFever was an American gun maker, popularly known as "Uncle Dan LeFever". He is best known as the inventor of the hammerless shotgun, first introduced in 1878.-Biography:...
(1835–1906) who was an American gun maker, popularly known as "Uncle Dan LeFever". He is best known as the inventor of the hammerless
Hammerless
A hammerless firearm is a firearm that lacks an exposed hammer or hammer spur.In rifles, using a firing-pin rather than a hammer is a substantial improvement because the time from trigger pull to firing can be less...
shotgun, first introduced in 1878. The company was in the business of gun manufacture until 1916 when they were incorporated with Ithaca Gun Company in Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
who continued with the LeFever gun production until 1921.
Fall creek
The original factory was located in the Fall Creek in Tompkins CountyTompkins County, New York
Tompkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and comprises the whole of the Ithaca metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,564. The county seat is Ithaca, and the county is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community...
neighborhood of the city, on a slope later known as Gun Hill, where the nearby waterfall supplied the main source of energy for the plant. In later years, the company came under criticism regarding environmental pollution of Fall Creek, especially by lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
, which led to a Superfund
Superfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
remediation effort. Various plans to demolish the derelict plant and to redevelop the land have failed over the years, on account of the cost of remediation and community objection to construction proposals. The factory was condemned in March 2006.
Reorganization
The company was controlled by the Smith family until 1967, when it was sold to a ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
company which later became General Recreation, Inc. It filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in 1979. In 1987, new owners Ithaca Acquisition, Inc. moved manufacturing to King Ferry, New York. In 2005, it received a $150,000 development loan from Cayuga County
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
, and in May of that year moved to larger facilities in Auburn, New York
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
. After a potential buyer withdrew, however, the indebted company was closed and many of its assets sold at auction on November 29, 2005 to the Marshals of Ithaca Guns, USA LLC. Finally, David Dlubak bought the current Ithaca Gun Company and acquired the company's assets in June 2007. Since then, the factory has moved to Upper Sandusky, Ohio
Upper Sandusky, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,533 people, 2,744 households, and 1,682 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.2 people per square mile . There were 2,910 housing units at an average density of 555.1 per square mile...
and undergone a total revamp, covering all areas of the manufacturing process.