Читать книгу Gun Digest 2011 онлайн

290 страница из 495

DESIGN OF THE ITHACA MODEL 49 RIFLE

After the Whitney Wolverine pistol development with the Bellmore Johnson Tool Company in the early 1950s, I took a close look at the various firearms manufacturer’s product lines to determine if there were any opportunities for marketable products. I was aware that many progressive sales departments were undoubtedly searching for the same thing. One company stood out as obviously in need of new product design: the Ithaca Gun Company of Ithaca, New York. They were well-known for producing a very high quality product that often needed precision hand-fitting by highly skilled workman. This type of labor, while greatly admired, was gradually placing itself out of the competitive price range. Other companies were using advanced designs with newer machines and the latest technology. This ultimately limited Ithaca’s competitive abilities.

Gun Digest editor-in-chief John T. Amber personally reviewed the Ithaca M49 .22 in the 1962 edition.

Ithaca had for a long time lacked an aggressive design staff. Aside from their excellent old double guns, their greatest design achievement had been the redesign of the Browning-designed Remington Model 15 pump shotgun as the Ithaca model 37. It was universally accepted by the shooting public and it even outsold and outlasted the fabulous Winchester model 12 pump gun! Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to sustain this early landmark company, which was founded way back in 1880.