Hi everyone, I just recently acquired a model 51 from my father and can't find out much about it. I know Ithaca makes some fine shotguns, but haven't able to find hardly any info on the 51. I get the feeling they didn't make it for a very long time. Is there a reason behind this other than maybe being an un-popular gun? Any info whether good or bad would be appreciated. Thanks for any help!

This is a semi-automatic shotgun that was offered in several grades in the 1970s and 1980s. The Model 51 was listed in Gun Digests from 1975 through 1982. It never set any sales records despite being a well-made gun and was dropped from production. My old hunting buddy has one and likes it. The only problem he has encountered has been some difficulty in getting replacement parts. Hope this helps. All the best...
Gil