Marine Corps Bandmaster John Philip Sousa’s Ithaca trap shotgun fits right in with what Sousa called life’s best gifts: “A horse, a dog, a gun and a girl—with a little music on the side.” This Sousa-grade smoothbore was the Ithaca Gun Company’s finest shotgun model, and only 11 were produced. Part of the American Trapshooting Hall of Fame collection, this rare 12 ga. is currently part of the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum displays at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Mo., along with other treasured guns associated with record-holding champion shotgunners throughout the years.
Stocked in the finest American walnut, engraved and inlaid in gold to perfection, this Ithaca shotgun was designed by Sousa, who was then-president of the American Amateur Trapshooting Association.
Interested in historic arms? Visit either of the two NRA museums—the NRA National Firearms Museum at NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, Va., or our new NRA National Sporting Arms Museum at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Mo. Both locations include a timeline of American arms from the first colonists through modern day, with exemplary handguns, rifles and shotguns available for viewing seven days a week. Admission is free to both museums (donations gratefully accepted), and offers an unforgettable visitor experience. For more details, check out the museum website at www.nramuseum.com, call (703) 267-1600 or email [email protected].
