doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT: Ithaca M37 questions

Picked up the 37R 20. Condition not quite as advertised (I'd call blue 85% not 95%, but realize that % is hard to call). No dings in rib or bore tho, and no cracks or gouges in stock. Some little scratches on reciever that indicate it has probably been hunted at some time. Function (with dummies) slick as snot; Poly seems to adjust--and it's a DEELUX Polychoke (Nothing but the best for ol' Mike....). I'm glad to have it and look forward to shooting it. I'll mess with my digital camera and see if I can get some pix in the computer so I can email them to anyone who is interested (haven't figured out how to post pix yet--probably a good thing).

A buddy of mine has an old one like yours and its so slick we routinely argue over which is faster a M37 or an autoloader!!!

Bushmaster,
Can I have the old stock?
wsnyder@pinehurst.net

I don't think $1,000 for the new Ithaca Model 37 28 gauge is out of line. It's a very nice looking gun and, since I'm an Ithaca lover, I'm saving my nickels and dimes.

I have an RBL-16 on order and that's pretty much covered this year's gun money. There's always next year.

I, currently, have four Model 37's and you always need five of any gun, right? What I don't need are three 16ga. guns but can't seem to part with any of them.

Walt, need a 51 stock? Just pay postage.

Doubletrubble,
Thank you for the offer but I have too many M-51 stocks myself. Pre war M-37 stocks are special IMHO and if Bushmaster was planning on tossing the old stock, I would love it if he would toss in my way.

I was not planning on "tossing" the stock. Just not sure what to do with it.

I was thinking of saving it in case the next owner of my 37R "Trap" wants to turn it back into its original glory of a hunting gun. It is a first year 37R. Forend is spectacular! Checkering on stock is really nice but it can only be fixed and saved at great cost. I cannot say that feels like new, but only because I have never felt another action so smooth.

This was obviously someone's favorite hunting gun and it saw many campaigns of hard honest use in the field.

Please tell me the truth, what do you think of my having it reblued (cold rust by Sycamore Hill Designs) and having it restocked as a trap gun (by the same). Before you yell at me too loud, please note I do not hunt and I really wanted to use this gun and trap was the only way to go as this is not a home defense gun. I had it reblued because the defects in the finish bothered me and seeing it look like new will give me great pleasure. Finish defect include a long wide scratch to the finish up and down the right side of the receiver and the finished rubbed off along two inches of the bottom of the receiver. Choke is modified

Here is my 1956 Ithaca 37 home defense gun.

Left the factory with a full choke.

Bought it with a busted Polychoke, had it cut to 18 1/2" and added a brass bead.

With 8 pellet reduced recoil OOO buck the recoil is not bad at all.

If the new Ithacas are half as good as my old Ithacas the new ones must be really great guns.

INMHO, the new Ithaca company will succeed if they stick to the plan of supplying guns to owners who want something really special that can be passed with pride to future generations.

I really like my Ithacas

Bushmaster,
Pre war 20 gauge solid rib guns are scarce! I applaud keeping the original stock with the gun! A few thoughts to review with Mr. Vallone, although I am sure he is well aware of them. (This is the way I would do it, perhaps you are thinking differently-it is your gun and you should do what ever you want) Barrel has to be rust blued{solid rib is soldered on) to a very very fine matte finish as contrasted to the receiver that is very highly polished and has a high 'gloss" look to it even over its top. Many people think the receiver on a pre war had been refinished because of this 'look' but that's the way they were done at the time. The pre war stocks have a comb and comb cut unlike post war stocks. Trap stocks have the same configuration as yours but are a bit higher. I am sure Mr. Vallone knows all this but suggest reminding him that you want a pre war restoration, not just a refinish, etc. In any event, good luck!

My pre-war 37R is a 12 gauge.

The refinish was to be cold rust because of fear that a hot blue could hurt the rib.

I will ask about polishing the receiver.

The stock will have a high comb and it is being sent to me semi-finished so I can have it fitted to me for trap before the final finish is put on. Pad will be taped on because I may want to trim the stock or add a spacer. Final finish on the stock will be matte based on my preference.

It may not turn out to be the best gun for competition, but nobody will have more fun breaking clays with their gun than I will have breaking clays with mine!

I have heard that some are really down on refinishing classic guns. Personally, as long as real history is not being lost, I see nothing wrong in giving a classic gun a "new coat of paint" every half century or so.