doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 1940 Ithaca 37R before and after restoration

Again, it 'ain't the Czar's Parker-it's a 37. Is there a premium paid for first year ribbed models, over, say second year ribbed models? I've seen zero evidence of that.

Gun broker is littered with 37s of all ages and conditions. The guns with starting bids of 5 bills sit, looking stupid, for a long time. The trouble with posting on a double gun board with pump data is the simple fact that a pump doesn't get to be a great gun until it needs to be refinished-they actually sweeten up with use and wear. The cased, 99.9% condition Holland Royal guys don't understand this fact, for the most part.

So, you can hunt with a well used gun, that works great, or, refinish it, and have it look great AND work great.

If you are hunting with it, "collectability" shouldn't be much of a concern.

Enjoy the gun. It looks great, by the way.
Best,
Ted

Two things guys, It's HIS gun, and it's a 37. Even in the first year they made a bizzillion of them. I see them all the time for $250- $350 around here. Just sold one just like that (1938) for $325 last week. Give the guy a break. He is proud of it, as I would be, and it makes him happy. He wasn't doing it for any of you, he did it for himself, and was proud enough to want to share it with us. Lighten up.

Actually there were a total of 2199 pre war solid rib guns made in all the gauges. And, believe it or not, there are a cadre of M-37 collectors who are fussy about scarcity and originality.

The restoration looks very tasteful and well done, even looks like he used a real Ithaca sunburst pad, a nice touch. Guys, these Ithacas are hunting guns first and foremost. Ithaca didn't make a field gun that was meant to be a collectors item, it was made to hunt and hunt hard. If the stock head was punky and oil soaked, pad worn out, hardened, mishapen, the checkering worn flat and the metal in need of new blacking....then what the hell? I see no issue with restoring a gun like if its tastefully done, its not like the guy used a drill to port the barrels or had it restocked with birds eye maple. It looks as if the gun just came off the dealers shelf, was unwrapped, and is now on its way to a marsh full of ducks....... the way it should be.

Dustin

[quote=LeFusil]The restoration looks very tasteful and well done, even looks like he used a real Ithaca sunburst pad, a nice touch. Guys, these Ithacas are hunting guns first and foremost. Ithaca didn't make a field gun that was meant to be a collectors item.

For the most part guns don't become collectors items because of the company producing them deems them so, it usually things like first year of production, other rarities, certain markings, etc.

So when one owns a gun, I think you should look at all of the angles before you go and pretty up a gun.

Tim

I thought the 12 was debuted in 1937, the 16 in 1938, and the 20 in 1939.

I do have a clue to the "collector" mode of thinking. I dont get it though. Maybe the same reason I never understood why some kids in my neighborhood would buy matchbox cars, baseball cards, or star wars toys and keep them in the original box or wrappers and never play with them, ya they may be worth a little money down the road kept hermetically sealed up, but what fun is that?????? I never really got along all that well with those kinda kids, always thought they were a bit weird. Now when it comes to a field gun thats meant to be in the field and used, then my way of thinking is it should be used. I'm not a collector, I'm a hunter and then a shooter next. I used all of my guns and I use them hard, when they need blacking, browning, or a wood refresh, I do it. Some people might say some of the guns I own are pretty rare. Good for me I guess, I dont care. I like to use them, like the way they feel in my hands, how I shoot them and I enjoy looking at them too.
So my mode of thinking might be a little different from other peoples and I understand that, I've never been everybodys cup of tea anyways.

Last thing is first....it is his gun and he can do what he pleases with it.

Dustin

Doubletrubble, You are correct but the gun in question is a solid rib model debuted in 1940 and discontinued in very early 1942. There are M-37s and then there are M-37s. Not all of them are are created equal. The decision to restore or not is solely the owner's. He did use a first class house to do the restoration, which is a lot different from a refinish and I applaud him for that.

Mr Snyder;
Of the 2199 pre war SR 37s produced I would bet that the [pre redue] condition of bushmasters 37R would have put it in the top 20% condition wise of original pre war 37Rs still remaining....cleaning up oil soaked stock heads and replacing hard crushed pads are just normal repairs on a quality hunting gun...and yes this example needed these things to regain its integrity as a useable hunting gun, but its original condition was closer to the top of collectable condition than it was to the bottom...It still is a beatiful example of a pre war 37R just not near as collectable because now it ranks no higher than redone completly clapped out 37Rs do....

My views are split on the subject of originality. Guns that are of a very high percentage or so rare that there are few remaining specimens should be left alone. I term these "reference guns." From an academic stand point they allow us to understand a maker's original finishes etc. Years ago I suggested that someone should do a photo gallery of such guns and I'm pleased to see some of the maker specific sites have done so. Unfortuneately these guns usually disapear into collections and are rarely seen again.

That someone should take a lesser specimen ans restore it I see as a compliment to those who have gone before us. Note that a number of responses have dwelled on value. Bushmaster valued restoring this gun to the extent that he checked with an authority on Ithaca and then sought to share it with the rest of us. Thanks to Bushmaster.