doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Utility or unnecessary gun alterations?

KyJon,
It is your gun, do what ever you want to do, and don't worry what anybody else thinks.
Mike

Well people seem to like to tell others things like factory configurations should never be altered. But when I asked the same people what their choke of choice would be if only allowed one they picked I/C about 80% of them time. Funny thing was Full got a total of one vote. I think Full choke has become a big negative when selling a used gun.

I intend to fix the butt stock or if not possible replacing it all together. If I keep it I'll either open the choke or just put in screw in for max utility. After all if you bought a new model 37 it would have them. It's not like I am adding a Cutt Compensator
to it.

I have a similar situation with a vintage Rem. 870 in 16 gauge, choked full. Found it at a pawn shop, decided to save it from some dishonorable fate, plus I had shot one since age 14. I killed a gobbler on the run with it at 45 yards, it will kill mourning doves at 50 with handloads. My 14 year old son wants to shoot it, but choked like a rifle? Only reason I hesitate is that Remington reamed a perfect choke (using the definition of "full choke" as was intended) into this one and that skill is a dying art.

R.C get the young man another barrel

Nice eggshell beadblast and re-blue, a new Wenig buttstock from semi-fancy American, Ithaca sunburst pad, leave the choke as is. Jmo.
JR

Eggshell media is a new one on me, John. What does the barrel surface look like after?

SRH

Ha! Don't think you would accomplish much with eggshell media, Stan.

You use the large glass beads to get an "eggshell" gloss/patina that is very attractive compared to the rougher finish the small glass beads yield. I've seen some rifles done this way and they looked good, but it should only be used for certain applications on shotguns, this being one that would fit the bill. Not aesthetically
suitable on a nice American classic or fine English/Continental sxs. Target o/u's maybe.
JR

Oh, you got me on that one. I once sandblasted a 1 1/8" X 42" Douglas XX octagonal barrel to make it take the browning solution and look aged. It kinda worked.

SRH

Interesting that the rib survived a hot bluing as it was soldered on and not an integral part of the barrel as in the solid ribbed M17 Rem. Serial numbers pre-855,000 barrels aren't randomly interchangeable, but Les Hovencamp can fit a pre-855,000 barrel to any M37 and it doesn't require the intricate process that the current Ithaca shop undertakes. He fit a 1940 barrel to my 1957 M37 20 gauge and opened it from full to IC to complement the existing M. Les was the head of gunsmithing at Ithaca many moons ago.
Barrels for sale:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40...el&_sacat=0
Back to the rib on the 37R. At what temp is solder applied versus hot blue temps.? Is there a danger to the rib if hotblued or is it an oft repeated urban legend? Gil

Although there are some soft solders that melt at the 360-370 degree F temperatures which may be used in hot blue tanks, the more common problem is the corrosion of the solder joint from the salts that get into tiny voids. This corrosion will adversely affect even higher temp solders. If you can rinse and neutralize all of the salts, no problem. But that may not be possible when salts get into the voids between double shotgun barrels and ribs. 370 degrees F isn't typically used for hot bluing, but a gunsmith may increase the bath to that temperature, or even a bit higher, in order to get a deep blue on actions or receivers with a high nickel content.