I was invited to a duck hunt next week. My doubles are too nice for the marsh so I would like to take my old (1938) Ithaca M37. 12 ga. of course and full choke. Can I use steel shot or should I look into alternatives. The 37 is old but restored to new condition. All that said, can it handle it?

Yes if it doesn't have a rib and you don't mind slight bulge near the end of the barrel.

5,104 posts and this is the advice I get? What were your other 5,103 posts?

Don't shoot steel in your pre-war full choke barrel. It might not hurt it but its too easy to buy tungston matrix or the new bismuth shells to risk it...Geo

If it were mine, I'd ease open the choke to mod and shoot 1500 FPS #4's. IMHO a 37 is a great gun, but not collector material, so you're not going to hurt the value significantly. These days there really isn't a need for full choke, since lead is banned for waterfowl. My duck gun (which got a workout yesterday) is a M31 Remmy matt rib with a Briley Thin-Wall choke system, shooting their Steel shot tube and the load mentioned above

Since your going next week end you really dont have time to do much to it. If you're not a waterfowler, I'd suggest you by a box of non steel, non toxic and go enjoy your self. If you really enjoy it and decide you want to do a lot more of it, you know how to turn guns into other guns.

Cary

Thanks guys. I think I'm going to try the bismuth. The 37 IS a great gun, and although you can buy them all day for under $300, I don't want to ruin it. Wish me luck, this is my first duck hunt.

Good luck, dubble! At the very least enjoy the swamp and the sunrise; unlike ducks, they're hard to miss!

That's because he is a smart A S S of the first order!

Don't shoot steel in your old 37. Get Bismuth or Tungsten.

Good advice above. As surely as one size doesn't fit all, I use my guns without much thought of getting them muddy or wet. They're carried in a case to the blind or boat. With a little care they're good as the day I got them, some worn a bit from carrying. I buy non-toxic because I can afford it, and I think it better for the guns and game. I pare other pleasures to pay for non-toxic.

My doubles are used as their makers and previous owners intended---to enjoy. And life is short. When I got home yesterday from a hell-to-get-to beaver pond Shangri-la, my upper thighs cramped up badly. I knew I couldn't go again today but will tomorrow. Duck hunting should be served with the best we have---good guns, good dogs and good friends.

I know guys on here say to use steel shot in an old gun if the chokes are open, etc., etc., etc.,. But I wouldn't take the chance. If the gun is new and is says it is OK to use steel shot, then I would use it. But only then. It is too easy to mess up a old gun. Good luck.

Moody is correct, but left out one key point. Do NOT use tungsten-iron (too hard for your barrel), but it's OK to use Kent Tungsten Matrix, or the old Federal Tungsten Polymer (if you can find it). There is also the new Nice Shot that is friendly to older guns, but not widely available except from a few big operations. Avoid Hevi Shot and Remington HD.

I've asked this question elsewhere, and never gotten a positive answer. "Has anyone actually ever winessed a barrel being harmed when shooting #2 or smaller shot thru a modified or more open choke, regardless of gun age/barrel construction?"

Not quite on point, but I once destroyed a Colonial aftermarket Improved Modified tube in an old 12 ga 3" Citori, shooting steel T-shot at snow geese. It seems that the shot hammered the tube into the barrel threads, and it took a capable gunsmith to get the tube out. The tube was a total loss, but the barrel and its threads were fine. No bulging of the barrel. Gun is probably early 70's manufacture, still use it on ducks.

This may be a dumb question but if you have choke tubes installed on an older barrel and use tubes made for steel shot,
does this cause a problem for the barrel? I thought that with modern shotshell design, i.e., cups/wads these will help protect the barrel.

Inquiring minds want to know....

Thanks.

Duke

Not a dumb question at all, Randy. I think you'll be fine as you & should have no concern for the bbl being damaged. If you do harbor concern, then I suggest you use one of the extended chokes that has all the constriction external of the bbl.

In the FWIW dept. I have an older Remington 870 Wingmaster w/30" factory 'Full' choke ribbed bbl. that has digested well over two flats of factory Remington & federal STEEL loads. All have been 1& 1/8oz. 2&3/4" rounds and the shot size has been almost all #4 steel, though I had some few boxes of 2& 3/4" 3's that went through it several seasons back. It shows zero damage and no bulges in the choke area.
I have seen both Browning supers and German doubles damaged with the tell-tale choke bulges & even loose ribs for sale at shows, but have no factual data what loads or shot sizes were involved to create the damage. I would suspect large shot sizes, early steel loads with inferior wads or handloads using the wrong components like steel BB's [as in like for kids BB guns!]Who knows? But it can happen, the bulging or rib loosening , or both.
I do not fear shooting the factory 2&/3/4" STEEL 1 & 1/8 loads in an 870, but don't know if the steel is the same as that used in the 37's. Might call Remington and see what they have to say. That old Wingmaster of mine has .041 constriction as I recall, but its been a few years since I measured it.

Perhaps something of use to the questions fronted.

tw,

I have a 1970 Remington Wingmaster with 28" full choke ribbed barrel. I was thinking about having Mike Orlen install a choke tube for me. Thanks for the reply.

Duke

Now this the stuff I was looking for! Thanks to all.

The simple fact of the matter is these guns were only designed for lead shot, period.
The steel used in shot today is as hard or harder than steel used in older barrels. Steel does not swage down as readily as lead in a choke possibly resulting in stresses for which the gun was not designed.
I have a 1939 M37 16 gauge Full choke. I use Kent TM or Bismuth while jump shooting ducks with this gun.-Dick

Why not just buy used barrel for it. Unlike some other companies Remington put out very well thought out guns. I was able to pick up 2 spare barrels for my 1949 vintage Model 31 and being of same vintage they both fit the receiver perfectly.

A 1970 vintage Rem 870 will probably not have the light contour barrel and should be just fine with 2-3/4" steel loads as long as the choke is not too tight. Opening the choke or having the barrel tubed is a perfect solution, although 870 barrels are so ubiquitous that a new/used barrel may be cheaper than having the original barrel tubed.

FWIW, Remington used to have some fine print in their catalog that indicated that standard (non-magnum) 1100 receivers would work with 3" steel shells as long as one fitted a 3" chambered barrel to the old frame. I bought such a barrel "just because" but have never used it. Maybe later.

Replacement,

Thanks for the info. The only problem with the older Wingmaster is getting 2 3/4" barrels. I may look around for a modified barrel.

Duke

Wingmaster barrels should not be hard to find. The stamping machines produce hundreds each hour. Along with their spot-welded
"ventilated ribs" (an affront to the earlier Remington guns.)
Chopper