doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Ithaca Guns, Model 37, Les Hovencamp RIP

I just saw on another site where Les died on February 26. His family will notify all those who had guns with him. His shop was Diamond Gunsmithing. Les was the head gunsmith at Ithaca, NY, until the company shut down its Ithaca location. I had used his services matching old barrels to old guns that weren't factory interchangeable and for adjusting old guns to reliably cycle steel headed ammo. He was one of the last links to the old Ithaca Gun Company of Ithaca, NY. He will be missed. Gil

Thanks Gil.
JR

A New England friend is on his way to the finger lakes region in a few weeks and is going by Ithaca on purpose to send me a photo of old Water Power Lot #6 there on the banks of Fall Creek. Les was one of the last living ties to that history. I appreciate your sharing this sad news. My condolences to his family.

Very sad to learn. Another door to the past closes forever. RIP, comfort to his family and friends.

I was surprised to learn that he was relatively young. According to a local news article he was interviewed about lead contamination at the old factory premises. He was 18 when he first went to work for Ithaca in 1974 according to the article. Gil

I was just about to send him a 37r barrel for fitting. Sorry to hear about him passing and best wishes to his family

Any other suggestions on the barrel fit?

Unless they have an awful reputation (I don't know anything about their service) I would try the people still making them:

www.ithacagun.com

New production is slightly different from the original. If you send them a extra barrel they alter the receiver so it will only take the later barrels. What many are trying to do is have a set of period barrels fit to their gun without altering it so the original barrels still fit. Les could do it in his sleep without changing the original barrel fit.

I am about to take a 28 gauge back to them for service. It just wont cycle well without ejecting the loaded shell and then the empty. You get the dreaded Benelli click. The 28 is a delight to shoot and I expect this will be a easy repair.

Jon,
I bought my M37 28 ga. directly from Ithaca in 2009-10. It had a similar issue as yours. I sent it back and at the time I sent it back, one man specialized in servicing the 28 ga. He was out on medical leave with knee surgery for several weeks. When he got back, the issue was remedied. "Timing" was the issue, whatever that means and how it was adjusted. It has performed flawlessly since which means I have just planted the kiss of death on it at 830 pm EST, March 2, 2023. Now why did I just do that... Gil

They are less than a hundred mile from me. I bought mine directly from them as well. I like the gun but have not shot it very much in several years. I just went with my 42's instead. But my son shot it a few weeks ago at Sporting Clays and it did it's trick several times. So I decided that it was time to get it straightened out once and for all. I know what the problem is but am not going to work on it myself when they are less than a long drive away. Besides I might buy my son a DeerSlayer 37 while I am there.