I have a new 37 Defense 8 shot model. It's my first Ithaca ever so I'm not real familiar with them. My question is about the forearm/slide/action. The forearm and slide move slightly in an up and down motion on the mag tube making a little rattling/tapping noise which is caused be the slide bumping into the mag tube and a metal piece inside the receiver. It dose this when the action is locked and when it's unlocked. Is this normal or should there be no movement with the forearm and slide when the action is locked and a round is chambered? It works like it should so is this just a normal rattle/movement with the gun? The noise and movement is very simular to the Benelli nova's forearm movement and rattle, if anyone has seen that.

In answer to my own question, yes the rattle is normal. I saw an old 37 at a local gun shop and it dose the same thing. I also explained the issue to Zack at Ithaca and he said it was normal. All in all I very happy with my new 37 Defense.

Both of my M37s (1953 and 2000) do this. Completly normal.