OK. I am addicted to Ithacas! That said I have seven Model 37s
1. 12 gauge 1963 (one of the first Canadian) 28" mod vent rib barrel
2. 12 Gauge 1975 Deer Slayer Barrel (rifled 26")
3. 16 Gauge 1946 28" Barrel (Smooth)
4. 16 Gauge 1952 28" Barrel (Smooth) Sister to the one above
5. 20 Gauge 1952 28" Barrel (Smooth)
6. 28 Gauge 2010 28" Vent Rib Barrel AAA wood
Now number seven is a another 12 Gauge 1965 Smooth Barrel plain butt stock. Wood is a little beat-up. I got it cheap so what do I do with it? I can change it, restore it, leave it as is, what to I do? I do have some ideas, but I would like to get some imput from you other Ithaca owners. When I have the finished product I will post pictures, but lets have some fun planning. Donald from BC Canada.
What to do with this extra 37?
Moderator: ripjack13
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the same question has come up for me a few times
try as I might I never get past refurbishing to factory correct condition |
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Gee that is not much fun! Did that lots of times. Come on the thing was as plain as it could get and a mess. Have fun with it! Donald
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who says its no fun
as we speak i'm gathering the equipment to start spraying lacquer |
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Well you could restore it to higher than factory finish. do a high end polish on all the metal. I mean start with rust blue remover and then the finest paper you can start with. Shoe shine polish the barrel and other round parts, use a hard sanding block on the flats.
End up with 1000 or 1500 grit paper and polishing compound. Buy some good wood from Macon Gunstocks, something with figure and do a hand rubbed oil finish. If you like recoil pads, a period correct red sunrise pad would look really nice on a dark, hand rubbed stock. Other than the sweat equity, the wood would be the costliest part. A standard grade buttstock is 80.00. There is a lot you can do with that gun to make it a bragging piece. |
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Or you could do what the shotgun was origanally ment to do. Grab a pocket full of shells and go out and shoot some pheasants with it..............from an old farm boy who had done this many times.
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Now we are talking. No- I don't want to make it like new-cause it was plain. I did buy a new stock and forearm for it (Ebay and expensive) As far as shooting a box full of shells-no I have lots of other guns to do that. Besides, we don't have any Pheasants-Coyotes got them all. I shoot Coyotes with a rifle. Any other Ideas? I want it to really stand out!. Donald
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What other is there to do to make it stand out, other than finish it nicely in one way or another.
You could chop the barrel off, paint it camouflaged pink, ie: turn it into your typical garage hack gun (that is what 870's are for, simply because they are not a classic like old Ithacas are, Remington DOES have old classics, not dissing Remington....) you could do a real rust blue on it, that would be handsome and entirely appropriate to a hunting gun. you could send it to Simmons and have a rib put on it. I have a 1952 16ga with a Simmons rib. It is a nice gun. there is lots you could do without ruining it |
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HMMM! Pink... now that would make it stand out! Nope I don't think I'll do that. Tell you what I' would like to do. I have bought a Butt Stock and Forearm that are absoultly beautful. The Stock has a Sid Bell pistol cap on it with a new style recoil pad. I am putting a 30" barrel (smooth) cut down to 25" and I am sending it to an engraver and having "The Golden One" put on the reciever, and then having all the exposed medal including the barrel plated "gold" colour. That should make it stand out and it would be unique. Maybe some of you will think I will ruin a good gun, but I do want something different and special. I also have the golden winchesters and that gave me the Idea. I will post pictures of it when it is done. Thanks Donald.
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I would make a fine utility gun out of it. Add a DS barrel, strip the stock, refinish with oil, have the metal bead blasted and dull blued and...You're the kid with the best truck gun on the block!
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Ya Right! In Canada if you can see the gun in the truck, you will get fined!
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I can picture what you are trying to do, and I am sure it would look great, but are you sure you want to plate the barrel and the magazine tube? Alot of parts clamp and join to the barrel and magazine and gold, being soft could wear off or mar very fast. Plus I am not sure how well the solder joint between the lug and barrel would take to plating.
--Jim
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Gee thanks for the info. The gun wouldn't be shot much if at all. I still want it to be operatable. I guess I'll find out if the lug will stay attached. I do have extra barrels and I am using one that is already cut down. I have a plater guy very close to where I live and does guns quite a bit. He does very good work. I don't know if it has ever been done before ( the whole gun) but I am willing to try it. It really isn't that expensive. Just having a little fun with a Plain Jane. Donald.
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Nah, you don't put it on a window rack where people can see it, you put it in a scabbard behind the seat for those moments when something needs to be shot! Around here, if you're driving a pick-up and DON'T have a gun in it, you get fined! (Just kidding of course, but it is the norm.) |
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why not a matte nickle plate ? or even a gloss nickle, or a combination of all three ? if you are making a pimp gun, you may as well go all the way !
In all seriousness I do have a nickle plated S&W 9mm and the nickle is holding up against the slide reciprocating, something to think about. It would be durable, functional and out of the ordinary as far as 37's go. A "pimp" gun is kinda like this: |
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That looks COOL! I thought of nickel, and then I thought Gold looks richer, again like some of my Commenerative Winchesters. Donald
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Up here in Canada on our big farm not far from the big city, I had a Duck hunter with sixty decoys, a robo duck, a black Lab hunting dog, a duck blind in the middle of an open field, broad daylight during duck season and we had six swat-team members, guns drawn march out into the field and take him down on his knees, handcuff him and then they checked him out, dam near shot his dog. They left without an appology, but scared the hell out of the hunter. I complained but all I get was " We take shooting of guns very serious!" Some education on the police side would be helpful. Donald. |
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At one time the model 37 was offered in both a mat nickle finish and a high polish nickle straight from the factory. They where usually defense style guns. I myself have a DSPS with the 7 shot mag tube in a satin nickle. It is a good looking gun.
http://s1265.photobucket.com/user/1977c ... ort=3&o=84 |
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yep, you learn something new everyday ! such as that they did them in nickle.
yeah right. the left wing communists are trying to turn our side of the line into" the land of the freeze (it's the police), and the home of the slave............................. |
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Make a nickle plated trench gun.....whoomp..there it is.
Former Admin
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I think I'll still make it Gold. Maybe the next one can be Silver...hhmmm.... and the next one after that can be Bronze! Darn I guess I am addicted to Ithacas! Donald
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I think a gold plated receiver would look nice. A good engraving job would really make it.
--Jim
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I like this idea! Insert comical quip here.
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Well I finally got my 37 finished. First I got the "Golden One " engraved on the receiver, then I got the receiver, mag-tube, trigger and trigger guard, gold plated (24 carat gold). Then I got the 25" barrel deep blued (almost black). I put on a near new fancy butt stock and forearm and put her all together. It is not a hunting gun, but it sure is pretty. Goes to prove you can take a plain old girl and dress her up and get a "Bell of the Ball!" Here are some pics.
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