Pictures of your Ithaca Model 37

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 06, 2016 10:25 am
Nice work. Very nice work.

For bluing if you can get Brownell's 44/40 cold blue use that. It is the best stuff I have ever used.
It takes practice but you can do it. I'm quite good it at but only after practicing on 20-30 old hand tools like screwdrivers, etc. I have an entire tool box of tools with industrial finishes!

Never ever reuse your cotton swab. Use a fresh one each time you dip. The metal must be surgical clean and dry. Use several coats until you get the right shade. Wipe it down and oil it immediately
--Jim
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 6:09 am
Hi Jim, unfortunately, it seems that 44/40 is not available over here, I have G96 instant blue at the moment and the range of Birchwood Casey cleaners/degreasers etc. For some reason I didn't get the BC blue in the pack that I bought, so maybe I get it and will try that one next.
Your tips and advice are very welcome and I will experiment on tools! seems like a good way forward
Thanks
Roland
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:14 pm
Too bad you can't get it. But keep practicing and you'll get good at matching the color.
--Jim

.22LR
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2016 3:21 pm
My Upper Sandusky M37 Trap with Graco comb and adjustable butt plate.
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IMG_2579.jpeg
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.270 WIN
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 2:29 am
Great looking gun. Looks like you can adjust it to anybody, or any condition. It's a keeper! Don
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:29 pm
That is a superb looking gun, hope it shoots as good as it looks! It shows clearly form following function equals a great piece of kit! In the UK we are not used to seeing pump trap guns and the proportions looked at first a little odd to me, with the long barrel, high rib, large fully opened stock and relatively petite fore-end but the more I study it the more I want one! Lovely wood too!
I bet you are happy :)

.22LR
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2016 7:42 pm
Thank you both. Impala, yes it does shoot quite well. I'm 6'3" so I needed the adj. comb and butt stock just to get the gun fit. Still need another 1/8" cast off and maybe 1/4" to 1/2" drop at the heel. I have owned all makes of pump guns and this is my first Ithaca. It has the shortest and smoothest action of any shucker I've run. I enjoy this gun so much I have shot it exclusively since receiving it some 5 years ago. It has really made Trap shooting fun again. The best part is showing up at a range and getting strange looks from the "K", "P" and "B" crowd which quickly change after a 25 or two. Then the quizzing starts :D
PostPosted: Fri Sep 30, 2016 11:17 am
It IS a fine looking shotgun...
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 9:40 am
A happy day for me today! My dear wife asked me what I wanted this past Christmas and I casually said "I could do with another '37!" To cut a long story short she bid for and won a real beauty which I picked up today! To top it all, its a '59! Ser. no 730xxx. It is a full choke 28" 2 3/4" field model with a slightly smaller trigger guard than my '65 and '71 and is fitted with what appears to be genuine Ithaca synthetic furniture. It swings great and I can't wait to get out and shoot it. It has just about 99% of its finish and lovely sharp engraving, possibly been a cabinet queen for most of its life, although the yoke is fitted hard up to the mag nut which suggests to me it has been used in earnest. Happy days!!
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 5:49 pm
Another '37 came my way recently. In a bit of a bad way but working fine. The safety catch was missing so I made one from brass as a temporary fix whilst awaiting parts from the States. The worst thing is the finish, a nasty, sticky, black, hand-paint job complete with over paint and brush marks! I mean really? Why would you? Its a 26" imp cyl choke Vent Rib 1977 model (it has the two additional lugs on the carrier which prevent loading direct to the chamber.) It appears to have had the stock cut short then badly re-lengthened, fortunately I have a spare stock that will grace this gun when refinished. For all its faults and shabby appearance, it shoots great though.
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with brass S/C fitted
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This is probably the worst looking 37 on the forum, I'm looking forward to restoring it to its best
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showing missing S/C and dreadful paint
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Last edited by impala59 on Sun Oct 29, 2017 11:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
PostPosted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 8:48 pm
A worthwhile project...
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 11:54 am
As it was so bad I have tried a couple of finishes on this gun to get a better looker. On the receiver I used Rustoleum stove matt finish, sprayed onto hot metal then heat cured. For the barrel I used Plastikote stove semi matt then heat cured with a heat gun, passing hot air through the barrel for one hour. I fitted a home made fibre light tube and I'm fairly happy with the result, definitely an improvement over before! It remains to be seen how durable these finishes are.
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 11:57 am
Continued.....
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Next job is to strip and oil finish the wood, also replace some of the chewed screws next time someone goes stateside
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PostPosted: Wed May 01, 2019 8:09 am
A couple of new acquisitions to the collection.

Top, a 1959 picked up cheap, 12g, 28", full, opened to 1/2 choke. Some clown has scooped out finger grooves in the forend !? so a replacement will be sought. It also has a late '60s deluxe stock so I may do some mix and match with others in the collection to try and get the date relevant parts right. Had no safety catch or bead so I fabricated the former and have found a source of cheap metal beads in the R/C model car market (3mm threaded post ball joints available with 3, 4 or 5 mm ball) I am trying a high mounted 5mm on this gun to try and correct a tendency to shoot over the top of birds. The receiver on this gun is in remarkably good condition, including all screw heads, inside and out. Considering the wrong, spoiled and missing parts, go figure?

Bottom is an early 1963 (pre interchangeable barrels and still with matched barrel/action numbers) 12g, 28", full, opened to 3/4 choke with a year correct plain stock and ringed forend. This gun has a nice aged patina and I may just leave this one as is, it just feels right. this gun also had no front sight, but it had the remains of the ray-bar mount, I straightened it and fitted one of my home made light tubes.


After my usual regime of component level take-down, both guns are now as slick as can be and both shoot great, happy days :)

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Top '59 bottom '63
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'59 with high mounted 5mm R/C balljoint
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'63 with home-made Ray-bar sight
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 3:44 pm
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Three more additions to the collection, now returned from Birmingham proof house after a bit of British delay and burocracy.

Top is a 1971 25" barrel 12g with an interesting choke modification. It is an exterior, metric threaded system by Breda which fortunately for me is the same as my Italian Valtro so I have a good selection of chokes. The forend is a short, plain type I have not encountered before. The only work to do other than a full takedown clean and overhaul is to replace the butt plate. I am visiting the USA later in the year and hope to get some sunburst butt pads amongst other stuff.

Middle is a 1947 26" barrel 16g (my first sweet 16!) in really nice overall condition other than needing a butt pad as it is perished. This has a Cutts compensator poly choke so another good flexible gun.

Bottom is a 1982 24" barrel 20g Ultralight English with its distinctive straight hand stock. I have never seen one of these in the flesh before so am quite pleased to have acquired it. It is also my first 20g M37 and is wonderfully light in the hand. I will restore this one as the wood is a bit tatty, for some reason it has a brass butt plate which is not too attractive.

Happy to have broadened my collection and looking forward to some different M37 experiences

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PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 6:22 pm
For starts, well done. The top gun looks to have a well done home made fore end. The bottom straight stock gun should have to butt plat at all. It should have just grooves cut into the stock. I will do my best to post a picture in the next few days.
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:46 pm
Thank you I would appreciate any assistance with these further projects. I have some nice pieces of walnut and half a plan to make a butt plate to replace the nasty brass. I would be most interested in seeing what a straight stock should look like. The sixteen had caused a bit of a stir over here as it appears to be a resurgent cartridge size. Perhaps the knockdown of a 12 with the handling of a 20 has some merit. Look forward to your pictures
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 03, 2019 8:36 am
your getting good at finding those exported ithacas over there.

if I recall there was a horizontal ribbing pattern on the butt of ultralight.
the ultralight was mainly designed as a hunting gun ,to be carried a lot and shot a bit less.
i'm a big fan of 16s ,however finding ammo in the states can be a chore and basically reloading is the only option if you want to use one regularly.

a "true" 16gnd a 1oz load has a beautiful balance.
the adage carries like a 20g but hits like a 12g holds water

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 9:57 pm
https://flic.kr/p/2gsQuXp
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 07, 2019 10:19 am
Thank you for that, I assume that the centre piece is a rubber or similar bung to cover the stock bolt access hole. I looks as if on mine someone has either cut or filed the stock flat, in order to at some point put on a butt pad/plate thereby destroying its originality unfortunately. I will maybe try to source a stock but hold out little hope. Maybe a simple walnut pad will suffice for now if I try to replicate the design from your picture.

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 07, 2019 11:53 am
It is a wooden bung removed by screwing in a wood screw part way and pulling out. I wonder if perhaps you can use a file or saw to re grove the stock to restore it.
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 1:29 pm
Certainly an option, I could make a wooden bung quite easily, the downside would be the two screw holes which would have to be filled (about 1/2" deep) another option would be a thin walnut veneer glued to the stock and bung. Possibly etching the lines with checkering tool for parallel finish
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 29, 2019 4:32 pm
The 20g English now has my attempt at honouring the original style with a replacement butt end piece. Using a piece of American walnut that was left from an earlier project, it was my intention to have no screws showing.
I fitted an oak rod to the end-piece and spring loaded it with 0.5 mm wire so as to grip the bolt hole tunnel. This served to locate and centre the piece. To the screw holes in the brutalised stock I fitted rare earth magnets and similar, recessed in the new piece. this securely locked the butt plate in place and allowed a "no screw" look to the butt. Redressing some of the checkering followed and also a repair to the top of the stock where I had discovered a crack. After preparation, 5 coats of Danish oil were applied. I will continue to apply further coats over time to improve the colour match. I also tried a temporary white plastic layer as an experiment, not sure if I like or not
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I feel that I have achieved most of my aims and the gun definitely benefits from its 13 3/4" length of pull. The gun really feels right in the shoulder too.

.270 WIN
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 01, 2019 5:28 pm
Well done

.270 WIN
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:38 pm
It looks really great! You do excellent work.
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