How We Make Our Guns

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:54 pm
http://ithacagun.com/ourprocess.html
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We have one aim: To make the best pump action shotguns on the planet. The picture at the left--which was displayed in several Ithaca catalogs through the 70s--drives home the point that the receiver of the Ithaca gun is made from a solid block of steel. Well, we decided that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies real well in this case, so our receivers are still machined from a block of solid steel, and more precisely than ever. We use CNC machining centers to produce gun components that achieve a higher level of uniformity and parts interchangeability than in any Ithaca firearm before it. And, because Americans are great at making things, every part of our gun is manufactured and assembled in the USA.

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Ithaca Solderless Barrel System
Because soldering warps the barrel and solder joints can fail, we have entirely eliminated soldering and brazing from the manufacture of Ithaca firearms. All peripheral components of the barrel are now held fast by lugs which are machined directly out of the parent material of the barrel. Our Solderless Barrel System is simply the truest, strongest barrel you will ever shoot, because its integrity has not been compromised by red-hot temperatures.

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Our process starts in the hands of skilled engineers who model the gun in state-of-the-art 3D CAD software. Creating our blueprints for the machining floor in this way ensures that interference between parts is minimized and that the action of your M37 is smooth right out of the box.

Ithaca in New York relied on well over thirty processes located at different work centers for the production of the Model 37 receiver. Good guns were made in this fashion, but many of them required additional hand fitting in order to go together correctly and varied significantly from piece to piece.

At Ithaca Gun Company of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, our programmers and machinists have consolidated these many steps into cuts that are executed by machine tools with surgical accuracy. Ithaca Model 37 receiver and tool holder Our new guns cycle as though they have been "worn in" already, and replacement parts will fit your gun with unprecedented ease. The top radii of the receiver are matte blued to reduce glare, and we have even improved the looks of the classic game scene engraving, which is no longer roll stamped on the receiver. Speaking of engraving, we offer many options for beautifying and personalizing your gun, and you can check them out at the Ithaca Custom Shop page.

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Last but not least is the matter of our butt stocks and forends. They are made from fancy black walnut that has been air dried for optimal strength and stability. The color is rich red-brown with pleasing grain and figure; the checkering is laser cut for a consistent look and feel.

The comb and pitch of the semi-pistol stock for the Featherlight and Ultralight have been carefully considered to facilitate targeting and reduce upward recoil. The comb height of the monte carlo stock on the Deerslayers II and III has been optimized for scope use, but is still not too high for getting down on the open sights of the Deerslayer II. We have chosen stock dimensions that are comfortable for the greatest range of shooters. However, if you would like a stock that is tailor-made to your proportions, please get in contact with the Ithaca Custom Shop.

Ithaca has a wide variety of wood grades for stock material. Below is a comparison of the three most common grades we use, but we can provide an almost endless number of qualities and types of wood for your custom order.
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Call us at 877-648-4222 to discuss the wood you would like on yours!

Model 37 Defense Gun stocks come in walnut wood or synthetic black as shown below.
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Copper BB
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 5:23 pm
Very interesting stuff...I'll have to read it again to soak up all of the info! ;)
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 3:26 pm
i'm pretty sure mine is a fancy A. i'm going to clean it up and take some pics so as i can post em later on....
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 9:14 pm
I've only ever owned one Ithaca firearm, an M-37 Featherlight I got at what I would call a bargain price. It's all but 60 years old and looks and shoots like it just left the factory, that's something I can't say for some guns I've paid much more for and were brand new at the time I bought them. I gave my 1967 vintage Remington 870 to my grandson, (I still have use for a shotgun and the Ithaca 37 is the one I'll use the rest of my life, only then can he have that one also). That Ithaca fits fine and will no doubt outlast me, something I can't say about the Remington. I think the Ithaca 37 is the best made, best fitting repeating shotgun ever made at any price...And I've owned Winchester M-12's, M-1897's, Browning A-5's, Remington 870's, 1100's, and an odd Marlin pump gun here and there. The Ithaca 37 Featherlight beats them all.

So long as they keep building them like they have for the past 75 years there will be no shortage of customers who appreciate a fine field gun.
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:54 pm
Right on brother. Thanx for the kind words. Though, I love my Ithaca 37 as much as my Mossberg 835....
:)
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