A guy with 870 blinders on inherits a 1941, 16ga. Ithaca 37 yesterday **UPDATE**
- Thread starter .22LRGUY
- Start date
Thanks for all the input guys, greatly appreciated. And I mean that. Really feeling a connection to this gun, and have spent the last couple of evenings with it in my gun cleaning vise...just to look at the thing! Brutus~I may be sending you a PM re: cleaning regiment, though your explanation here is very helpful. I don't think I'll be spending allot of time shooting clays with it (high volume) but some of that will be in order to gauge my ability to make wing shots with anything but a Remington!
^Agreed, I like the look of the corn cob pump too...and will admit I was hoping it would be that style. However, I have a 50's-era corn cob stock set for one of my 870s and the checkering on my Ithaca 37 offers a way more positive grip. I would have been happy with either, but for a gun I plan to hunt with...I'm not disappointed it is the way it is.
Recoil~considering how light the gun is...and how similar 16ga is to 12ga...I am anticipating fairly sharp recoil. Even 20ga. with a light gun makes it's presence felt!
I hear you
To the Op congrats they are a fine shotgun and nice to carry upland. The 16ga is quite light and will give you a good wack but not uncomfortable
I have had them for years and now after buying one in 28ga have a complete set
The old corn cob style is my favorite
They are sweet good working guns, built to last a lifetime if maintained properly and well worth keeping
Cheers
^Agreed, I like the look of the corn cob pump too...and will admit I was hoping it would be that style. However, I have a 50's-era corn cob stock set for one of my 870s and the checkering on my Ithaca 37 offers a way more positive grip. I would have been happy with either, but for a gun I plan to hunt with...I'm not disappointed it is the way it is.
Recoil~considering how light the gun is...and how similar 16ga is to 12ga...I am anticipating fairly sharp recoil. Even 20ga. with a light gun makes it's presence felt!
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
I dunno, I've owned several M37's over the years, and just traded a BPS for a Wingmaster because i can't stand the bottom loading feature of either the BPS, M10, or the M37.
Personally I would never choose them over an older Wingmaster, but I know some guys who like the Ithacas.
Cat
Personally I would never choose them over an older Wingmaster, but I know some guys who like the Ithacas.
Cat
You have inherited a fantastic gun. Taking it hunting is a nod to its legacy and its the right thing to do. Keep it original and maintain it and I think it will give you and your kids many years of reliable service.
I own a 1934 Reminton M31 in 12 gauge. I love that thing. Amazingly well build and the smoothest action. If you hold the gun vertically and hit the action release it falls fully open. If I have kids it is being passed down for sure.
That being said, I am on the lookout for a M37. I love the history and the legacy they hold.
I own a 1934 Reminton M31 in 12 gauge. I love that thing. Amazingly well build and the smoothest action. If you hold the gun vertically and hit the action release it falls fully open. If I have kids it is being passed down for sure.
That being said, I am on the lookout for a M37. I love the history and the legacy they hold.
Last edited:
I just bought a feather light 20ga with the womans stock for the wife. Great deal from ost on here. First Ithaca I've ever played with and have to say that I'm impressed. Fit and finish is great, very smooth action. Takes a bit of getting use to as loading and unloading are a bit different than the 870's that I'm use to. It has a longer forcing cone than most which really works for reducing recoil. Definitely the prettiest shot gun in my collection.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I wish Larry Potterfield would have done this instead fellas.
First off there are some points missing here:
-Number one ensure you have a safe/empty gun
-Rack the slide fully back
-Then turn the magazine cap DOWNWARDs in a tightening motion, this will free itself up from the barrel lug overtop
-Turn the barrel 90 degrees (to the left from the shooter/holder's perspective) so the interrupted threads are free of the receiver, and pull the barrel forward off the gun, set it aside.
-You can see the freeing detent on one side of the barrel lug which is silver soldered to the bottom of the barrel.
-If you decide now to clean the tubular magazine, keep in mind the magazine spring is compressed. Did I really need to tell you that? Probably not.
-Moving to the butt stock one has to remove the butt plate (or yes the recoil pad if there is one covering it up)
-Now you have access to the long through bolt securing the wooden butt stock to the receiver
-Depending on the year of manufacture, you might need a socket (7/16s?) or just the proper size flat tip screw driver tip to loosen the action through bolt, either way a long 1/4 or 3/8s extention
is needed for the socket or a long flat tipped screwdriver.
Yeah the last three steps kind of turn most people off. The factory screws just sit in the wooden butt stock, so frequent disassembly ends up lossening their locking bite onto the bare wood!
That's why I only remove the butt stock maybe once or twice (how about once) a year for a detailed cleaning of this area.
For the most part, this is not necessary anyways, with routine care. Unless the shotgun goes for a short swim!
Now the disassembly video really starts on the next step.
Be warned that at 2:58, 4:50 and 6:30 he fiddles with the shell stop.
Remember to put a bit of blue locktite on the action through bolt upon reassembly.
For the most part, everything else is bang on. Much like myself, sometimes the proper technical term escapes his mind/tongue.
Cheers!
Last edited:
Nice old Ithaca and they are very well made. The "slam fire" thing is just abuse in my opinion. I had a 37 in 16 gauge and while possessed by devils, sold it. I would like to get another one.
The same demons compromised my own judgement the day I sold my CZ 17HMR. Lesson learned.
No slam-firing will be allowed with this gun while I own it, however (as stated) I do want to know this gun inside/out..and it strikes me as being crucial to know whether or not it will do that. It will be tested once, then treated as it should be.
Thanks for the video Brutus~I'll watch it at home where I have better internet.
37 vs Wingmaster? Well, there is no "versus" in my mind. I think this gun compliments the small collection I have...doesn't compete with it. I have only 1 Wingmaster, 1 Express (20ga youth) and and 870P. The 870P, admittedly, has been getting most of the attention this winter, very fun gun. The 37 is a lovely thing, and I've really enjoyed reading all your input guys. Thanks!
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
Federal's 1 oz. game load is a soft shooter in the 16 model 37. Any of the 1 oz. loads at around 1190 fps are decent to shoot. The 1 1/8 oz. heavy field loads make the model 37 whack you pretty good.
Darryl
Darryl
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
Couldn't agree more!
Stubblejumper gave me some 16 gauge heavy field loads that he had from his father's estate and I would not want to fire them in an M37 or m,y lightweight O/U upland gun - 3 1/2 DRAM AND 1 1/4oz OF SHOT!!
As far as the versus thing goes, I love Wingmasters and own 5 of them but do not shoot them much myself but have them as loaners.
As I stated earlier, I know lots of guys who love the zm37 and there is nothing wrong with that.
Cat
I have a very similar gun, in 12 gauge, made in 1943 if the chart is correct. Mine was given to me by an uncle, who acquired it from his step-father. It had a hard life before it came into my hands, so has no collector value. Both the frame and barrel are serial numbered, but are mismatched, the frame being from 1943, the barrel probably from 1945, though the number isn't listed in the chart. It will slam-fire, but I don't recommend it; I think it would be hard on the gun.
http://www.ithacagun.com/pdfs/serialnumbers.pdf
http://www.ithacagun.com/pdfs/serialnumbers.pdf
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
I find it a Too cumbersome and complicated to flip it upside down and single load when shooting singles in trap and skeet and also to tear them down .I've had both M37s and 870s. Not sure the issue with bottom eject.
there are things I do like about them but not enough to one one
Cat
The same demons compromised my own judgement the day I sold my CZ 17HMR. Lesson learned.
No slam-firing will be allowed with this gun while I own it, however (as stated) I do want to know this gun inside/out..and it strikes me as being crucial to know whether or not it will do that. It will be tested once, then treated as it should be.
Thanks for the video Brutus~I'll watch it at home where I have better internet.
37 vs Wingmaster? Well, there is no "versus" in my mind. I think this gun compliments the small collection I have...doesn't compete with it. I have only 1 Wingmaster, 1 Express (20ga youth) and and 870P. The 870P, admittedly, has been getting most of the attention this winter, very fun gun. The 37 is a lovely thing, and I've really enjoyed reading all your input guys. Thanks!
Your gun will slamfire, and there isn't anything dangerous about doing it assuming you are following the standard safety rules.. You can get good enough with it to hit small targets, but mostly it is a for fun thing that comes from the old times when people were less willing to blame gun companies for their own stupidity. Remember the ithaca 37 started life as a Remington model 17 which was a browning patent with some Pedersen upgrades to the patent. Ithaca had to wait for the patents to expire, which finally happened in 37. (had it not been for pedersen's mods the ithaca 37 would have been the 33). So technically you are still running a Browning designed remington...
The barrel was removed later and mentioned that for safety reasons* it can be done at the beginning ( *aka if you don't have the common sense to clear your firearm with out the "internets" telling you to...)
Also it was a request video, for a person who asked how the receiver comes apart (because Potterfield didn't make a video on it
)I've never had an issue with it getting loose (on both my Ithacas), And I have never seen one get loose if properly torqued, although my experience is only limited to 7 of the 12 gauge models.
BTW thanks for the input, and the view.
Last edited:
Who said you wasted my time? One you were talking to someone else, and two I'm serious about thanking you for your input. I like to know what can be done to make the videos better (which is why the comment section is completely open for anyone to post on).
Just clarifying that as a viewer request I jumped the total disassembly, and went for the part the person was having a problem with. Also as you were helping someone new to the Ithaca, I don't mind the Potterfield remark. If it was the blue locktite question that bothered you then once again, I'm just saying that in the few ithacas I have seen, I've never seen the need for locktite. Don't know about the later model ones (like the 87's) as I have no experience with them (All the ones I've seen are the original slam firing ones like his.)
