Winchester Model 37 project in mind

Black_Shadow

Black_Shadow

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hi everyone,

I have a Winchester model 37 that I would like to have a vent rib put on for trap shooting.
can anyone tell me if this is at all possible, or am I just wasting money?
I do like the gun and the feel of it, I am just getting tired of using a pump gun for trap.

thank you

edited for correctness......
 
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A rail for trap? Optics?
Sounds like an easy job for someone with a rail that fits the barrel contour and some soldering/brazing skills.
 
For the smithing costs and rail cost you could sell that crappy single and buy a real trap gun with a high rib and high combed stock made for the purpose. As trap is shot with a full choke there are plenty good quality Trap Made singles $500 range. Check EE, gunstores for used etc. gun addicts has a few listed.
 
I did a search on EE and only found one sg with the vent rib $200.00 on sale with a special order for 12 ga. the stock and fore end are plastic.
I am not a fan of plastic on my guns.
I think that a model 37 with the vent rib would be a one of a kind.
 
It would be best to find someone that specializes in shotgun barrels and has put a few on before.
Contact Dennis Sorensen (Guntech) and get a smith's opinion..... he's not far from you.
 
Black_Shadow said:
hi everyone,

I have a Winchester model 37 that I would like to have a vent rib put on for trap shooting.
can anyone tell me if this is at all possible, or am I just wasting money?
I do like the gun and the feel of it, I am just getting tired of using a pump gun for trap.

thank you

edited for correctness......
Click to expand...

You are wasting money. That gun was made for dirt-poor farmers who needed to shoot the occassional skunk or raccoon, not for trap shooters. It has nothing going for it as a trap gun.
 
I agree. Unless you can get it done for next to nothing, do not waste your money. Sure it would be a one of a kind, but worthless to almost anyone else. The gun is not designed for trap shooting nor will it stand up to high volume shooting. It was a low priced utility gun .
 
Winchester M37's were very well built and of all steel construction. They were never marked with any serial numbers so production dates are unknown. Well over a million were produced in 12, 16, 20,28 gauges as well as 410 from the 1930's up into the 1960's I believe.

M37's are not "trap guns" but I'm sure millions of clays have been broken with these through the years. They still fetch good prices in the US but condition is everything. Most today resemble canoe paddles as they were often used hard by farmers, ranchers, trappers and such.

IMO converting a 37 into some type of trap gun would be expensive, thus one would be better off purchasing a older BT99 if bent on using a single for shooting trap.
 
just what exactly designates a gun as a "Trap Gun" ?
I have used my model 37 occasionally as well as my Cooey Model 84.
I have been using a Mossberg 500 for the last while.
I did look and find a BT99, but it is a fair bit out of my price range at this time.
 
A trap gun will be heavier, have a higher rib, have an adjustable comb and besides other personal quirks, it will be built a whole lot stronger. Of course you don't need all of this if you aren't looking for a dedicated trap gun. But you shoot 10 000 rounds through a model 37 and the same amount through a BT99 and see which one held up better. First thing we need to know is what amount of shooting you will be doing. A lot of people comment they want a gun for trap shooting without saying what volume of shooting they will be doing. If you are only talking pasture clays or a weekly outing to the local club where you shoot a couple of boxes, pretty much any gun will stand up for awhile. That is not dedicated trap shooting. If you are talking 10 000 to 30 000 rounds per year, guess how long the model 37 will last. But regardless of how many shells you are shooting, it is still not worth the money to pay someone to install a rib on a model 37. The gun is still to light and it won't stand up to long term use. But it's your money. By the way, I have seen BT99's on here for around the $700.00 price, gave or take. How much do you think it will cost to purchase a rib and have someone install it who knows what they are doing? Probably half the price of a used BT99. Unless like I said in my earlier post, you know someone who will do it for next to nothing. To borrow a line from the guy in the ING commercials, " save your money".
 
If you want a good gun sell all 3 of those old Junkers and put that towards a nice shiney purpose built gun.

If by your version of Trap. You mean shooting at clays in your buddies back yard that are hand thrown or of a cheap thrower, just keep using what you have. (that isnt trap that is foolig around). The vent rib will not add any effect to that M37 for what you are shooting.

Remember shotguns are an extension of your arm. It is point and shoot.
 
Don't waste your money and time trying to make a trap gun out of a Winchester 37. You'd be ahead of the game if you would buy a BT-99. The BT-99 is a nice trap gun.

Keep the WInchester 37 for a truck gun.
 
Black_Shadow said:
just what exactly designates a gun as a "Trap Gun" ?
Click to expand...

Each manufacturer has their own interpretation of what characteristics are important in a trap gun. As certain technologies prove themselves over time, they become almost "standard" features in a trap gun. Still, new ideas are born every year and all the makers want to stay one step ahead of the competition. So, what constitutes a trap gun yesterday is not the same as today. Also, one maker's trap gun is not the same as the next.

Nevertheless, there are some features common to most trap guns these days:

  • Long barrels. Dedicated trap guns employ longer barrels, usually between 30 and 34" long, to help smooth out the shooter's swing.
  • Lower POI. Trap guns often have a lower point of impact. That is to say, if you aimed your shotgun, much as you would a rifle, at a dot in the center of a patterning board, you should find that the pattern is evenly distributed around the point - roughly 50% of the pattern above the point and 50% below. Field guns are mostly 60-40 or 70-30, in order to more easily hit rising birds.
  • Adjustable stocks. Trap pieces often are adjustable for drop, length, and cast.
  • Many trap guns include adjustable triggers and/or removable trigger groups. Adjustable triggers are self-explanatory. Removable trigger groups prevent forfeiture when a trigger malfunctions during a competition.
  • Trap guns are universally heavy. They aren't meant to be carried in the field and so they take advantage of more weight to absorb recoil. This makes a significant difference in fatigue at the end of a long day of competition.
  • Trap guns are often back-bored, employ lengthened forcing cones, and/or specialized choke tubes. All of these are attempts to reduce pellet deformation and other physical forces that degrade pattern density.
  • Design elements and choices of materials are a couple of areas of focus for trap gun makers. Reliability and durability are critical, as it doesn't matter how good a shooter may be if his/her gun doesn't make it to the end of the competition. Trap guns must be rated for tens of thousands of rounds per season.
  • Trap guns almost all are equipped with adjustable chokes. Those that aren't are mostly choked full/modified or full/improved modified.

All of the above assumes ATA or International Trap. Sporting clays, 5-stand, skeet, and other clays games have entirely different requirements.
 
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