Pictures of your Ithaca Model 37

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 8:48 pm
A worthwhile project...
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.270 WIN
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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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7737 refinish (3).JPG
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.270 WIN
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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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.270 WIN
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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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.270 WIN
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 3:44 pm
12 16 20 (3).JPG
12 16 20 (3).JPG (149.81 KiB) Viewed 28892 times

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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.270 WIN
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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.

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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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.270 WIN
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 3:06 am
Thank you gentlemen I appreciate your comments. I have now finished off with a protective coat of beeswax which polishes up to a pleasant sheen.
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I am visiting the US later this month with my wife for a nice relaxing bit of Florida sunshine. I hope to get to the Florida Gun Show at Tampa showgrounds on the 19th or 20th, may get lucky with some 37 parts! Also will be good lo see what we are missing over here!

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 5:36 pm
To bad you are visiting the other side of the country! Oh well but if you ever happen to visit Ohio let me know.
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 5:58 pm
Thanks for the invite, I hope to be able to take you up on it maybe next year as I make a mini pilgrimage to Ithaca Falls NY then drive to Upper Sandusky. (that's half a plan anyhow!)
Florida was great (as always, brilliant weather, lovely people) I visited the Florida gun show at Tampa Fairgrounds, met some great people and chewed over our respective woes and problems (shooting related ones that is) Couldn't buy much but was like kid in candy store!
I had delivered to my vacation home a couple of the Connecticut Shotgun sunburst butt pads for my ongoing restorations and look forward to fitting and grinding them to shape. Whilst they are replicas, they seem exceptionally good in the logo detail and material composition.
On my return I picked up the English 20g again and after seeing some fine guns in the States decided to polish the receiver. Its not finished yet but I'm quite pleased so far. Maybe not everyone's cup of tea but I like it and the polished finish will take a re-black should I decide to do so
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20g bling!
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Sunburst pads from Connecticut Shotgun in the rough
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.270 WIN
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 7:20 pm
It is a bit different. I am about 2 hours north of Upper Sandusky. About 15 minutes east of a large amusement park know as Ceder Point.
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