Help with Model 37

[9thchild]

I recently came into possession of an old Ithaca M-37 that was my late Grandfather's. Actually it is a M-87 Featherlight Deerslayer. I took it to the range earlier this week and it ran like a champ. However, the metal is extremely rusted and a cleaning session is years past due.

My question is what is the best way to remove some of this rust? I am not concerned about aesthetics, I just want the shotgun to run as efficiently as possible. The magazine cap seems to be almost welded on. I can't get it to budge. What is the best way to remove this in order to disassemble? I was thinking channel locks? I do not have a vice so this may be difficult.

Also it seems that my Grandfather must have put some sort of regulator in the magazine tube. If you tip the gun upside down, you can hear something sliding around in there. I was only able to load two shells into the magazine at a time. I know these shotguns hold more than two right?

Any advice on how to get this wonderful old gun back into shape would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

1st off do not us P-B Blaster it will eat any blueing you have left right off. If you can find some Kriol oil put it on the cap where it will work it's way into the threads, this may take a few day's but the resault will be worth it.

0000 steel wool, and WD 40 will help with a lot of the rust, just go slow.

There is most likely a plug in the magazen which wont come out untill you can get the cap off. Leave the channel lock's for pluming.

 

[Bushpilot]

Fine steel wool saturated with some Hoppes #9 or oil will remove some of the surface rust while taking off as little of the blue as possible. Just don't get too carried away with it.

The channel locks will loosen the barrel screw but pad the jaws by wrapping leather or a strip of paper card around the screw to keep from marking it up. Remember that it screws out to tighten it and in to loosen it. It's not like a Mossberg or a Remington.

What you hear sliding around in the tube is the magazine plug to make it legal for waterfowl hunting by limiting the capacity to two.

 

[oneounceload]

0000 steel wool and oil for rust; Kroil or other penetrant for the cap. He has the plug in the tube - required for hunting waterfowl, dove, or other Federally regulated migratory bird

 

[9thchild]

Excellent responses gentlemen. Thank you kindly.

 

[CaptainChaos]

At the risk of preaching to the converted:

[a] You have to do the nut *up* to release the barrel.

Take the stock off *before* undoing the trigger plate screw.

There's a facsimile of the user manual on t'Interweb, somewhere. It'll tell you all you need to know.

Have fun with your gun - they are, indeed, a "hoot to shoot".

Regards,

Mark.

 

[murf]

9thchild,

the mag cap has a pin through it. push it out one end and use it to loosen or tighten the cap.

murf

 

[2zulu1]

Sounds like a job for Kroil.

 

[Milkmaster]

Kroil and steel/bronze wool will do the trick. You first said Model 37, so that is what I will address here. Someone mentioned it above...You screw the magazine cap "ON" or towards the receiver to take the barrel off. Screw the cap in and then rotate the barrel a 1/4 turn to take it off. Model 37 innards are not hard for those of us who have disassembled them a few times. For beginners 37's can be a challenge getting it back together without cussing some. The buttstock needs to come off if you plan to take everything apart inside the receiver. I would take it off considering the amount of work you plan to accomplish and keep it from soaking with Kroil.

However,

The BEST advice I can give you is to carry it to a mom and pop gun store, old timey hardware store, gun range, or somewhere that you will be among knowledgable folk. Then you should come out much better in the end with less channel lock marks and other things that really make a gun look bad. It will be less work overall and make your life more harmonious. You may even be surprised how good the old gun looks when you are finished with it. That is not to mention the friends you make doing it.

You don't say where you are located, but I will help you if you are close. Good Luck!

 

[jaguarxk120]

You can download the Ithaca field service manual at www.shotgunworld.com look under the Ithaca forum it is in one of the sticky's