Ithaca 37 cut or no cut

[test drive]

ok, I have a 1949 Ithaca 37 that was gave to me. The gun set for lord knows how long in a closet. The barrel and receiver have turned a nice plum- ish color with very light surface rust in spots. Wood is old but nice looking with no cracks anywhere. I love the old 37s my very first 12ga one Christmas was a feather weight 37. This gun functions and shoots great after a good cleaning. The problem is at some time in its life the barrel was cut to 24.5 inches and no site installed. I have no clue why. Whoever did it really did a good job, nice flush and crowned. Up until the 60s the barrels were machined and fitted to the receiver so replace the barrel is not an option for me. Yes I know Ithaca can make a barrel but not on my pay check. So would you put a site on it ? I do like to dove hunt but now the gun has no choke makeing it a cyl. bore. OR cut it down to 18.5 for a home defense gun ? A shame this old girl would have been a real find had she been uncut. What would you do?

 

[film495]

That still seem pretty long, how much of it was cut down? First thought is get a price to have a sight put on it, and tell the gunsmith you want to dove hunt with it and see what he comes up with.

 

[DocRock]

Is this a 12ga? As long as it's maximum bore of .730 and minimum OD .805, you can have it threaded for chokes. While that's being done, have a brass bead put on. Run you about $100 round trip. Get the #0000 steel wool out and get the freckles off and you will have one of the classiest guns in the dove field.

I use Mike Orlen for this sort of thing. Solid. Rapid turn around. Sent him a Stevens barrel to be threaded just before Coronacation and it was a 9 day door to door round trip.

 

[243winxb]

cut it down to 18.5 for a home defense gun

This or use as is.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

I’d put a bead on it and use it as is, if your dove fields would support the shorter distances you’d want.

remember, bores and chokes were a bit tighter back then, and you might be dealing with an equivalent of improved cylinder rather than cylinder.

 

[I6turbo]

Is this a 12ga? As long as it's maximum bore of .730 and minimum OD .805, you can have it threaded for chokes. While that's being done, have a brass bead put on. Run you about $100 round trip. Get the #0000 steel wool out and get the freckles off and you will have one of the classiest guns in the dove field.

I use Mike Orlen for this sort of thing. Solid. Rapid turn around. Sent him a Stevens barrel to be threaded just before Coronacation and it was a 9 day door to door round trip.

^^ I agree. And a 24.5" barrel on a pump is PLENTY long for whatever you want to do with it. With the receiver, it has the sight radius of an O/U or SxS with 30" barrels.

I cut the barrel of my Auto-5 and sent it to Mike Orlen for screw-in chokes. That transformed the gun into my favorite shotgun to use for lots of purposes. I love it, and wouldn't consider having a longer barrel on it. As with the pump, the receiver and barrel combine for a sighting radius like a 24" breech-loading gun (O/U or SxS).


Whatever you do, you should pattern it with the exact loads that you plan to use. Different guns shoot different patterns with different loads, regardless of what the choke dimensions say. By changing loads (wads and muzzle velocity) you can significantly impact pattern performance.

 

[entropy]

I also recommend Mike Orlen for choke work. It is a great grouse and woodcock gun as is.

 

[Jack Ryan]

ok, I have a 1949 Ithaca 37 that was gave to me. The gun set for lord knows how long in a closet. The barrel and receiver have turned a nice plum- ish color with very light surface rust in spots. Wood is old but nice looking with no cracks anywhere. I love the old 37s my very first 12ga one Christmas was a feather weight 37. This gun functions and shoots great after a good cleaning. The problem is at some time in its life the barrel was cut to 24.5 inches and no site installed. I have no clue why. Whoever did it really did a good job, nice flush and crowned. Up until the 60s the barrels were machined and fitted to the receiver so replace the barrel is not an option for me. Yes I know Ithaca can make a barrel but not on my pay check. So would you put a site on it ? I do like to dove hunt but now the gun has no choke makeing it a cyl. bore. OR cut it down to 18.5 for a home defense gun ? A shame this old girl would have been a real find had she been uncut. What would you do?

I'd look in to getting is threaded and set up for screw in chokes. If it can be done then I'd put a bead on it.

 

[spazzy]

I would pattern it and if it does ok, leave it as is.

I have a remington 1100 with a 24 inch barrel with a cutts attached, I was debating chopping it or leaving it. It patterned sweet with the skeet choke, it's now my go to grouse gun, much handier than the 30 inch mod barrel that I use for clay games and pheasents