Ithaca 37(ish) Slide Won't Lock

[On The Beach]

I have an Ithaca 37 clone by Brolin. I know it's cheap, Chicom knock-off, but it's always been reliable and I can carry it anywhere as I don't care if it gets dinged, rained on or stolen. care about it getting dinged.

Although it's usually reliable, this weekend I picked it up to shoot it some more and the slide wouldn't lock forward. I didn't do anything except eject the live shells. When you tilt the gun back and forth you can hear metal hitting from inside the receiver. The last shell that went through it went without problems. I ran snap caps through it when I got home and it cycles and will fire.

I plan on tearing it apart this weekend to see what's wrong. I'd like to do the work myself as I only paid $50 for it and it's not worth it to take it to someone.

Any thoughts on on what might be wrong? I mean, other than my cheap, chinese gun failed so I shouldn't be surprised.

Also, any good general books on shotgun repair/gunsmithing?

Thanks in advance!

 

[gb6491]

Sounds like you might have a faulty slide stop or slide stop spring. I have uploaded a copy of TM 9-285 US Shotguns (21.9mb .pdf) here: http://rapidshare.com/files/240096428/US_Shotguns_TM_9-285.pdf.html
It has a section on the Ithaca 37that might be of help to you. The link is download limited, so if it doesn't work for you let me know and I'll upload it again.
Welcome to the forums
Regards,
Greg