Ithaca 37s and cracked stocks

[Morglan]

I've been doing a lot of looking at shotguns recently, and it seems very common to find Ithaca 37s with cracked stocks.

Most of the for sale ads mention this as no big deal, and it appears to be common in this model.

My question is, can you use and fire a 37 with a cracked stock? Is there any cheap and easy repair techniques? What's the conventional wisdom for this affliction and buying a 37?

 

[W.E.G.]

Every crack is different.

To repair a crack, something like epoxy, or Gorilla Glue is good if you can get it into the crack.

As always, it is best to remove the stock from the gun, and clamp the glued area securely for the full duration of the glue curing time.

Sometimes, even super-glue works. But, it will contaminate the crack, making susequent repair attempts mor difficult if the super-glue fails to hold.

 

[Fburgtx]

Acraglas (from Brownell's) in the crack and then wrap surgical tubing EXTREMELY tight around the repair (tubing can also be obtained from Brownell's).

 

[Morglan]

I appreciate the info, but have a dumb question. (Again, all this is academic--I have not picked up a 37 yet)

Once I take off the cracked stock, you don't mean for me to pull the pieces apart to glue, right? Simply find some way to 'inject' some glue into the crak, and then clamp it tight?

Thanks again.

 

[Grayrock]

I was wondering that myself- about pulling the pieces apart. I bought a 1952 gun with a cracked stock (which BTW was undisclosed in the auction!) and was thinking how to fix it. Can I just inject the glue somehow or should I pull it apart, then reglue all the pieces?

 

[mnrivrat]

On most wrist cracks you can spread the crack apart a little bit and work acraglas into the crack - use a thumb to work it into the thinner portions of the crack.

To make it extra strong you can do a blind pin on the front of the wrist. Drill a small hole on both sides of the crack and on each side of the stock bolt hole. Remove wood from between the two holes and bend a small brass round rod into the shape of a staple. When ready, work the acraglas into the cracks and the holes, place the brass staple so that it fits into the two holes across the crack and use acraglas over the ends of the staple.

The wood you removed from between the holes allows the staple to be pushed in flush with wood at the front of the stock (the part that goes up against the back of the receiver)

Clamp the wrist so that the cracks are pushed together and remove the excess acraglas that has squeezed out . Let sit until hard (24 hours min.)

I've done dozens of cracked wrists this way without a single return. If the crack is old and oil contaminated you may have to soak it to get the wood clean of oil.

Acraglas is the only product I would use - I have spend way to much time trying to remove gorrila glue and other products that someone used and that didn't hold.

 

[0007]

Drill a small (eighth to sixteenth inch depending on how bad the crack is) at each end of the crack so that the circumfrance of the hole goes past the crack and into the unbroken wood. Use a wooden "pin" and epoxy to fill these holes. This should keep the crack from expanding. If you can't open the crack and fill it with some good glue/epoxy, go to a paint store and buy a product that is used to fill and harden soft or rotten wood. It's acts like a really thin "wetting" epoxy. This stuff will penetrate and harden in the wood. Works better if you remove any surface finish first.

 

[Morglan]

Drill a small (eighth to sixteenth inch depending on how bad the crack is) at each end of the crack so that the circumfrance of the hole goes past the crack and into the unbroken wood. Use a wooden "pin" and epoxy to fill these holes.

I understand what you're saying, but if the crack can be seen on the outside of the stock (running from the receiver edge back toward the butt), I wouldn't think that this would be a viable option.

 

[Z71]

You can get new wood for the 37 pretty easy and usually not too highly priced.

I don't think they are more prone to stock damage than any other pump gun.

I've owned one for years and managed to bust the buttplate, but never cracked the wood.

 

[Morglan]

Z--can you point me to a source for Ithaca 37 wood stocks?

Thanks!

 

[redneck2]

Most of the for sale ads mention this as no big deal, and it appears to be common in this model.

It's no big deal if you're selling. It would be a big deal if I were buying.

FWIW...typically, the reason the wood cracks is because it's oil soaked and gets weak. Guys would clean the gun, then oil the heck out of the barrel and sit it butt end down in the closet. The excess oil would run down and soak into the wood.

One of my friends had a 37. It kicked WAY harder than my 870.

 

[Z71]

Numerich arms, or Bobs Gunparts in Arkansas. Boyds may have something too. I bought a forearm for a guy's Featherweight 37 a year or so back. Seems as if they listed several styles of buttstocks and forearm handles, from reasonable to higher priced. Bobs probably got what you need, but he's high. Other's such as Popperts, Wisners, Jack First, Hoosier Gunworks, and others likely have wood for these too. Hoosier's is a good place to check too, lots of stuff.

 

[Man With A Gun]

The new stocks coming out of the ITHACA Ohio plant are the best I've seen.

The quality of the wood is much better and with a slim pistol grip. The feel of the gun is much better to most.

Call the plant and get new furniture.

 

[Morglan]

Z--thanks!

Man With a Gun--will the new production stocks fit the old guns?

 

[Grayrock]

Man With a Gun--will the new production stocks fit the old guns?

My question, too. And will they fit an older 16 gauge? Are the new ones sized for each gauge or is it one receiver fits all gauges?

 

[Black_Talon]

My question, too. And will they fit an older 16 gauge? Are the new ones sized for each gauge or is it one receiver fits all gauges?

They'll only fit a 16ga if they were made for a 16ga. Each different gauge of M37 has/had a different size receiver so the stocks are unique to each of the three different gauges.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Model 37s are excellent guns and well worth investing some cash into either stock repairs or new lumber.

Had I one with a cracked stock that was repairable by a competent smith, it wouldn't stay cracked for long. If not fixable, new wood from the maker, Numrish or Wenig would make things right.