I have an old model 37 featherweight Ithaca that I bought more than 50 years ago. I was a great old gun. 2.3/4” chamber and a 30” full choke barrel. Years ago it began to give me problems so I put it aside and bought a bps. I am retired now and I would like to rebuild this gun to be functional again. The problem was that it would drop unfired shells to the ground when I would cycle the action. One in the chamber one on the ground. I looked at the shell stop and it’s chipped. I have located parts and it seems straight forward to replace. I know that the choke is to tight for steel shot. Any advice on opening the choke to improved? I will have to refinish the wood and replace other parts but it a project I will truly enjoy. Looking like there is a back surgery in my future so I might not have much of a hunting season this year and a project gun might just keep me going.
Mod 37 rebuild questions
- Thread starter jmuv
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You've got a wonderful old shotgun! Detail clean it really good, I've found a weed seed in the spring at the back end of the shell stop can give you fits. Be sure to keep the butt stock bolt tight. Your Browning pump will handle the steel shot in a duck blind but that Ithaca is much nicer to carry through a stubble field chasing pheasants. If it has a rib barrel, consider choke tubes otherwise there isn't much barrel left to screw the front sight to. But proper shotgun shooting doesn't really use the front sight anyway. Keep your face on the stock and look at the bird.
Please keep us posted on your progress.
Please keep us posted on your progress.
entropy
Member
The shell stop and shell stop spring, (long as you're in there, I'd recommend replacing that also) are easy to replace, I think you'll have no trouble there.
I wouldn't open the bore up, not because the gun won't handle shoot shot, it will. But most steel shot waterfowl rounds are punishing enough on the shoulder in 8 pound gas-operated shotguns, much less a 6 pound pump! (Unless you are unlucky enough to live or hunt where all shells have to be non-toxic, in which case I'd look at Bismuth shotshells.) Plus you have the BPS, which certainly will have no problem with steel shot, and weighs more to soak up some recoil.
That said, if you are going to open it up to Mod., Briley's would be my first choice, Mike Orlen second. Most competent gunsmiths should be able to do this, however, with varying degrees of skill.
Thanks guys! I have one without a rib. I was able to pick up several cases of 2 3/4 light load steel. Only 1 1/16. It’s not really bad. I just want to be able to carry it to the duck blind again. As I get older and my duck hunting becomes more of a social event than a quest for food I get almost as much satisfaction from watching the morning opening and the memories of the pasted mentors. I just want to give this old gun a new chance to shine.
My Ithaca 37 is somewhere around a 1973-4 model. It came with 2 barrels, neither of which has a rib. I don't like ribs on a hunting gun, use them for what they were intended for.....shooting rocks. One of my barrels is full the other Mod. I wish one of them were #2 skeet.
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