Recoil Pad for Ithaca 37?

[TIZWIN]

Hey guys--I just got a replacement wood buttstock for my Ithaca 37 from Nurmrich. (sp?) E-gunparts; those folks.

Here's the problem--the dang stock had a recoil pad glued on it when it arrived, with no screw holes to remove it so I can attach the dang stock to the shotgun! ***??

So, I figure I should find a gunsmith and have the pad removed, and a new one installed. I can get a proper L.O.P. that way, and I can get a pad with screw holes so the stock can be attached or removed as need be.

What pad would you boys recommend?

Next question...I'm kind of a fanatic about stripping down my guns and thoroughly cleaning them occasionally. With the Ithaca 37, you can't do a detail strip without removing the buttstock. Do you think I should get the pad installed in such a way so the woodscrews that hold the pad don't strip their holes in the wood from frequent dismounting? Anyone else had this concern?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

 

[Robert Hairless]

Look more closely and you should find where the screws entered the pad. If yours is the same kind of Ithaca 37 stock I saw a couple of months ago, the pad is screwed not glued but the little holes healed together.

When you find the holes, take a look in your gunsmith screwdriver kit for the long narrow Phillips head bit. It seems to work better than any other for me in removing the pad. Spray it with some lube or soapy water before using it of course.

I use a trick of my own for installing and removing the bolt. (At least I think I invented it. Who knows for sure about these things.) Get a 3/8" socket wrench extension, a ratchet handle for it, and an 11mm socket. If you don't already have them, Wal-Mart carries such things. The trick is to flip the socket over so you put the 11mm hex side on the extension and use the 3/8 side over the bolt. The socket won't fit tightly on the extension but it will hold well enough to turn the bolt without slipping. I like it better than using a big screwdriver because I can't see inside the hole well enough to be sure of what's going on in there.

A good gunsmith should be able to trim the stock and grind that pad to fit. Or you can get the small size Limbsaver "grind to fit" and have it fitted instead.

As for your last question .... I just tried to clean a couple that hadn't been cleaned since 1982 or so. I removed the stocks, looked inside, and realized I was wasting my time. They didn't need cleaning. I cleaned them anyway and reassembled them. If I'm still around in another twenty-five years and they are too, I'll do it again. Of course I'll do it sooner if they get sluggish or dropped in the mud but I just don't see the need for thorough stripping and cleaning of the Ithacas I have.

As for the woodscrews working loose from frequent dismounting, part of a wooden matchstick makes a nice plug if that happens, and a bit of bar soap rubbed on the screw threads makes them easy in and easy out. Old trick. Still works.

In case anyone is interested Frank Vallon (http://www.sycamorehilldesigns.com) has original Ithaca recoil pads at a reasonable price. There are three kinds, so be sure to tell him which gun you have and what's appropriate for it. You already have the pad appropriate for your stock.

 

[Rob W]

TIZWIN:

Did you ever find a diagram for the disassembly of the trigger assembly. I'm trying to do a complete strip of my model 37 and I can see that the trigger assembly is very dirty. I'm sure that I can get it apart but the putting it back together worries me.

Thanks in advance,