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Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 446 Location: Wisconsin

These Ithaca M37's are seperated in time by 64 years. The 28" pistol grip gun was made in 1941 and is in mint original condition. The 26" VR straight grip gun was just received from Ithaca USA. It has 'Ultra' wood with some feather crotch in the butt.

The rolled scenes are the same but interestingly are on opposite sides of the reciever. Both point extremely well upon mounting. A thin recoil pad was requested instead of the standard 'Sunburst' style on the new gun. Both actions are very slick with a slight nod to the older gun. One can see the difference in polishing techniques over time. While the current gun is very well polished with no tool marks whatsoever, one cannot beat the pre war craftsmanship for a truly lustrous blue.
The 1941 gun weighs 6# 5.7oz and the new gun weighs 6# 14.3oz. All current production firearms are heavier when compared to thier forebearers.-Dick

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

Beautiful guns Dick!

Hard to believe the 64 year old gun's action is a little slicker! Laughing

I love the wood on the new one! Does the new one have choke tubes?

Matt

Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 446 Location: Wisconsin

The current manufactured gun has choke tubes. The 1941 is full choke and I just have not been able to find a 26" IC barrel without rib for it so that is one of the reasons for the new one.-Dick

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Houston

Bud--I've got a 1947 Model 37 that, like your '41, has the checkered forearm instead of the corncob. Do you know if that was a matter of year of manufacture, or was it an upgrade?

Member Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 110 Location: California

budrichard - A couple of months ago, I contacted Les Hovencamp of Diamond Gunsmithing http://home.twcny.rr.com/jhpphotos/index.html He has a source in Canada that had a couple of barrels that can be fit to your gun. I believe they were 26", and had choke tubes.

662 - I just got Walt Snyders book on the M37, and it states that for a couple years after WWII, Ithaca made guns with pre, and post-war parts. That is one possibility for your pre-war slide handle. Page 59 in that book has a picture of such a gun, made in mid 46. And, yes I agree your stock is amazing! As an amatuer woodworker, I am jealous Laughing

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Houston

Thanks, 3Doc.

Member Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 110 Location: California

Opps! Obviously, the beautiful stock belongs to budrichard Embarassed

Now you all know how flustered I get in the presence of a nice piece of wood!!!

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Houston

We knew what you meant. And it is darn good-looking wood!

Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 446 Location: Wisconsin

Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 446 Location: Wisconsin

Member Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 110 Location: California

I wish you luck finding the barrel. You might give Les a call, as I was specifically thinking of a barrel with tubes, and so did not ask about any with fixed choke. Sorry, but I did not save the info on the shop in Canada, but they ship barrels to Les, he fits to your gun.

Guest

Dick, Very nice guns. Two questions

:

How long did you wait for delivery of the new one?

Having both, how do you like the feel of the straight grip? I have never handled or fired a pump with a straight grip.

Regards.

Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 446 Location: Wisconsin

I recently ordered a 26" new/old stock barrel for my 37. I was yold at the time this was the last 16 ga. barrel available. That was an error. there are some 28" barrels available. I had to return my barrel back to them because of some fitting issues in spite of the fact my receiver is a post 885,500 one. It also had a few unexpected cosmetic issues. However, these were the last barrels made by a dying company and were collected from a wide number of sources as the new company scrambled to fill existing orders and satisfy the demand. Its understandable. They didn't make the barrel, but they are taking responsibility for it. I can't ask for more. That shows integrity in my book.

Anyway, I did talk with Craig Marshall, the owner. Craig asked me to carefully document the flaws and problems so the barrel can be used as a teaching tool. He assured me all the issues will be corrected and the barrel will be repaired and refinished or replaced. That is good enough for me. Any owner that is willing to spend the time with a client he did with me is ok by me. He is obviously genuinely interested in his company and his clientele.

Craig assured me the quality of the new guns will be far better than the last of the parts and product that left the old company. He plans for his firm to make all of thier own recievers, parts, and barrels in house in order to control the quality. The old form outsourced a bunch of stuff, and the QC got iffy towards the end. He also stated that his firm is cleaning up the new/old parts and using what is salvagable only if it meets their high standards. That is good news too.

Barrel weights were discussed. New barrels will all be arsenal quality 4140 moly steel. The softer type of steel and the roto forging process the original Ithaca company used turned out a much lighter, thinner walled, slimmer diametered barrel than can be done otherwise. the forging both increased the density and the toughness of the barrel steel.

I already knew that these rotoforged barrels were done in Japan and bought by Itaca for themselves and the SKB guns they marketed too.This was before Japanese labor got too expensive for exporting parts. Its why Japaneses cares are now made stateside.

Anyway, Japanese rotory hammer forged barrels are no longer available at affordable prices to American gun makers in general. Its not feasable economically for Craig to get them in the small quantities he needs at this point. A barrel must also have a bigger diameter to accept choke tubes. There is no way that Craig can match the lighter weights of the old styl, fixed choke barrels.

I suggested shorter barrels and also swamping them slightly if possible. He's looking into it. My new barrel will be 24" though. This should shift the weight back to between my hands and will also make the gun a tad guicker, like a 26-27" O/U or SxS. I like that idea very much.

Anyway, Craig is a very busy guy with a bunch of start up problems to solve. Judging by his demeanor, and apparent determination to succeed, I'm betting he does just that. I wish him all the luck in the world. He deserves it just because he's keeping one of the very best 16 ga pump guns ever designed alive. we owe him a debt of gratitude if nothing else. However, I'm betting the next batch of 16 ga. guns he makes will be the best ever built. He's also got a few surprizes up his sleeve too. I will not devulge them now. I don't wish to tip his hand to the competition. But some of you guys are going to go bananas with the gimmes when these new guns hit the market. I can feel it coming. Save some dough up. They won't be cheap but they will be sweet and very unique too. 16GG

Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 136 Location: ohio

I,m selling one below thats made in 1957 and near new. It balances between the hands like a fine double and points like a magic wand!!