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<  16ga. Guns  ~  Ithaca Model 37 16 gauge newer production
Doublebass73
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2020 8:13 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Apr 2010
Posts: 38
Location: New Hampshire

I have a 1956 vintage Ithaca model 37 in 16 gauge. I use it for upland hunting. Last fall I had an issue with it not ejecting shells sometimes. My local "gunsmith" couldn't figure it out so I sent it to Ithaca. They called and told me there was an issue with the barrel. They told me they could rebarrel it with a new field barrel that is threaded for chokes so I gave them the go ahead to do it then the virus hit and they closed down so I'm still waiting to get it back.

My question is are the newer production barrels a lot heavier than the older barrels? With the original barrel the gun weighed 6.25 lbs which was nice for carrying all day.
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Ohio Wirehair
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2020 8:53 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 24 Jul 2016
Posts: 546
Location: Ohio

I would strongly suggest that you get your gun back unmolested from them. They make a great gun and are good people but theirs is the wrong solution, and yes it will be heavier. Get ahold of Les Hovencamp at Diamond Gunsmithing. Les was the head gunsmith at Ithaca when they were in New York and will get you back in action at a fraction of the cost with your own barrel. He corrects that same problem alot.
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Ohio Wirehair
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2020 8:54 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 24 Jul 2016
Posts: 546
Location: Ohio

I would strongly suggest that you get your gun back unmolested from them. They make a great gun and are good people but theirs is the wrong solution, and yes it will be heavier. Get ahold of Les Hovencamp at Diamond Gunsmithing. Les was the head gunsmith at Ithaca when they were in New York and will get you back in action at a fraction of the cost with your own barrel. He corrects that same problem alot.
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Doublebass73
PostPosted: Thu May 28, 2020 7:29 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Apr 2010
Posts: 38
Location: New Hampshire

Thanks, I'll give them a call and see if they are even there. Hopefully they haven't started on it yet.
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Cold Iron
PostPosted: Thu May 28, 2020 8:50 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Mar 2016
Posts: 746
Location: Mn.

Good luck and I agree 100% with Ohio Wirehair. I am down to a dozen or so (I think) 37's 5 in 16 ga. 2 are from Upper Sandusky and the barrels are much heavier than the older ones. If one of my older ones had an issue it would go to Les.
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df
PostPosted: Thu May 28, 2020 9:52 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 962
Location: Minnesota

Agree with the above.
I had a new 37, great Gunn, but heavy for sure.
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drcook
PostPosted: Sat Jun 13, 2020 7:37 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Dec 2012
Posts: 689

Did you get your gun back with nothing done to it ?

Les can fix the issue. IF there is one. Sometimes all you have to do is clean the chamber real good with steel wool on a dowel, spun with a drill. If there is a roughness or a buildup, this will clean it out.

Sometimes all you need to do is change brand of shells. Remember, when these guns were made, shells were better quality and the chambers were tighter.

If you get it back and decide to send it to Les www.diamondgunsmithing.com you then have different options.

You can have choke tubes put in that barrel. You can acquire another barrel and have Les fit it and have it choke tubed.

If you have an Ohio built barrel put on your gun, it will be nose heavy. The 16ga barrels (well all Ohio barrels) are much heavier than their forebearers.

One of the issues when they were offering the guns chambered in 16ga was the weight. They were built on 3" receivers.

Quality is great. I was on a tour of the plant and saw how things were made there. Pretty cool.

If you decide you want another barrel, I have one that started life at 28" but was cut back to 26" sometime and lost its choke. I was going to have it fitted to one of my guns and have tubes installed, but life gets in the way, and I don't see much hunting in my future.

I would sell the barrel for what I paid for it. $150.00 plus shipping.

Briley installs tubes that are matched to the barrel ID. I believe Les installs choke tubes, and there are a couple other gunsmiths that do also. (16ga tubes, not all smiths have the tooling for 16ga).

_________________
dr = David R, not Dr. but thanks for the compliment, most folks just call me Dave
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Ted Schefelbein
PostPosted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 7:36 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Jun 2004
Posts: 1480
Location: Mpls, MN.

Great to see a post from you, Dave.

I think a lot of the currently available ammunition for 16 gauge guns is built with an eye toward the retailer not having to stock much of it-you can buy ammunition that will cycle a dirty autoloading gun, and, that is about it. The heavier 16s from Ithaca don’t look so bad, in that light.

Keep on plugging, Dave. I know you had some health issues, hope things are stabilizing a bit for you.

Best,
Ted

_________________
"Well sir, stupidity isn't technically against the law, and on that note, I'll remove the handcuffs and you are free to go".
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Gil S
PostPosted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 5:14 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 04 Mar 2008
Posts: 1943
Location: Lowcountry Ga.

I had a 1957 16 and a 1959 20 that developed hiccups with steel headed shells. Les recut the barrel notches where the extractors fit which he said was the main problem. Whatever he did it worked. He also fitted an orphaned 1939 barrel to the 20 ga. The new Ithaca Gun shop has a Rube Goldberg approach to fitting barrels to older guns which involves altering the receiver with a fitted part and rebluing it. Les adjusts the threading on the older barrel to where it will fit in the earlier guns. His costs are less expensive than the New Ithaca charges. Les is more but in the best way.
Wink Gil
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