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msheff
PostPosted: Sat Jan 14, 2023 2:59 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Jan 2017
Posts: 19
Location: Lower Alabama

If your gun takes interchangeable barrels you could look for a 26 inch IC barrel and keep your FC barrel.
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madtrapper143
PostPosted: Sat Jan 14, 2023 6:56 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Jan 2007
Posts: 82
Location: Steep Rock Lake, North Western Ontario

Nope can't ship to Mike Olen to do the job. Way too much import/export etc issues. I checked with Mike some years ago and he does not want anything to do with import issues from Canada and I cannot blame him. Sadly the gun is pre 855,000 so it would need a barrel fitted if I could even find one. Options are severely limited in the great white north.
Darryl

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" 2 1/2 drams of powder, 1 ounce of shot, should be good for all upland use, that's the 16"
Gene HILL
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putz463
PostPosted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 3:55 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 06 Oct 2007
Posts: 2343
Location: West MI

Frustrating predicament, understand the border thing, we send repair parts into CAN and just did some to the UK, holycow, what an unnecessarily expensive time consuming PITA.

Are you or anyone you know a reasonably talented machinist or mechanically inclined? Maybe consider a polychoke? Putting outside (or inside for that matter) threads on a pipe or reducing it's OD to accept a braze joint is not rocket science.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rUqP_W9k6I

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313&_nkw=polychoke+16&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_odkw=polychoke+20&_osacat=0

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Sorry, I'm a Duck Hunter so shouldn't be held strictly responsible for my actions between Oct 1st and ice up.
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Cold Iron
PostPosted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 6:35 am  Reply with quote



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

Darryl I have a bore gauge, at the beginning of the last week of Sept I am crossing at the Falls and will spend that week 90 miles NW of you on Eagle Lake grouse hunting. Then beginning of Oct. will be crossing at Thunder Bay coming down to spend the next 3 weeks at the cabin grouse hunting 70 miles SE of you on a straight line from Eagle Lake. I will be going right by your place LOL.

Guessing you don't want to wait until next hunting season to get started on it.

I grew up grouse hunting in Potter and Tioga County Pa. Despite what some spew most people in the Twin Tiers used pumps for grouse hunting. Many still do. My 37 back then was a 16 ga. in 28" choked Mod. Tall drink of water in the grouse woods but I shot everything with fur and feathers with that gun. Full choke is about worthless however and understand where you are coming from.

Given your situation and location you are kind of between a rock and hard place. The Ithaca 37 26" is considered by many that know what they are talking about to be the best grouse gun ever made. 16 ga. 26" 37 is my favorite for grouse.



The top is marked Mod and measures .011. A bit tight for grouse but still works well. And is a good all around constriction for both grouse and steel shot for waterfowl. I used it a lot for clays. I sent it to Boon Hogganbeck on here knowing it would spend some time back in the Northern Tier of Pa. killing grouse again.

The middle one is marked IC and measures .008 it is my go to grouse gun when using a pump. It is perfect for grouse.

The bottom is a prewar that I bought from a guy on Gunbroker more than a few years back for $200. The original owner was from Michigan he told me when he seen me bid he hoped that I would win it because he knew with me being from Mn. that would end up hunting grouse. He bought it with a polychoke on it at 28". First thing he did was cut it down to 25" and somehow it still ended up with .003 of choke in it. Which is good for early season grouse. It really is open however and I don't use it much. It just doesn't have much choke and is OK for really close shots. But once I started to use it found there are times I needed\wanted just a little bit more choke in it.

You could take an inch off and slowly work your way back. Without a bore gauge that will still be tricky. I retired 28 years ago as a Navy Chief Machinest Mate so am kind of tied to accurate measurements. Doesn't mean you can't do it without the measuring tools but....

There are gunsmiths in Eastern and I believe Southern Ontario that could open it up down to ~.012 or so for you if you mailed it to them. Then it would be a good waterfowl gun. And then buy another gun for grouse. I never have to look hard for an excuse to buy another gun especially a 37.

There are enough 37's in Canada that Ithaca had a plant there at one time. When it closed Ron Sharp ended up with most of the parts and can work on any Ithaca made. Not sure if he is still around but may be worth a try. From my notes:

Ron Sharp
SGL,RR#4
Dunnville,Ontario,N1A 2W3.
Telephone:(905)774-6368

Good luck and hope to see some pictures of your 37 and some birds next Fall!
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madtrapper143
PostPosted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 7:47 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Jan 2007
Posts: 82
Location: Steep Rock Lake, North Western Ontario

Poly choke is a very good idea. I have several guns Poly Choked right now. BUT finding a 16 gauge Poly of the right diameter would be a needle in a haystack scenario. Cold Iron that is very good grouse country where you are headed. We have had two bumper grouse years and I hope it holds out for one more when you come up.
I hunted the gun this past fall on grouse and found that the 28" barrel was a little long in close cover. I was missing a lot and one afternoon I connected with a poplar behind a fast flying grouse. The tree was about 25 yards from me and the pattern was just about 11". Like you say useless for grouse. I think I will go for cylinder and 26". If all the internet lore is true factory Remington steel shot should throw IMP CYL patterns and Remington Game Loads will be close to IMP CYL. Have to pattern her after the surgery. Like I noted earlier it is a good gun just a 1948 model with a gray finish. It is not a super valuable gun just a good gun. Wish I had ready access to the resources you fellows have stateside. Sad to say Mr. Sharp (last I heard) is in very poor health and has closed down his business.

Darryl

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" 2 1/2 drams of powder, 1 ounce of shot, should be good for all upland use, that's the 16"
Gene HILL
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Swampy16
PostPosted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 8:43 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Posts: 453
Location: New Jersey

I’d go to 25”. Cyl choke is fine, with good quality modern ammo you won’t be disappointed.
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