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drcook
PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 8:59 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Dec 2012
Posts: 689

Quote:
DrCook:
Yep...them Ithacas are obviously out weighing your Savage addiction. Send the Ithacas to me and I'll hold them while you build up your Savage collection.


Some of those are still here, some are gone. The one in the white still needs blued though, however the wood is done.

I have been upgrading and tweaking my 16's. I put better stocks on them, replace screws and springs, etc. I find early 50's stocks and recut the checkering and refinish/relacquer the wood and install new buttplates (Ithaca buttplates shrank).

I build myself superlative hunting guns. They are not collectables because of what I have changed on them, but they are often better than when they left the factory (the late 50's early 60's that don't have cut checkering, or later stocks with pressed checkering replaced with early cut checkered wood).

I doubt that I could ever get out of them what I have into them.

The Savage was my dad's gun. It has been in my life since I was born (62 yrs now). I will hand it down to my daughter or possibly my grandson.

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dr = David R, not Dr. but thanks for the compliment, most folks just call me Dave
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dannypratt
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 4:51 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 21 Dec 2005
Posts: 722
Location: Napoleon, MI

Dr Cook...

Yep, I know what you mean on all topics you responded too.

I thoroughly believe in making a gun your own, especially if your using it for your given quarry.
I like original guns alot, but I've found 2 things...1) I dont enjoy them as much as the guns I've either found modified the way I prefer, or as much as the guns I've changed to suit my needs. 2) sometimes the original set up just doesnt work the way I envisioned while I was standing in the gun shop imagining how amazing I would appear holding a perfect vintage shotgun as I bumped into another exact minded individual as myself, on his quintessential vintage reboot experience. (Its never happened, even one time)

HOWEVER...a mint Browning Auto-5, Superposed, Remington 31, Ithaca 37....nope...cant do it. I keep then just the way they were, then in about a year I generally decide to sell them due to lack of use and fear of abuse afield. I've found I enjoy finding used, and respected, older firearms, that maybe need a little freshening up (just like you).this way I can get it just the way I want it, and I'm not losing sleep over perfect examples. (Yes I have lost sleep about these things)...and ITS CHEAPER!

My Savage 775 was my great grandfather's, he bought it in the late 50's with the factory Cutts style Poly Choke ( savage adjustable choke, etc) My uncle wound up with it in the 1970s and about 10 years ago he mentioned he had it (he lives in AZ, I'm in MI) Well, a week later a package showed up in the mail. Of all the guns I've had or have, I can honestly say it's my favorite shotgun. Dont know why, but it shoots like greased lightning and it's a fantastic duck gun at 35yds and under. Plus I found 3 (yep 3) more factory fixed choke barrels, 26 "CYL, 28" MOD, and 30" FULL, all for a grand total of less than 75.00 dollars. If it all went south tomorrow, I could use and own just that gun for the rest of my life and never be unhappy about it.

I could go on all day about this stuff...but I gotta get to work!


Last edited by dannypratt on Wed Mar 20, 2019 5:38 am; edited 1 time in total

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drcook
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 5:16 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Dec 2012
Posts: 689

Quote:
HOWEVER...a mint Browning Auto-5, Suoerposed, Remington 31, Ithaca 37


True unless in the case of a 37, one of a bazillion of the plain jane models.

Case in point. 1 of the 37's I have is a 1956 Mod gun. Nothing special about it.Really nice shape,

but an early 50's stock works so much better. The later 50's stocks were a cost cutting move.

I have a 1957 that is an enhanced Standard Grade. (I forget the exact terminology at this moment). The difference ? It came from the factory with a cut checkered stock. Still used the corncob fore end, but had checkering. No other differences.

So by putting the cut checkered stock on the 56, I have a better handling gun (the original stock for that one is saved).

I also have a 1951 with a Simmons rib. It needed reblued. I did the polish a bit better on it. It sure looks nice. I need to redo the barrel though. I messed up the blueing trying to darken the silver polish at the base of the rib lugs. Next time I am just going to use black enamel and a very fine brush.

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dannypratt
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 5:32 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 21 Dec 2005
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Location: Napoleon, MI

Dr Cook...

Yep...I have had 3 or 4 from that same era, early 50s...I think the newest was 1953. All 16s.
Boy did they shoot, and carry like a dream.

My personal favorite 37 are the pre war models thru 1941. Wraparound checkering on the top of the grip, checkered barrel forend...and the barrels at thier absolute lightest.
I had a 1940 12ga...awesome. Totally refinished, but couldnt beat it. Then I found a 1939, 16ga, 26" IC...finish was gone on the whole gun, but no rust. Best damn bird gun I ever owned, ever. And I sold it. I was in a real pinch from a customer who stiffed me on an addition on thier house. I got paid and extra too, finally, after a short court date, but those guns were long sold from the shop I sold them too. That job cost me some very prime hunting guns. And it wasnt the perfect ones I miss.

There are two guns that I cant seem to over expound about thier virtues...the Ithaca 37, and the Remington 31. (Model 12s just dont fit me, which sucks!)

It's real tough to jam up a pump with a weak load or the wrong load setting...the damn things just work.

And now I've hi-jacked my own thread!

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