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Wingshooter50
PostPosted: Sun Apr 19, 2020 11:02 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 18 Feb 2010
Posts: 37
Location: Tennessee

I had to travel for work recently and decided to drive instead of flying. Got finished early and went to the local pawn/gun shop and spotted a Model 37 Featherlight for a decent price. While waiting on the paperwork, I noticed a crack in the stock. It's about a 1/2" down from where the stock meets the top of the receiver and goes all the way around. It appears to be either be repaired or cosmetically finished so it's almost undetectable. They knocked another $40 off the price so I bought it anyway.

I have no idea about the construction of the stock so is this something I should be worried about? What's your opinion?

It kicks like a mule BTW.

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Ohio Wirehair
PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 5:05 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 24 Jul 2016
Posts: 546
Location: Ohio

Pretty common happening if the stock is loose or not fitted to the receiver properly. Sixteen I assume? And yes a recoil pad is a very,very valuable option. Tell use more checkered? Pressed or cut? Rib?Are the barrel and receiver numbered the same. In my old brain there is no finer scattergun then the 16 gauge 37 especially the prewars.
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Wingshooter50
PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 6:49 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 18 Feb 2010
Posts: 37
Location: Tennessee

Yes, it's a sixteen, vent rib 26" barrel choked IC. No checkering on the buttstock, corn cob forearm. It's in very good shape (except for the cracked stock) nearly 100% blue still there. Looks like it's a 1973 model from what I can find about the serial number (37131xxxx).

I don't see any numbers on the barrel and none on the receiver except the serial number.

Are replacement buttstocks available? If so, where?

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Ted Schefelbein
PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2020 10:57 am  Reply with quote



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

The Ithaca Gun Company in Upper Sandusky sold me new wood for a 12 gauge, and they offered to put new wood on my Remington model 17, at the time.
Good people.

https://ithacagun.com/

If the pitch measurement on your Ithaca is too great, that will make the gun a recoil machine.

Best,
Ted

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4setters
PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:01 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 381
Location: NW Arkansas

Wingshooter,

I've been down with a dead computer for about 8 days due to a track hoe, but am up and going again. I wanted to give you some insight on the construction of a model 37 stock.

The front of the buttstock has a variety of wood cuts in it that probably weaken it somewhat. The buttstock bolt screws into an extension of the trigger guard at the bottom of the stock. The shell lifter actually extends slightly into the buttstock at top; the area is slanted toward the rear. The sides are relatively thin again to accommodate the shell lifter, etc. (Pardon this stock, its one that was replaced due to being oil soaked and "buggered up" beyond repair).

Most pump gun stocks such as a model 12 have almost continuous wood from top to bottom except for the hole where the bolt screws into a plate on the receiver.

However, I like Model 37s so much, I forgive them!


[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iTHV1o] [/url]m37butt1 by Michael Widner, on Flickr

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16 gauges:
1954 Win M12 IC
1952 Ithaca M37 Mod
1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
1940 Ithaca NID M/F
1959 Beretta Silver Hawk
Ranger 103-II M/F
Browning A-5 Sweet 16
Browning Citori Invector
Rem 870 Remchoke
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Wingshooter50
PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:16 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 18 Feb 2010
Posts: 37
Location: Tennessee

Thanks for the info 4setters. Mine looks like someone just sliced the top "D" shape right off and glued it back on.

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4setters
PostPosted: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:47 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 381
Location: NW Arkansas

W50,
Good glue and good surface to surface contact--it ought to work for another 50 years.
mw

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16 gauges:
1954 Win M12 IC
1952 Ithaca M37 Mod
1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
1940 Ithaca NID M/F
1959 Beretta Silver Hawk
Ranger 103-II M/F
Browning A-5 Sweet 16
Browning Citori Invector
Rem 870 Remchoke
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drcook
PostPosted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:44 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Dec 2012
Posts: 689

Ithaca 37 stocks get oil filled due to the open back design of the receiver. And, as everyone said, the thin walls due to the cut-outs.

The other bugaboo is just the angle of the stock and how it bolts up. It seems to put some stress. I have some that have cracked and are not oil saturated.

If you are willing to tackle the job, they can be refinished and fixed. The key to a good repair job is getting the oil out. I use a combination of soaking the stock in acetone and using citrus stripper and talcum powder to help leach out the oil. Other folks have heated up the stocks at low temp in the oven to help sweat the oil out. It does take time, it is not an overnight process.

Here is how Ithaca stocks will look once you get the oil out.








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drcook
PostPosted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:47 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Dec 2012
Posts: 689

To continue with how to repair. There is a picture of one with a big crack that I repaired and the last shows end results if you take your time










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drcook
PostPosted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:53 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Dec 2012
Posts: 689

Regardless of when, or if you repair, there is a correct way to snug up an Ithaca stock.

DO NOT try and use a screw driver. The bolts are square headed. So four corners. Those four corners will go into a 12 point socket. 7/16" if I remember correctly. (you will have to try, 4 divides into 12 evenly). Use an extension of course.

I use a 3/8" drive setup, 1/4" is not enough and 1/2" really doesn't fit. Make sure that the stock sits correctly on the receiver. A lot of Ithaca stocks are cracked because they weren't sitting correctly.

Then tighten it up. You don't need to crank it down so tight that you crack it, but it needs to be tight enough to not move around. You will get the feel.

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win7stw
PostPosted: Sun May 10, 2020 6:12 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 30 Jul 2012
Posts: 316
Location: Central, ND

Beautifull repair. What do you use for stain if you use it? What finish do you use? Thanks in advance

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drcook
PostPosted: Sun May 10, 2020 6:34 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Dec 2012
Posts: 689

That particular stock was tru-oil. Most of the stocks I have done, I do them the same was as the factory. Stain and then lacquer. Minwax makes a "gunstock" stain. It is close to original if you do the fore end so they match. Otherwise, I use gunstock as the base and enhance it with other colors to match the fore end. Then after you let it dry thoroughly and wipe down with a paper towel, I shoot it with lacquer.

There is matt, semi and gloss. It all depends what finish you want. Sometimes the lacquer will orange peel. If you put on enough coats (let dry a few hours in between coats, or if you have a hot dry day, you can reshoot sooner), then you can sand the lacquer down (if you are careful and don't use too much) you can wet sand with water.

Then rub it out with rubbing compound. It will make a very smooth, gloss finish.

The original Ithaca finish was Duco Lacquer (Dupont company).

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win7stw
PostPosted: Sun May 10, 2020 7:00 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 30 Jul 2012
Posts: 316
Location: Central, ND

Thanks I’ve been using French red stock filler and Pro Custom oil with good results but I like the color of that stock

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Cold Iron
PostPosted: Sun May 10, 2020 8:45 am  Reply with quote



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

win7stw wrote:
Thanks I’ve been using French red stock filler and Pro Custom oil with good results but I like the color of that stock


I love the Herters French red stock filler it is all I use on my 37's. I'm not a big fan of stains or fillers in general but the Herters original formula changed my mind about them.





For my field guns I prefer an in the wood finish and use Minwax Antique Oil Finish as a wiping finish building it up, but not too much. Problem with knocking down a gloss finish is that where you handle a gun from carrying etc. it will eventually develop gloss again. I prefer to keep it from getting to that glossy point to begin with when finishing.

For my target guns I don't mind a high gloss "on the wood" finish.

16 ga. of course



Personal preference no right or wrong.
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win7stw
PostPosted: Sun May 10, 2020 9:23 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 30 Jul 2012
Posts: 316
Location: Central, ND

Well done Cold Iron. I’d love to find a can of the Walnut colored Herters stock filler

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