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Posted: 5/16/2014 6:35:42 AM EDT
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I've been wanting an Ithaca M37 for a while. I like the retro look of them. I stumbled across a 1967 Ithaca Model 37 that is about 80%. It is parkerized (or matte blue, can't tell) with the corncob foreend. The stock is not cracked. In today's market, is this worth $275?
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If you've been wanting one, and it's decent, and you like it, why are you on here asking questions? I mean, if I said I wouldn't pay more than $250, would you let $25 stand in the way between you and a gun you want?
Life's too short to fret over nickels and dimes. Just go buy the damn thing before someone else snatches it up! And yes, while I'm no expert, I'd say that sounds fair. I mean, when you drop below $300 for any decent shotgun we're not talking huge money anyway. If you like it, just buy it. |
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It looks like the shorter barrel, 18"? I'll try to get some pictures up. They're crappy cellphone pictures. It has no engravings on the receiver (what I was looking for). In that case, I wouldn't even hesitate! IF it is a real Ithaca and not one of the Chinese copies. But, you said 1967, so I'm assuming you know it to be the real McCoy. |
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From the pictures I have, I do not see any refurb or LE markings. Is that a good or bad thing? http://i.imgur.com/cJeGU6f.jpg http://i.imgur.com/o2vpA8z.jpg http://i.imgur.com/qgHYSMc.jpg If it has the "flaming bomb" stamp and/or the "U.S." mark it could significantly raise it's value. If it has any PD markings it could also be more desirable to the right person. Looks to have a split in the left side wrist area of the stock. You'll want to fix that ASAP, before shooting it. It's a simple enough fix just judging by the pics though so I wouldn't let that stop me. |
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Op, it looks like an M&P (Military & Police) model. Buy it. Don't hesitate. Don't haggle. Buy it. Ithaca is still in business. So if you need parts or want to have it refurbed, they can do it. Ditto. Or, better yet, PM me the owner's contact info and I'll buy it. I'm calling DIBS, in other words! |
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Ditto. Or, better yet, PM me the owner's contact info and I'll buy it. I'm calling DIBS, in other words! Quoted:
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Op, it looks like an M&P (Military & Police) model. Buy it. Don't hesitate. Don't haggle. Buy it. Ithaca is still in business. So if you need parts or want to have it refurbed, they can do it. Ditto. Or, better yet, PM me the owner's contact info and I'll buy it. I'm calling DIBS, in other words! Seconds. 
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That looks kinda familiar. I bought this one several years ago for $159, the low price was because it liked to feed more than one shell at a time. A little file work taking the round off the end of the shell keeper and it has been perfect ever since. I gave it to my Marine BIL a year ago.
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Ok guys I got her! The man I bought this from was an older guy who had said he had it for 20 years or so. I originally found him from a listing with an ithaca that had a pistol grip and game land scene on it. After telling him I'd pass because of the engravings on the receiver, he said he had this one for sale...
There she is! Overall, the gun is not in terrible shape. Functions flawlessly. There IS a crack in the butt stock near the front as some of you said. The finish on it is pretty worn. It does not look like it in the pictures, but in light, it has a brownish hue it (rust? not sure). Overall, I'm happy with my purchase 
Now, I'm going to order a new set of screws and springs from Ithaca. I'd also like to re-blue it or parkerize it. I'll be refinishing the wood and fixing the crack in the stock myself. Thanks for your help guys 
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Good find!
When I was a kid my Uncle let me borrow his, he told me to keep it until he needed it. I had the gun for at least 5 years. Still one of the best shooting shotguns I ever fired. It just fit me I guess. When he took it back I bought myself a Remington 1100. I never could hit as well with it as I did the Ithica. 
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Great find!
Personally, I don't mind an older gun with patina. If it were mine I'd strip it down for a good internal cleaning, fix the crack, put a fresh coat or two of BLO on the wood, clean and oil the metal well, and call it a day. Completely refinishing a cool old gun like that kinda kills the "cool", IMO |
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Great find! Personally, I don't mind an older gun with patina. If it were mine I'd strip it down for a good internal cleaning, fix the crack, put a fresh coat or two of BLO on the wood, clean and oil the metal well, and call it a day. Completely refinishing a cool old gun like that kinda kills the "cool", IMO This. Clean it, fix the crack, done. I like my Riot guns to have the BTDT look. |
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Could you guys point me in the right direction for fixing the crack in the stock and cleaning up the wood? I've never used my hands at refinishing but sure wouldn't mind trying. For repairs: Check these threads out. For refinishing stocks: Check these out. Candyman does some great work and has repaired thousands of basket case stocks. Fortunately, he's one of those guys that doesn't mind sharing his hard earned knowledge. Read through some of his stickies and if you're reasonably "handy" you'll learn how to do a lot. Personally, for a wrist crack like yours I'd use acraglas to glue and clamp the crack closed. Then I'd drill a hole lengthwise, at an angle down through the crack, entering the front of the stock so it'll be invisible once assembled. Then epoxy a brass rod into this hole to reinforce the repair. Depending on the thickness of the wood you have to work with I'd say that a 2" #6 brass machine screw would work well as a "pin". The threads will anchor into the epoxy well and make for a very strong repair that should never reopen. Once done and the stock is back on the gun you'll never know the pin is there but it'll make the wrist less likely to crack again. I'm sure you'll find better details on what I mean in the stickies in the first link above. |
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looked for one for a few years. Saw many that must have had solid gold interiors judging by the asking prices. I confess, I picked-up a Chinese clone. Feeds, fires and ejects almost as if it had born in Ithaca. Synthetic stocks and rifle sights with the recoil of grandma's mule. I'm happy. |
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Well I shot it today for the first time. Kicks like a mule but smooth as could be. 
Do as you like, but shooting the gun with that wrist crack really runs the risk of turning a really nice, original, and easily repairable, stock into just so much firewood. |
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Do as you like, but shooting the gun with that wrist crack really runs the risk of turning a really nice, original, and easily repairable, stock into just so much firewood. Quoted:
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Well I shot it today for the first time. Kicks like a mule but smooth as could be.
Do as you like, but shooting the gun with that wrist crack really runs the risk of turning a really nice, original, and easily repairable, stock into just so much firewood. You're right. I shot 4 rounds. I couldn't resist. She's disassembled now. I plan on working on the furniture this week. I've decided to leave it as original as possible. |
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I paid almost 300 for my old 18" LA police gun. It was missing the front sight raybar insert and had a plastic forend. <a href="http://s257.photobucket.com/user/beaniamyota/media/605d98be-4330-4f9e-85f3-0a106646c969.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh224/beaniamyota/605d98be-4330-4f9e-85f3-0a106646c969.jpg</a> Worth every penny now that it's back to original (aside from flashlight clamp). Jcon - What extension do you have on the Browning A5/Remington 11? I have a Auto 5 that looks just like it minus the extension and I want to add one. |
Here's an update. I ended up taking the buttstock in to my local gunsmith as I was unable to close the crack in the stock myself. I was more comfortable with him doing the repair. I had to dig deep to find a pair of original ithaca sling swivels that were 1 1/4". Diamond Gunsmithing (Ithaca repair) referred me to a guy out of Canada (Sharps Guns). I got lucky enough to score the last set he had. Anyways, here she is as she sits:
What a blast to shoot. It's very light weight and kicks like a mule, but extremely fun. I like the bottom port ejection and easy loading. Now, my two questions here are: 1) Should I have a recoil pad fitted to the buttstock or just buy a slip on recoil pad? I don't shoot much, but when I do, I would like to be comfortable. 2) I would like to clean up the stocks. They look dirty and are very dark. On the other side of the buttstock (not shown in picture), it is a much lighter color. I would like to even it out. Would doing a steel wool/denatured alcohol scrub and then a BLO scrub do the trick? |
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I wouldnt mess with trying to fix the coloring of the stock. Its an old riot gun, accept that it looks worn and then shoot the crap out of it.
Also, if you didnt know...You can slam fire the Ithaca  not exactly practical, but pretty freakin fun.
My dad has an old 20" 8rd with the rifle sights. When I went to college, he sent that shotgun with me as all I owned was a .45. It was my do-all shotgun. I dove hunted with it and hog/coyote hunted with it. Yes you can dove hunt successfully with a 20" rifle sight shotgun
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1) Should I have a recoil pad fitted to the buttstock or just buy a slip on recoil pad? I don't shoot much, but when I do, I would like to be comfortable.
2) I would like to clean up the stocks. They look dirty and are very dark. On the other side of the buttstock (not shown in picture), it is a much lighter color. I would like to even it out. Would doing a steel wool/denatured alcohol scrub and then a BLO scrub do the trick? Looking good! Don't do anything to that stock; they are tough to come by. Use a slip-on pad if you must, but leave it just like it is. |
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Looking good! Don't do anything to that stock; they are tough to come by. Use a slip-on pad if you must, but leave it just like it is. Quoted:
1) Should I have a recoil pad fitted to the buttstock or just buy a slip on recoil pad? I don't shoot much, but when I do, I would like to be comfortable.
2) I would like to clean up the stocks. They look dirty and are very dark. On the other side of the buttstock (not shown in picture), it is a much lighter color. I would like to even it out. Would doing a steel wool/denatured alcohol scrub and then a BLO scrub do the trick? Looking good! Don't do anything to that stock; they are tough to come by. Use a slip-on pad if you must, but leave it just like it is. I've sorta got mixed views on this one... While I understand the sentiment of keeping it original, and do appreciate the look of the original wood, I guess I'm a wimp. I'm not really a collector and most all of my guns are bought to be shooters. I'm afraid that I wouldn't enjoy shooting a relatively light 12ga pump with a solid buttplate. If it were mine, as bad as a part of me would hate to alter it, I'm afraid I'd cut the stock down to adjust the LOP and install a good grind-to-fit recoil pad. For me at least, a Limbsaver makes a gun much more pleasant to shoot. I need a LOP of 13.75"-14" and with most guns I find the slip-on pads just make them too long for me. Of course that depends on the individual's tolerance for pain as well as your intended use for the gun. If it's a general interest "collectable" that will be shot only occasionally, then yeah, it'd be nice to keep it original. Only you can decide on your priorities.... Aside from modifications, I'd say a fresh properly applied coat or two of BLO would be a good idea, depending on the condition of the original finish. |
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I wouldn't modify the stock for a pad. I'd be on the lookout for another stock with a pad already on it. Just keep scanning the EE or gunbroker or look around at gunshops. There are many many take off stocks floating around for shotguns as guys put on plastic, pistol grip, or folding stocks. A few years ago around here gunshops were buying shotguns and putting pistol grips on them and selling more of them that way.
This way you have the original stock and for about $35-50 you have the stock you are comfortable with. I wouldn't pay more than that. You'd pay much to have a pad fitted and ground. |
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Here's an update. I ended up taking the buttstock in to my local gunsmith as I was unable to close the crack in the stock myself. I was more comfortable with him doing the repair. I had to dig deep to find a pair of original ithaca sling swivels that were 1 1/4". Diamond Gunsmithing (Ithaca repair) referred me to a guy out of Canada (Sharps Guns). I got lucky enough to score the last set he had. Anyways, here she is as she sits: http://i.imgur.com/liRYdLT.jpg?1 What a blast to shoot. It's very light weight and kicks like a mule, but extremely fun. I like the bottom port ejection and easy loading. Now, my two questions here are: 1) Should I have a recoil pad fitted to the buttstock or just buy a slip on recoil pad? I don't shoot much, but when I do, I would like to be comfortable. 2) I would like to clean up the stocks. They look dirty and are very dark. On the other side of the buttstock (not shown in picture), it is a much lighter color. I would like to even it out. Would doing a steel wool/denatured alcohol scrub and then a BLO scrub do the trick? nice sling & swivels Looks sharp on a Short Ithaca! 
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