found out it own a 1942 ithaca m-37 - The Firearms Forum

rickm37 · 06-24-2011, 02:23 PM

Found out i own an ithaca m-37 with a 1942 serial on it... it is realy scratched but still work perfectly... i was wondering if i can shoot slugs with it......
it has been sawed off.. just too bad it could have worth some money in with an original barrel... i got it for 100$ could not spit on it... do you know if its possible to get a barrel with the same serial as the rest of the gun from ithaca.?? i could just maybe sandblast it and restore it.. i like it....

JLA · 06-24-2011, 03:52 PM

The old ithacas are great shotguns. Its pretty hard to ruin one. And unfortunately sawing them off was a common 'upgrade' for them.

Yes you can shoot slugs with it. you can shoot anything in a 12 ga 2.75" hull for that matter. Have fun and dont shoot your toe off..

BTW, welcome to TFF.

rickm37 · 06-24-2011, 04:01 PM

its a 16ga with a silver paint on it.. i think they did some with silver paint..
do you have any idea of the value? would need to get an other barel... it look more like a killing machine than a shotgun.. who knows what it did in 69 years of life... its not a duck hunt gun anymore..

rickm37 · 06-24-2011, 05:01 PM

also their is a FULL engraved on it.... so its why im wondering about the slugs.. but since its sawed off.. i guess the choke dont matter anymore.

goofy · 06-24-2011, 07:04 PM

Hi rick I love Ithacas yes your 37 has been painted and most came with engraving what is the engraving? A barrel can be gotten from alot of places if you want a original look at- gun parts or jack first or look on e-bay but if you want to get a new one they are still being made by ithaca(different place) same name.You only want to shoot reg. slugs not sabots and would only shoot 2 3/4.You can get a riffeld barrel for it and shoot sabets GREAT HUNTING GUNS!!!!droped many a deer with my 37.Hasteings used to make a good slug barrel for the 37 but they went out of business but if you look around you can still find them. You do not want to sand blast them they had a smooth finish it is worth getting restored they sell around here for $400+.............GOOFY

rickm37 · 06-24-2011, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goofy

Hi rick I love Ithacas yes your 37 has been painted and most came with engraving what is the engraving?

first of all serials number from barrel and ''frame'' 55xxx seem to be from 1942..

ITHACA GUN CO INC. ITHACA NY Patent number xxxx-xxx-xx Model 37
16 GA 2 3/4 Chamber ( FULL PROOF TESTED ''circled'' )

Got the hunting with ducks engravure.. woods are dark and it is painted silver... it look great beside all the scratching...... only problem it has been sawed off..

i already have slugs and the slugs are rifled them self... i wanted to know if i could shoot those..... already tried it with bird shots.. work nice..

goofy · 06-25-2011, 05:39 AM

Good morning rickm37 Yes it was made in 1942. With that engraveing it is the "standard" 37.You can shoot slugs that are rifled(Most reg. slugs are)DO NOT SHOOT SABOT SLUGS(just in case you do not know sabot slugs are incased in a plastic). Any new barrel will not have a ser# that matches and they will not make one for you with your ser# on it.But don't fear if the ser# does not match it does not hurt the value due to the availabilty and ease of switching barrels most have been changed at one point or another.But with a cut off it is not worth what it could be with a new barrel.Make sure the barrel has been crowned(rounded smooth no sharp edges). How short was it cut? If you want a new barrel try all the other ways to get one(that was allready talked about) BEFORE you try Ithaca gun co.(they are just too damm expensive)and there quality has gone down hill sense they left ithaca.I work on ALOT of ithacas and collect them. I have 5 in the shop for restoration right now(i am only 10 miles away from ithaca and the only smith that does the whole job)so my nick name is "The ithaca man" If it is a ithaca i can fix it!.Now i have to ask are you sure it is painted silver? I ask this because pre 1959 ithacas lose thier blueing easy and turn "silver" but you are looking at steel!They changed there blueing process around 1960 and they seem to hold thier blue longer.If there is any other questions please feel free to ask...........GOOFY

Joncutt thanks for the heads up on this post!!!

..........GOOFY

06-24-2011, 02:23 PM	#1
rickm37 Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 4	found out it own a 1942 ithaca m-37 Found out i own an ithaca m-37 with a 1942 serial on it... it is realy scratched but still work perfectly... i was wondering if i can shoot slugs with it...... it has been sawed off.. just too bad it could have worth some money in with an original barrel... i got it for 100$ could not spit on it... do you know if its possible to get a barrel with the same serial as the rest of the gun from ithaca.?? i could just maybe sandblast it and restore it.. i like it.... -->

06-24-2011, 03:52 PM	#2
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,319	Re: found out it own a 1942 ithaca m-37 The old ithacas are great shotguns. Its pretty hard to ruin one. And unfortunately sawing them off was a common 'upgrade' for them. Yes you can shoot slugs with it. you can shoot anything in a 12 ga 2.75" hull for that matter. Have fun and dont shoot your toe off.. BTW, welcome to TFF. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

06-24-2011, 04:01 PM	#3
rickm37 Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 4	Re: found out it own a 1942 ithaca m-37 its a 16ga with a silver paint on it.. i think they did some with silver paint.. do you have any idea of the value? would need to get an other barel... it look more like a killing machine than a shotgun.. who knows what it did in 69 years of life... its not a duck hunt gun anymore..

06-24-2011, 05:01 PM	#4
rickm37 Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 4	Re: found out it own a 1942 ithaca m-37 also their is a FULL engraved on it.... so its why im wondering about the slugs.. but since its sawed off.. i guess the choke dont matter anymore.

06-24-2011, 07:04 PM	#5
goofy Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Contributor Posts: 2,024	Re: found out it own a 1942 ithaca m-37 Hi rick I love Ithacas yes your 37 has been painted and most came with engraving what is the engraving? A barrel can be gotten from alot of places if you want a original look at- gun parts or jack first or look on e-bay but if you want to get a new one they are still being made by ithaca(different place) same name.You only want to shoot reg. slugs not sabots and would only shoot 2 3/4.You can get a riffeld barrel for it and shoot sabets GREAT HUNTING GUNS!!!!droped many a deer with my 37.Hasteings used to make a good slug barrel for the 37 but they went out of business but if you look around you can still find them. You do not want to sand blast them they had a smooth finish it is worth getting restored they sell around here for $400+.............GOOFY Last edited by goofy; 06-25-2011 at 06:42 AM..

06-25-2011, 05:39 AM	#7
goofy Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Contributor Posts: 2,024	Re: found out it own a 1942 ithaca m-37 Good morning rickm37 Yes it was made in 1942. With that engraveing it is the "standard" 37.You can shoot slugs that are rifled(Most reg. slugs are)DO NOT SHOOT SABOT SLUGS(just in case you do not know sabot slugs are incased in a plastic). Any new barrel will not have a ser# that matches and they will not make one for you with your ser# on it.But don't fear if the ser# does not match it does not hurt the value due to the availabilty and ease of switching barrels most have been changed at one point or another.But with a cut off it is not worth what it could be with a new barrel.Make sure the barrel has been crowned(rounded smooth no sharp edges). How short was it cut? If you want a new barrel try all the other ways to get one(that was allready talked about) BEFORE you try Ithaca gun co.(they are just too damm expensive)and there quality has gone down hill sense they left ithaca.I work on ALOT of ithacas and collect them. I have 5 in the shop for restoration right now(i am only 10 miles away from ithaca and the only smith that does the whole job)so my nick name is "The ithaca man" If it is a ithaca i can fix it!.Now i have to ask are you sure it is painted silver? I ask this because pre 1959 ithacas lose thier blueing easy and turn "silver" but you are looking at steel!They changed there blueing process around 1960 and they seem to hold thier blue longer.If there is any other questions please feel free to ask...........GOOFY Joncutt thanks for the heads up on this post!!!..........GOOFY Last edited by goofy; 06-25-2011 at 05:40 AM..