Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Ithaca M37?

So, I have a older Ithaca M37 in 12 gauge. It has a 28 inch, full choke barrel. Would it be a good idea to have chokes installed or a better idea to get a new barrel from Ithaca?

How are the new Ithaca shotguns? I have looked around their website a bit but have not seen or handled a new one in a GS.

Thanks for your thoughts.

So what do you plan to use it for? I have come to the point to where unless I have a specific planned use for it such as skeet, handicap trap, card shooting or maybe turkey hunting then I would have the existing barrel opened up to a light modified usually .012-.017 constriction and forget about it. A 12ga so choked will cover 90% of all shotgun chores and you never have to think about stuck chokes lost chokes etc. etc.

It's my understanding the older M37s have fitted barrels and a new barrel will need to be fitted.

first depends on your serial number?? 855,000 mark (which occurred in 1963)is when they changed to interchangeable barrels so if above this you will be able to quarter turn barrel and pull out.Below 855,000 is full thread and not likely to find anyone willing to make barrel but hold on option available

you send your gun to ithaca for the barrel to be fitted. The process includes machine removal of existing threads, insertion of adapter and re-threading of receiver and re-bluing. Please note that once this is completed you will not be able to reuse your old barrel.

if above the 855,000 mark can buy spare barrel for it.

now next part of question the new ithaca"s are pricey but tighter tolerance and same fly to your shoulder natural feel

I will have to check, but I believe this M37 is above the 855,000 number. I do have one older M37 in 20 gauge.

I plan to use this gun for upland hunting. The full choke is not so much a issue with pheasant hunting but a bit tight if I would go out for quail. With the 2 3/4 chamber, I don't anticipate any waterfowl work with this shotgun.

I would love to have a M37 in 16 ga. and in 28 gauge as they just fit me better than any other pump shotgun.

pm inbound

I would suggest you have it threaded for interchangeable chokes.

Mike Orlen has done several for me and will supply one of several style of chokes. I stuck with ones appropriate for the generation of gun I was using it on.

Look him up at Shotgunworld.com. He gives an excellent discount
to Shotgunworld members as well.

Or have the full choke opened up to the desired choke. I believe the older Ithacas need thin wall chokes since the barrels are relatively thin.

Leon is correct about the thin walls in the Mod 37's...especially the earlier ones. Colonial Arms makes thin-wall screw-in choke tubes that they could install. They may have to cut a couple inches off your barrel which is probably 30" right now to get to thicker metal. I have these chokes in an Ithaca Mod.600 O/ U. Check out the Colonial Arms website or contact them.
It may be cheaper to pick up another barrel. Sometimes they come up on eBay. Actually I like the idea presented by another poster to have a gunsmith open your barrel up to light modified.

I have a 1970s production 37 in 20 gauge that I have a full choke barrel for. I plan to have it opened up to light modified for use on rabbits.

Thanks for all the information. I like to use modified chokes usually as a good "all-around" choke but the possibility of screw-in chokes would be nice.

Second using Micheal Orlen to install thin wall choke tubes. I had my full choked 37 done by him and purchased an improved cylinder and extra full turkey choke from him as well. By the way, he's done a couple for me and he turned them both around in just a few days and at a great price.

Matches up with a vintage Ithaca well.

Poly Choke

....about like a vintage Corvette matches up with a set of sawdust tires.

For a pre 855k gun, Les Hovencamp of Diamond Gunsmithing, formerly the head smith at original Ithaca can likely source you a barrel and fit to your gun. I wanted to do it on my full choked 20 but haven't yet. Think he told me $200.

If I was smart I'd open it to a light modified and be done with it.

Allways thought a plain full choked barrel on a older M37 would be close to perfect with some Federal or Fiocchi plated hammer loads for turkeys. You carry them way more than you shoot them. Just a thought. Magnum Man

Ya, I know I have seen a ton of them out there as I suppose it was the thing to do in the 60's. They will come back, just like bell bottoms, polyester, etc...

�.what's next; paper hulls, felt wads, no shot cup/protector and soft shot?

With certain innovations, remembering is as far as it should go. They served a purpose back then, today not so much.

No way would I touch that vintage barrel on a gun that is far less available than a 870 or 500 and made better. I would get another barel if it ment sending it to a gunsmith and have it fitted. After choke is changed you can't take it back or say I'm sorry, to late what's done is done. I once knew a guy who sawed off about 4" off a sweet sixteen A5 to make a grouse gun. That dude needed to be kicked in the nuts. It was a vent rib barrel too!

Sounds like a serious Grouse hunter. If so, I would like to pick his brain.