Beautiful & Mean: The Chopped Ithaca 37 Riot Gun

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Bushmaster1313

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New Photos -- Beautiful & Mean: The Chopped Ithaca 37 Riot Gun

1956 12 gauge Ithaca Model 37.
Barrel cut to 18.5"
LOP chopped to 12.5"

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I LOVE Model 37s. I learned to shoot shotgun on my Dad's 1950s 12 gauge 37. Now that he's gone, I've got it.

The only problem with the Model 37 is its light weight, which means you need to invest in recoil reduction devices if you're going to be shooting it a lot.

The absolute WORST recoil experience I ever had (and I've shot some truly monumental thumpers, aka British big game cartridges) was with Dad's 37.

Friends and I were doing some informal trap shooting, and somehow I had managed to mix a 1 1/4 ounce slug in with my light trap loads.

I dropped it in the gun, pulled up, and let fly. It was a hot day, so I was only wearing a thin shirt, the 37 only had the plastic butt plate on it, and worst of all, I didn't get the gun seated into my shoulder.

It hit me so hard I greyed out a bit from the pain. I later developed a bruise that went down my chest and down my arm almost to my elbow.

I ran the trap that day because I couldn't shoulder or shoot anymore after that.
 
A buddy and I came up with a couple of incomplete basket case Ithaca 37s .

Barrels missing,among other things.

I ordered some seamless aircraft tube for a long mag tube,he scrounged some generic 12 ga bbls

We ended up getting some Brownells solder on choke tube adapters,but we did not solder them on.That lathe thing!!Fine threads were cut inside the adapter bushing and on the OD of the bbl.And then right behind that bushing,a custom figure 8 barrel to mag tube clamp was made,sight base on top,QD sling mount on bottom.All total,I think the bbl is 21 in,and I think the tube holds nine.
It won't be takedown,barrel is threaded tight.

It needs a mag tube cap threaded on and blued.!!Probably has been a 10 year gun safe corner project!!

That's a nice shotgun you have!!I have liked Ithaca 37's long enough...I bought my first one for $65.That was market!!
 
As its already done,IMO,no sense raining on the OP's parade.

In my case,its a cigar box of parts,and I cut nothing.I just fitted non-original parts to make a complete gun.

FWIW,there is a Chinese made version of an Ithaca 37 porch broom marketed under the name Stevens.Does not cost much at all,and seems a true Ithaca37 design.They did go to dual action bars.

Might be another good choice besides altering an original.
 
The Ithaca 37 in riot configuration, with the aforemention corn cob front end, has always screamed "hammer less riot gun" to me.

Such a class gun.

You knew things might get rough on "Dragnet" when Sgt. Friday drew one of those from the armory.

Nice piece, Bushmaster.
 
They changed the stock styles and receiver's on the newer guns, the newer guns do not handle like the guns made before 1960.

As a matter of fact the post war guns handle differently from the pre war guns. The pre war guns are really nice in the field!
 
Ive had a bunch of 37's over the years. Still have my first, a 20 ga. that was my first shotgun.

This one isnt quite as nice as yours, its been around, but of all my "riot" guns, its still my favorite......

ry%3D400


I know the 37's are "light", and some dont like the recoil, but I cant stand them with a recoil pad. With the right LOP, that 12.5-13", and shouldered properly, they really arent that bad.
 
I personally love it. I cant walk into a gun shop around here and not see 10 37s for sale in all gauges and configurations. I say chop away its your gun!
 
Part of me wants to say it is ruined 37, but I do love them, so any 37 that is still in use is a good one. And that one does look nice.

David
 
"I know the 37's are "light", and some dont like the recoil, but I cant stand them with a recoil pad. With the right LOP, that 12.5-13", and shouldered properly, they really arent that bad."

Try taking one on an all day dove hunt and going through 6 or 7 boxes of shells. :)
 
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