"Do not start collecting 37's. Do NOT start collecting 37's. DO NOT start collecting 37's..."
I keep telling myself that...
Mike,
That didn't work for me either. My particular bad habit is Ithaca 37 16ga guns.
The normal corncob forend would be on the "standard grade" guns. The gun below is my 1957 Deluxe Standard Grade. They were offered with the same cut checkered stocks, as used on the late 40's, early 50's. Eventually, even though the buttstocks were hand checkered on the Deluxe Std available in the early 60's, the stock design was switched to the standard grade (ie: blocky, less defined pistol grip, no scallops at the comb).
The 37T's and 37S's were offered with different wood than the normal standard grade guns.
The third picture is of the barrel pits that I had welded up. I am doing a complete, back to factory, restoration of this gun. I bought it because I turned 57 this year, was born in 1957 and this gun was made in 1957. I knew the pits were there, but because of what it is, and the price I got, it was a no brainer.
The barrel is back from being lazer welded and I need to get some pictures before I start filing and polishing.
This same style forend was used on the early 60's Deluxe Standard grades, even though the buttstock (as described above) was cheapened (or they simply ran out of the old style stocks).
I found my neighbor/hunting buddy a 1961 Std Grd Deluxe with a solid rib, Mod choke and 16ga to boot in a local shop.
The gun below is a 16ga (what else is there) and choked Mod.
I cleaned all the corrosion out using Birchwood Casey, Rust and Blue Remover and some very fine stainless wire brushes. You have to work the ends down into the pits and do a circular motion with the end of the bristles so it will abrade the corrosion out. The R&B remover is an acid based product that chemically alters the rust. With patience you can get the rust down to bare clean metal.
the last picture is of a late 40's/early 50's buttstock over a late 50's, early 60's buttstock, the later pressed checkered ones were basically variations of the latter.
on the early 60's Deluxe Std Grade, they used the bottom stock, with hand cut checkering as I mentioned above, instead of the more graceful design of the earlier era.
dc
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