Ithaca Barrel takedown screw stuck

skyler · May 20, 2009, 08:46 PM

I got a friend who has a 80's Ithaca 12g shotgun and he cant for the life of him get the barrel takedown screw loosened. he has taken it off before but the other day it wouldnt come off. and of course we dont want to wrench on it incase something is wrong.
so i was wondering if anyone has any tricks that might help us get it off or would our best bet be to take it to a smith.

TxGun · May 21, 2009, 12:47 AM

Is it an Ithaca 37? Going on the guess that it is, I would say:

If you can't get it to loosen, do not resort to any draconian methods...you'll just scar up the gun. Take it to a gunsmith. Most will do something like that for no charge since it would take about 10 seconds. On the Ithaca 37s, you sometimes have to remove, or at least loosen, the yoke screw (see this: http://www.e-gunparts.com/productsch...rModel=076Zz37 ), and slide the yoke down just a bit, before you can unscrew the magazine nut. Many yoke screws and magazine nuts on old Ithacas are Bubba-ed/buggered up because people tie into them without knowing what they are doing.

xm21 · May 21, 2009, 01:26 AM

The magazine nut that holds the barrel on has a pin that you can push out to gain leverage to loosen it.I have never had to do anything to the yoke to remove the barrel,but mine was made in 1942.If you do mess around with the yoke it is very important to put the barrel back on and tighten the magazine nut before you tighten the yoke back up.Also the magazine nut turns clockwise to loosen if I ain't mistaken,the gun is at the farm in Virginia and I am in Tennessee this week.

Niner4Tango · May 23, 2009, 12:02 AM

My mom has a featherweight and I did some head-scratching the first time I field stripped it for her.

The main trick is that the nut turns clockwise from the perspective of looking down the muzzle.

You probably don't have to loosen the yoke, but if you do, here is a good reference (page 9): http://stevespages.com/pdf/ithaca_3787.pdf

The pin on the nut was dropped from the design in the '50's (too bad).

Try wearing a leather glove when you turn the nut......clockwise!

skyler · May 24, 2009, 01:57 PM

cool, thanks alot, i let him know and take a look. i told him he really should get it apart, he has never taken it apart or cleaned anything more than the barrel

May 20, 2009, 08:46 PM	#1
skyler Junior Member Join Date: May 20, 2009 Location: Lake Stevens, WA Posts: 2	Ithaca Barrel takedown screw stuck I got a friend who has a 80's Ithaca 12g shotgun and he cant for the life of him get the barrel takedown screw loosened. he has taken it off before but the other day it wouldnt come off. and of course we dont want to wrench on it incase something is wrong. so i was wondering if anyone has any tricks that might help us get it off or would our best bet be to take it to a smith.

May 21, 2009, 12:47 AM	#2
TxGun Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Family ranch - Central TX. Posts: 467	Is it an Ithaca 37? Going on the guess that it is, I would say: If you can't get it to loosen, do not resort to any draconian methods...you'll just scar up the gun. Take it to a gunsmith. Most will do something like that for no charge since it would take about 10 seconds. On the Ithaca 37s, you sometimes have to remove, or at least loosen, the yoke screw (see this: http://www.e-gunparts.com/productsch...rModel=076Zz37 ), and slide the yoke down just a bit, before you can unscrew the magazine nut. Many yoke screws and magazine nuts on old Ithacas are Bubba-ed/buggered up because people tie into them without knowing what they are doing. Last edited by TxGun; May 21, 2009 at 01:45 AM.

May 23, 2009, 12:02 AM	#4
Niner4Tango Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2007 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 287	My mom has a featherweight and I did some head-scratching the first time I field stripped it for her. The main trick is that the nut turns clockwise from the perspective of looking down the muzzle. You probably don't have to loosen the yoke, but if you do, here is a good reference (page 9): http://stevespages.com/pdf/ithaca_3787.pdf The pin on the nut was dropped from the design in the '50's (too bad). Try wearing a leather glove when you turn the nut......clockwise! Last edited by Niner4Tango; May 23, 2009 at 12:10 AM. Reason: Correct "screw" to "nut"

May 21, 2009, 01:26 AM	#3
xm21 Senior Member Join Date: April 29, 2008 Posts: 177	The magazine nut that holds the barrel on has a pin that you can push out to gain leverage to loosen it.I have never had to do anything to the yoke to remove the barrel,but mine was made in 1942.If you do mess around with the yoke it is very important to put the barrel back on and tighten the magazine nut before you tighten the yoke back up.Also the magazine nut turns clockwise to loosen if I ain't mistaken,the gun is at the farm in Virginia and I am in Tennessee this week.

May 24, 2009, 01:57 PM	#5
skyler Junior Member Join Date: May 20, 2009 Location: Lake Stevens, WA Posts: 2	cool, thanks alot, i let him know and take a look. i told him he really should get it apart, he has never taken it apart or cleaned anything more than the barrel