Surprise! my new(old) shotgun!

Kingcreek · July 5, 2001, 10:10 PM

HoHoHo! Christmas in July!
I fellow walked in today and said he had something to show me. Handed me a tired old guncase and I pulled out an early Ithica mod 37 20g- dusty, bone dry, but in quite good shape. He asked me if I had any interest in it. I'm sure I shrugged a very non-commital shrug. Then he tells me he bought this gun from my father (now deceased) over 40 years ago. Even produces a picture of him and dear old Dad (holding the 37) with a mess of cottontails after a good hunt. Seems Dad was short on money when Mom was pregnant with my little sister and sold the 37 to this guy. He said the gun had been unused in a closet for the past 30 years and he had no desire to keep it another 40.
I offered to buy it IF the photo could be thrown in on the deal. He thought for a moment then told me he paid Dad $20 cash for it. I told him it was worth more than that to me but he said no- he just wanted his money back out of it.
So...$20 later, and I'm a very happy guy!
I'm thinking of making up a glass wall case with room for the 37 and Dad's vintage hunting hat and vest and the old photo, maybe some old paper shells, old Hoppe's...
Pardon me, I can hardly contain myself. I'm going back to the shop with the Hoppes and the oil. Everybody should have something like this happen at least once.

BigG · July 5, 2001, 10:17 PM

Gudonya! That's a story I'd like to hear more often!

Kernel · July 5, 2001, 11:17 PM

What a wonderful story, thanks for sharing it.

Maybe you could dress up that display case with some old copies of Outdoor Life magazine - they always had nostalgic hunting illustration on the cover and the date would help establish context for the display. Back issues from the 40's & 50's only go for a couple of bucks on eBay.

Look around and you might find some old Illinois hunting licenses for sale, or period hunting regs. That would look cool. Add some pheasant feathers, a vintage Thermos, maybe an old Zippo lighter, a well used jack knife......

-- Kernel

Harley Nolden · July 6, 2001, 05:15 AM

King Creek:
If you would like to have the rest of the assem/disassem let me know and I can email it to you:

Harley Nolden's Institute of Firearms Research TFL

HJN

Kingcreek · July 6, 2001, 07:09 AM

Thanks Harley, I've got the old gun cleaned and oiled and reassembled. Serial# 36xxx. Earlier round and ribbed forearm and plain black plastic gripcap and buttplate.
Kernel, good idea about the magazines. I think I'll make the wall mount case big enough to rotate some stuff on display from time to time. Maybe some old fishing gear, etc once in a while. I've got some vintage family stuff and this way I could have it on the wall in the den and enjoy it a little more.
Thanks

Dave McC · July 6, 2001, 07:58 AM

Kingcreek, you just made my morning, thanks!! A wonderful story....

AC's & 45's · July 6, 2001, 10:28 AM

Cool story!
What are the odds ?

**Mal H** · July 6, 2001, 11:33 PM

That is a very, very cool story! A once in a lifetime story.

I love my old 37 and your story just makes me love it even more!

Kingcreek · July 7, 2001, 06:24 AM

Thanks Folks, for letting me share my good luck story. I knew Dad sold most of his guns around that time and later bought a couple back but I had never heard mention of the old 37. Makes sense tho- when I was about 14 I got a new shotgun and he picked it out- a 20g mod37, and he bought himself one soon after. (I still have both.) He used to talk about grandpa's mod 97 and a Browning auto light 12 that he said "kicked like a juiced-up mule". I suppose those are gone forever.
I wouldn't have given a second glance at this old Ithica on a gunshow table but I'm excited and sure am grateful that the old boy wanted me to have it.
I went out to the crib last night and picked out some weathered barn-board for the wall case project. It will be about 24X48" and 6" deep, glass front.

MiniZ · July 7, 2001, 11:24 PM

That is a great story!!! I have my Grandpa's 1100, which he taught me to shoot trap with, so I can appreciate any one that recieves/retreives a family heirloom.

Zane

Shin-Tao · July 10, 2001, 09:58 AM

That is epic.

dick w. holliday · July 10, 2001, 10:38 AM

Not as good a story but here's what happened to me a while back--An elderly skeet and trap shooter started showing up at the range a few years ago..He is in his late 70's but still manages a 25 on the trap range every now and then....Some shooters don't care for him much-I guess he is just set in his ways--Anyway, we don't have many trap shooters in our club and if it wasn't for me taking time to open up the house and shoot with him some- he probably wouldn't get to shoot much. Long and short of the story is that a while back he said he won a consecutively numbered Winchester 1200 trap and 1400 skeet as a part of a tournament in the late 60's and he never liked them much and he was thinking about selling them. then he said "Oh hell i'll just give'em to you...Well a few weeks or a month went by and i figured he had forgotten about it and i didn't want to mention it but one sunday morning he showed up with them and now the 1200 trap is my number one trap gun..He evidently taught it a few tricks before he put it up..I emailed Winchester and was told that they made 625 sets like that one as part of a tournament when they used to have franchised gun clubs..No idea of the value (probably not all that much) but they're not for sale.....Dick

Kingcreek · July 10, 2001, 10:54 PM

Seems I'm not alone in my good luck!
Fortune smiles upon each of us sometime

July 5, 2001, 10:10 PM	#1
Kingcreek Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: rural Illinois Posts: 590	Surprise! my new(old) shotgun! HoHoHo! Christmas in July! I fellow walked in today and said he had something to show me. Handed me a tired old guncase and I pulled out an early Ithica mod 37 20g- dusty, bone dry, but in quite good shape. He asked me if I had any interest in it. I'm sure I shrugged a very non-commital shrug. Then he tells me he bought this gun from my father (now deceased) over 40 years ago. Even produces a picture of him and dear old Dad (holding the 37) with a mess of cottontails after a good hunt. Seems Dad was short on money when Mom was pregnant with my little sister and sold the 37 to this guy. He said the gun had been unused in a closet for the past 30 years and he had no desire to keep it another 40. I offered to buy it IF the photo could be thrown in on the deal. He thought for a moment then told me he paid Dad $20 cash for it. I told him it was worth more than that to me but he said no- he just wanted his money back out of it. So...$20 later, and I'm a very happy guy! I'm thinking of making up a glass wall case with room for the 37 and Dad's vintage hunting hat and vest and the old photo, maybe some old paper shells, old Hoppe's... Pardon me, I can hardly contain myself. I'm going back to the shop with the Hoppes and the oil. Everybody should have something like this happen at least once.

July 5, 2001, 10:17 PM	#2
BigG Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 4,334	Gudonya! That's a story I'd like to hear more often! __________________ o "The Earth is degenerating today. Bribery and corruption abound. Children no longer obey their parents, every man wants to write a book, and it is evident that the end of the world is fast approaching." Assyrian tablet, c. 2800 BC o "In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man brave, hated, and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." Mark Twain o "They have gun control in Cuba. They have universal health care in Cuba. So why do they want to come here?" Paul Harvey o TODAY WE CARVE OUT OUR OWN OMENS! Leonidas, Thermopylae, 480 BC

July 6, 2001, 10:28 AM	#7
AC's & 45's Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2000 Location: Mid, Mo Posts: 403	Cool story! What are the odds ? __________________ Common sense is not something you can aquire. You must be born with it. So, you either have it or you don't!

July 10, 2001, 09:58 AM	#11
Shin-Tao Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2000 Posts: 1,528	That is epic. __________________ SPQR

July 5, 2001, 11:17 PM	#3
Kernel Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 1999 Location: Madison, WI.... "78 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality" Posts: 923	What a wonderful story, thanks for sharing it. Maybe you could dress up that display case with some old copies of Outdoor Life magazine - they always had nostalgic hunting illustration on the cover and the date would help establish context for the display. Back issues from the 40's & 50's only go for a couple of bucks on eBay. Look around and you might find some old Illinois hunting licenses for sale, or period hunting regs. That would look cool. Add some pheasant feathers, a vintage Thermos, maybe an old Zippo lighter, a well used jack knife...... -- Kernel

July 6, 2001, 05:15 AM	#4
Harley Nolden Staff In Memoriam Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Brunswick,GA USA Posts: 1,884	King Creek: If you would like to have the rest of the assem/disassem let me know and I can email it to you: Harley Nolden's Institute of Firearms Research TFL HJN

July 6, 2001, 07:09 AM	#5
Kingcreek Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: rural Illinois Posts: 590	Thanks Harley, I've got the old gun cleaned and oiled and reassembled. Serial# 36xxx. Earlier round and ribbed forearm and plain black plastic gripcap and buttplate. Kernel, good idea about the magazines. I think I'll make the wall mount case big enough to rotate some stuff on display from time to time. Maybe some old fishing gear, etc once in a while. I've got some vintage family stuff and this way I could have it on the wall in the den and enjoy it a little more. Thanks

July 6, 2001, 07:58 AM	#6
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Kingcreek, you just made my morning, thanks!! A wonderful story....

July 6, 2001, 11:33 PM	#8
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,949	That is a very, very cool story! A once in a lifetime story. I love my old 37 and your story just makes me love it even more!

July 7, 2001, 06:24 AM	#9
Kingcreek Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: rural Illinois Posts: 590	Thanks Folks, for letting me share my good luck story. I knew Dad sold most of his guns around that time and later bought a couple back but I had never heard mention of the old 37. Makes sense tho- when I was about 14 I got a new shotgun and he picked it out- a 20g mod37, and he bought himself one soon after. (I still have both.) He used to talk about grandpa's mod 97 and a Browning auto light 12 that he said "kicked like a juiced-up mule". I suppose those are gone forever. I wouldn't have given a second glance at this old Ithica on a gunshow table but I'm excited and sure am grateful that the old boy wanted me to have it. I went out to the crib last night and picked out some weathered barn-board for the wall case project. It will be about 24X48" and 6" deep, glass front.

July 7, 2001, 11:24 PM	#10
MiniZ Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2001 Location: SLC, UT Posts: 517	That is a great story!!! I have my Grandpa's 1100, which he taught me to shoot trap with, so I can appreciate any one that recieves/retreives a family heirloom. Zane

July 10, 2001, 10:38 AM	#12
dick w. holliday Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2001 Location: NC Posts: 589	Not as good a story but here's what happened to me a while back--An elderly skeet and trap shooter started showing up at the range a few years ago..He is in his late 70's but still manages a 25 on the trap range every now and then....Some shooters don't care for him much-I guess he is just set in his ways--Anyway, we don't have many trap shooters in our club and if it wasn't for me taking time to open up the house and shoot with him some- he probably wouldn't get to shoot much. Long and short of the story is that a while back he said he won a consecutively numbered Winchester 1200 trap and 1400 skeet as a part of a tournament in the late 60's and he never liked them much and he was thinking about selling them. then he said "Oh hell i'll just give'em to you...Well a few weeks or a month went by and i figured he had forgotten about it and i didn't want to mention it but one sunday morning he showed up with them and now the 1200 trap is my number one trap gun..He evidently taught it a few tricks before he put it up..I emailed Winchester and was told that they made 625 sets like that one as part of a tournament when they used to have franchised gun clubs..No idea of the value (probably not all that much) but they're not for sale.....Dick

July 10, 2001, 10:54 PM	#13
Kingcreek Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: rural Illinois Posts: 590	Seems I'm not alone in my good luck! Fortune smiles upon each of us sometime