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Old May 14, 2001, 12:39 PM   #1
Big Bear
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I bought an Ithaca model 37 riot gun (police trade-in) off a member of this board, and when I got it I found that the buttstock was cracked right behind the top of the receiver and a big chunk of wood had come off the top. (He didn't tell me about that but that's another story). It looks like it may be repairable using a wood epoxy. I have a buddy of mine who's good with this sort of thing working on it now, and we may refinish/restore it.

So I started looking for other Ithaca model 37s and buttstocks and I found several for sale with cracked buttstocks and one for sale "as is" with no buttstock. Does anyone know if this is a common problem for these shotguns... maybe from being dinged going in and out of a police cruiser??? or maybe from being dropped??? I haven't noticed... say... Remington 870s for sale with cracked buttstocks but then I haven't really been looking either. I suppose I could put a polymer stock on it but I prefer the classic look of the original wood stock and the ringtail forend. Thanks.
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Old May 14, 2001, 03:34 PM   #2
Romulus
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It might simply be the design of the receiver and how recoil forces are transmitted to the stock. Bear with me a second:

I used to own a Savage 55 autoloader. The receiver looked identical to the Ithaca's. The angle at which the receiver is notched at the back where it meets the wood is the same. Savage 55s where notorious for cracking like you describe...it's gotta be the receiver's design, and has nothing to do with things being dropped.

I have an Ithaca 87, haven't shot it enough to verify this theory...
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Old May 14, 2001, 05:09 PM   #3
Harley Nolden
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Big Bear:
I think possibly the age of the shotgun may have a bearing and also if it was used as a police trade in could also have a bearing on the cracked stock. The chunk from the top sounds like it may have been dropped, or badly stored, possibly in the trunk of a squad car. These stocks are easily replaced with after market stocks or semi inletted stocks. This is not a normal situation regarding the Ithaca, as many of them, even today, do not have cracked stocks is they are treated and maintained correctly.

If the crack is length-wise, this could be due to dry rot. If the crack is cross grain then physical abuse could be the problem. "Jap Slapped a Perpatrator."

In my opinion the 37 is one of the better older shotguns and if it were mine I'd do it or have it restocked. I don't know what price you paid, but it sounds as though you bought it right.

HJN
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Old May 14, 2001, 05:48 PM   #4
Dave McC
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I can recall a number of agency shotguns, mostly 870s with cracked stocks. Some from abuse, some use, and some from the rather strenous clearing drill the Flextab makes redundant.

I'd either get a new stock or epoxy the old one back together. No big thing either way, IMO.

I've put a couple back together with Duco 5 minute epoxy, follow the instructions and you'll do fine...
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Old May 14, 2001, 11:19 PM   #5
Badger Arms
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From an Ithaca Collector:

It's a little abuse and alot poor design. The first thing I look for on an Ithaca is the cracks in the buttstock. The fore-end also cracks on top but that is rarely a problem. The problem is complicated by the light weight of the Ithaca gun which causes more back-thrust on the buttstock. There's really nothing you can do but repair it and live with it. You can buy new stocks but those are pricey.
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Old May 15, 2001, 11:42 AM   #6
Big Bear
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Thanks for your help, guys. This shotgun isn't pretty but it is attractive in a utilitarian sort of way. I guess it's like some people can see beauty in a scrub desert or a beat up old M1 Garand. I suspected this problem might not be uncommon.

I got a pretty good deal on it, $165 plus $55 for shipping, dealer transfer fee, and California DROS. Well, the extra costs weren't such a good deal but the only way around that was for me to go down to Florida and pick it up myself.

I think the stock will be fine once it's repaired. I priced some new stocks and man-o-man they're not cheap! $70 for a buttstock and $56 for a forend! I think I'll keep my ugly stocks. I'm going to shoot the damned thing, not enter it into any beauty contests. I might shoot a round or two of skeet with it just for fun. Slamfire doubles? Oughta be fun knocking down steel plates too.
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Old June 3, 2001, 04:59 AM   #7
Big Bear
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she's done...

My buddy finished repairing and refinishing the stocks and she came out lookin' great, almost new. You can't tell where the stock was cracked, even looking real close.

He showed me a trick he used. He collected the sawdust from sanding the stock and mixed it with Elmer's wood glue to make a sort of paste to fill in the dings and chips in the wood. The deeper dings were steamed out and lightly sanded and filled with the glue/sawdust mixture. After a good sanding and a few coats of linseed oil, the stocks look great! I put it all back together and rubbed down the metal with an oily patch, and this shotgun looks pretty darned good for a 35 year old police trade-in!

I thought about reparkerizing it with one of those do-it-yourself kits, but for now I'm just going to shoot it and enjoy it!
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Old June 3, 2001, 08:59 AM   #8
Dave McC
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BB, thanks for the update. Sounds like a nice shooter....
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Old June 3, 2001, 12:46 PM   #9
Badger Arms
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Big Bear:

Stay away from any refinishing job. Your blued gun will give you decades of service even if you start with one that's only 50% faded.
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