A 1953 16ga model 37

drcook · March 18, 2013, 05:18 PM

Some of you have probably seen this on the other shotgun forums, but I have to share.....

Well I found a 1953 model 37 16ga on gunbroker. I was specifically buying it for the magazine nut. It has a polychoke barrel on it and had a cruddy looking recoil pad (notice the had).

Well this turns out to be one of the proverbial blind pigs gets an ear of corn sometimes story.

Yes the stock was cut, no the barrel ser nbr doesn't match the receiver, but yes it has been professionally fitted.

The absolutely best part ? It will fit my wife perfectly. With the recoil pad off, the length of pull will be just perfect once I add a butt plate back on. The barrel length is the same as the youth model 1100 20 gauge I bought her. The weight is actually a couple ounces less than the 1100.

With the polychoke being able to be adjusted up to "extra-full" this is going to be her turkey gun. I will have to refinish the buttstock and get the barrel blued, BUT the receiver is pristine, the action is super tight. I might just get a bottle/tube of a good cold blue.

I measured the action and I think I will be able to adapt a B-Square saddle mount to mount a scope. I WILL NOT drill and tap this old action. I will have to make a spacer for the top. I fiddled while Rome burned and let an old style (new old stock) B-Square Ithaca scope mount get away from me for 25.00 on eBay the other day. If you snooze you lose.

I was going to strip it down for parts. I bought a late model receiver. It is actually brand new ! I was going to swap the parts over so that I could build myself a gun with a late model barrel from Ithaca seeing as they wanted too much to customize a foreend for me. I just decided to build a gun and buy the barrel.

I am going to steal the magazine nut to put on my 1949 solid rib gun. It will be all the way back to what it should be then. Now I am going to have to look for another parts gun. There is one on gunbroker but the guy is smoking crack and wants 200.00 for an action with no barrel or buttstock. Sort of like the guy here in Ohio wanting 690.00 for a run of the mill 16ga gun. Crack went and damaged their brains I think.

If anyone has the entire set internals, foreend slide and mag tube that they want to part with for a reasonable amount let me know.

If you can't tell from all my posts lately, I suffer from gunnerhea. I don't drink, smoke or chase women. Guns are my bad habit. Been that way since I was a child. I can work on them a little at a time and put them down until I get going again. I got hurt really bad and can't golf, throw a ball, go bowling, ski, do a lot of things that the rest of you can do, but I can still work on these old guns (within reason). These old shotguns and BPCR rifles give me a hobby that I can do.

I ONLY PAID $157.00 for this gun !!!! I had to stick it on a credit card but I just couldn't let this one get away. My wife has been really good with letting me restore that other one that I have been posting about. I learned a long time ago, that if I want to continue my addiction, get my wife involved in it. She wants to go turkey hunting with me, so this is the perfect opportunity to build her up a really nice shotgun that will be just hers ! Over the last few years she took care of me with the different surgeries and such, that I try and make/build/get things that are just hers. She is my shooting partner in BPCR, my spotter, my hunting partner.

Here is the gun next to my wife's youth model 20ga Remington 1100. As you can see, it is sized just perfect.

drcook · March 18, 2013, 05:20 PM

shortwave · March 19, 2013, 09:01 AM

Sometimes one persons sows ear is another's purse.

Congrats on your nice find...

...and keep doing those old guns justice.

By the way, you are very fortunate to have a hunting/shooting partner in your wife.

drcook · March 19, 2013, 02:49 PM

I am going to start stripping the buttstock today. I bought a NOS (New Old Stock) Ithaca buttplate off eBay. The checkering is real good, will hardly need to touch it up. The action and other parts only need a couple spot of cold blue but the barrel does need reblued. I'll get it polished out and reblued when the 1948 goes for its bluing job.

This gun has a new magazine spring in it. Maybe someone had it resprung ? Usually the mag springs in these old guns are a little rusty and need oiled.

I have my dad's old Savage 77 20ga. But it feels like a fence post compared to the Ithacas. I also have his old Savage 16ga semi-auto that was a knockoff of the Browning without the square back, sort of has a hump.

Maybe I should name it Igor. (that is pronounced eye-gor, hump, what hump)..

March 18, 2013, 05:18 PM	#1
drcook Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2009 Posts: 285	A 1953 16ga model 37 Some of you have probably seen this on the other shotgun forums, but I have to share..... Well I found a 1953 model 37 16ga on gunbroker. I was specifically buying it for the magazine nut. It has a polychoke barrel on it and had a cruddy looking recoil pad (notice the had). Well this turns out to be one of the proverbial blind pigs gets an ear of corn sometimes story. Yes the stock was cut, no the barrel ser nbr doesn't match the receiver, but yes it has been professionally fitted. The absolutely best part ? It will fit my wife perfectly. With the recoil pad off, the length of pull will be just perfect once I add a butt plate back on. The barrel length is the same as the youth model 1100 20 gauge I bought her. The weight is actually a couple ounces less than the 1100. With the polychoke being able to be adjusted up to "extra-full" this is going to be her turkey gun. I will have to refinish the buttstock and get the barrel blued, BUT the receiver is pristine, the action is super tight. I might just get a bottle/tube of a good cold blue. I measured the action and I think I will be able to adapt a B-Square saddle mount to mount a scope. I WILL NOT drill and tap this old action. I will have to make a spacer for the top. I fiddled while Rome burned and let an old style (new old stock) B-Square Ithaca scope mount get away from me for 25.00 on eBay the other day. If you snooze you lose. I was going to strip it down for parts. I bought a late model receiver. It is actually brand new ! I was going to swap the parts over so that I could build myself a gun with a late model barrel from Ithaca seeing as they wanted too much to customize a foreend for me. I just decided to build a gun and buy the barrel. I am going to steal the magazine nut to put on my 1949 solid rib gun. It will be all the way back to what it should be then. Now I am going to have to look for another parts gun. There is one on gunbroker but the guy is smoking crack and wants 200.00 for an action with no barrel or buttstock. Sort of like the guy here in Ohio wanting 690.00 for a run of the mill 16ga gun. Crack went and damaged their brains I think. If anyone has the entire set internals, foreend slide and mag tube that they want to part with for a reasonable amount let me know. If you can't tell from all my posts lately, I suffer from gunnerhea. I don't drink, smoke or chase women. Guns are my bad habit. Been that way since I was a child. I can work on them a little at a time and put them down until I get going again. I got hurt really bad and can't golf, throw a ball, go bowling, ski, do a lot of things that the rest of you can do, but I can still work on these old guns (within reason). These old shotguns and BPCR rifles give me a hobby that I can do. I ONLY PAID $157.00 for this gun !!!! I had to stick it on a credit card but I just couldn't let this one get away. My wife has been really good with letting me restore that other one that I have been posting about. I learned a long time ago, that if I want to continue my addiction, get my wife involved in it. She wants to go turkey hunting with me, so this is the perfect opportunity to build her up a really nice shotgun that will be just hers ! Over the last few years she took care of me with the different surgeries and such, that I try and make/build/get things that are just hers. She is my shooting partner in BPCR, my spotter, my hunting partner. Here is the gun next to my wife's youth model 20ga Remington 1100. As you can see, it is sized just perfect.

March 18, 2013, 05:20 PM	#2
drcook Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2009 Posts: 285	The rest of the pics

March 19, 2013, 09:01 AM	#3
shortwave Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2007 Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO Posts: 5,970	Sometimes one persons sows ear is another's purse. Congrats on your nice find... ...and keep doing those old guns justice. By the way, you are very fortunate to have a hunting/shooting partner in your wife.

March 19, 2013, 02:49 PM	#4
drcook Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2009 Posts: 285	I am going to start stripping the buttstock today. I bought a NOS (New Old Stock) Ithaca buttplate off eBay. The checkering is real good, will hardly need to touch it up. The action and other parts only need a couple spot of cold blue but the barrel does need reblued. I'll get it polished out and reblued when the 1948 goes for its bluing job. This gun has a new magazine spring in it. Maybe someone had it resprung ? Usually the mag springs in these old guns are a little rusty and need oiled. I have my dad's old Savage 77 20ga. But it feels like a fence post compared to the Ithacas. I also have his old Savage 16ga semi-auto that was a knockoff of the Browning without the square back, sort of has a hump. Maybe I should name it Igor. (that is pronounced eye-gor, hump, what hump)..