Another new aqcuisition: Ithaca Model 37T

[OnTheFly]

Greetings,

I have been passed down an Ithaca Model 37T manufactured in 1946.  Is it safe to fire modern day rounds in this gun assuming it is in good mechanical order?

Thanks,
Fly

[Dan W]

As long as it does not have a Damascus Twist barrel, and it is in good condition, I would not have a problem firing modern loads through it, but I might avoid any high brass magnums

[OnTheFly]

As long as it does not have a Damascus Twist barrel...

One more time in english...seriously though, how do I determine whether it is or is not?

Thanks,
Fly

[FarmerRick]

I'm pretty sure it won't have a Damascus steel barrel.  They were phased out by most manufacturers by the early 1900's.

They look like this:



More info:

[Dan W]

Sorry, I was under the impression that some Damascus barrels were still being sold in the 1930's era, but I did not know what manufacturers might have used them that late.

[OnTheFly]

While those barrels are beautiful (IMHO), I am glad to say that the barrel on my 37T looks nothing like that.  Just to be safe, I have an email in to Ithaca gun technicians asking about whether there is ammo which I should not put through it. 

Next question for you shotgun folks.  Since it is a full choke, is there a shell loading I could shoot in it to make it disperse the shot more than a full choke normally would?  I would like to hunt with it, but I don't want to modify the barrel.  So I was hoping different ammo might do the trick.  Also, an acquaintance told me that if I dropped a dime in the action and it fell all the way out the muzzle end, it was "shot out" and was no longer a full choke.  Fortunately/unfortunately, the gun is in great shape and the dime stopped just short of falling out the business end of the shotgun.

Fly

[Dan W]

The dime trick is a farce. The only way I know of to accurately determine choke constriction is to use a barrel mike and measure the bore. We do this all the time at the trap club.

Another way would be to pattern the barrel, but it is a lot of work for not so specific results.

There are spreader wads available for reloading. They usually have a post in the center. Cheaper chilled shot(softer lead) loads will spread more than harder magnum high antimony shot due to setback deformities resulting from the ride down the barrel. The problem with all this though is the effect is  different with each barrel/load combination.

Personally I would use the full choke for everything but quail
 

[OnTheFly]

Thanks Dan,

I was thinking about hunting turkey and maybe pheasant...not quail.  I'm assuming you said no quail because a full choke shotgun might disintegrate the bird or at least render it inedible?  Or is it because I would have a harder time hitting a smaller target with a narrow spread of shot?

Sorry for all the questions, but I don't know diddly about hunting.  Okay...maybe slightly more than diddly, but not much.

Fly

[Dan W]

  I'm assuming you said no quail because a full choke shotgun might disintegrate the bird or at least render it inedible?  Or is it because I would have a harder time hitting a smaller target with a narrow spread of shot?

 
Fly

BOTH!