Ithaca 37 16ga featherweight question

A discussion about Turkey guns, rifles, black powder, handguns, chokes, cleaning, and accessories.
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Turkinator
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Ithaca 37 16ga featherweight question

Post by Turkinator »

I’m looking at one and wondering if any on here have ever had choke tubes installed in one. Not sure of the barrel thickness, it’s ribbed and has a polychoke installed. If I buy it I want to cut that ugly thing off, shorten the barrel and have tubes installed.
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Re: Ithaca 37 16ga featherweight question

Post by decoykrvr »

The original Polychoke is ugly, but before you cut it off, run several loads through it. I've seen some great patterns w/ a Polychoke which was the precursor of current screw in choke systems. I've got an old Mossberg bolt action shotgun which has a Polychoke , and when I first started evaluating it was very surprised by the efficacy of the early technology. It's still ugly though. I love the Ithaca 37's, and currently have 6, and the older guns had thick barrel walls which may support choke tube installation. Before the advent of removable tubes, I had Jeff Bansner sleeve one of my 37's w/ a .665, long internal choke for turkeys which produces great patterns
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Re: Ithaca 37 16ga featherweight question

Post by Hoobilly »

I have one that I had cut down and threaded for chokes

It’s a model 87 barrel and I put it on my 37. It actually took Remchoke. Some will only do winchoke
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Re: Ithaca 37 16ga featherweight question

Post by Turkinator »

decoykrvr wrote: September 16th, 2022, 7:22 pm The original Polychoke is ugly, but before you cut it off, run several loads through it. I've seen some great patterns w/ a Polychoke which was the precursor of current screw in choke systems. I've got an old Mossberg bolt action shotgun which has a Polychoke , and when I first started evaluating it was very surprised by the efficacy of the early technology. It's still ugly though. I love the Ithaca 37's, and currently have 6, and the older guns had thick barrel walls which may support choke tube installation. Before the advent of removable tubes, I had Jeff Bansner sleeve one of my 37's w/ a .665, long internal choke for turkeys which produces great patterns
may very well but I can’t stand the things.
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Re: Ithaca 37 16ga featherweight question

Post by Hognutz »

I hear that! Like having a corn cob hanging on the end of the barrel. Fuuugly!
Maybe effective but too ugly to look at.
I had a girlfriend like that, once.
May I assume you're not here to inquire about the alcohol or the tobacco?
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Re: Ithaca 37 16ga featherweight question

Post by GLS »

Be careful threading the earlier models, those that were made prior to the 87 series. The barrels are thinner and I've heard of problems due to the thinness. Some of the ones with Polychoke left the Ithaca NY factory with them installed. I have M37s in all gauges. I plan on shooting my 28 ga. today on dove. Over 40 years ago, my first turkey gun was a 12 gauge with screw in choke by Stan Baker who swelled the muzzle to avoid losing metal. The earlier guns attribute their lower weight partially to thinner barrels. My 16s were made in 1949, '57 and '59. The '49 is the solid ribbed model weighing 6.5 lbs. The other two, 6.25.
The Upper Sandusky guns have thicker barrels and come with screw-ins. Consequently, they are tubs compared with the early guns. My 20s range from first year's 5.75 lbs to 6 lbs. The one made in 1942 has a solid rib and is 6 lbs. The 1939 got weight down by a factory hollowed stock. I gave my Upper Sandusky Turkey Slayer to a lifelong friend who was just starting to turkey hunt. Seven pounds wasn't my idea of a 20 ga. turkey gun. Gil
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Re: Ithaca 37 16ga featherweight question

Post by decoykrvr »

Back in the early 80's when Mark Bansner cut and sleeved my King Ferry, 3", model 37, for turkey hunting, he commented that he felt that the only choke system which might work on my gun would be a thin-walled Colonial choke system. Mark advised me that he knew the results and patterns w/ his .665 sleeving, but that the Colonial system would be iffy at best.
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