I am the 3rd to own this 37 Featherlight 12ga. My Grandfather bought it in ‘56, my Dad hunted it for years and now it currently sits at the FFL for me to pick up tomorrow. I couldn’t be more excited to have it and to use it - to own it...my brother is gonna be pi$$ed

The issue. My dad has reported a bulge in the barrel. Going to have the Smith evaluate and verify Dad’s report, but no reason to believe it doesn’t have a bulge. I know a direct replacement will be a challenge to find.

Here is what I hope your collective wisdom can help me with:
1. Do I begin the search for a direct fit barrel or donor gun with a serviceable barrel and have the Smith fit it
2. Send it to Ithaca to have them retrofit to the modern barrel - very invasive, I know
3. Open to other suggestions

I know there are cheaper ways to pulling a trigger but I want to pull this one. I want to re-live freezing my a$$ off as a kid, soaked to the bone, sitting in the blind with both great men with this gun now in my hand.

This gun is not a gun case queen. It has earned every nick, scrape, and gouge - each one a story I probably heard while the adults played cards (and I dried out). It may not have much monitory value, I’m not worried about that.

Thanks in advance for advice on how this kid can shoot Grandpas gun. I’m all ears!

It somewhat depends the size and location of the bulge. Have it evaluated by a good smith. You may be able to use it as is. Also talk to Les Hovencamp, former repair shop foreman at the IGC., to talk about replacement barrels.

Ithacanut - thank you. I appreciate your response and will try and navigate this new tool of wisdom to reach out to your referral or I’ll use the Google to try and locate contact info.

Like stated above it depends on where and how bad. If it is at the end perhaps cutting it off and installing choke tubes? Les Hovencamp is the owner of Diamond Gun Smithing in Ithaca NY. More or less just works on Ithaca Gun products. As far as a new style barrel I had this done to a gun by the current Ithaca in Ohio. I am happy with the results.

There's plain 12 ga used barrels out there if you need one. Talk to Les and he may have one and can fit it for you. He will need the whole gun shipped to him. Good luck.

Update!

Thank you all for your advice and ideas, it is appreciated.

I called Les this morning and he has a barrel on hand! I will be shipping it to him as soon as get the gun from the FFL which should be tomorrow. After completing the paperwork yesterday I’m now in line to be processed (#987 in line).

Again, thank you all for your input. Without you I would be on a wild goose chase. You made a wet and cold kid happy!

And with that legacy Ithaca, you’re going to stay happy.

This is awesome. Good luck, I hope the repair goes well.

It’s done! Couldn’t be happier. No rounds through it yet...but soon.

So what happened?

Got in touch with Les - great guy. Pretty mater of fact (which I appreciate) and he sounds like the legend he apparently is. Shipped him the shotgun in late August and got it back today.

When I first talked to him and told my problem he said I’ve got the barrel you need right here. We talked numbers and I jumped on it. Asked if he wanted a deposit or for me to pay for it and he said - no I’ll put your name on it and if I don’t see the gun in a month I’ll sell it to someone else. That type of service is rare today but was glad to get.

Told him I wasn’t going to hunt it this year so get the hunters guns out first. He fit a new(old) barrel and repaired the stock and few other bits and bobs.

When I told my dad grandpa’s gun was going to get fixed he was over the moon. Each time I would talk to him on Sunday afternoon he would ask for an update. After I told him - hadn’t gotten it back yet - he would tell me another story or two about the hunting trips it had been on or about so and so that had fallen into the water or lost a boot in the mud. He also reminded me that when I was little that I got blue paint all over it screwing around one day and how there are still specks of blue paint on wounds on the stock. I had blocked that memory out because of the hell I caught that day. 30+ years later the blue paint is still there, and is going to stay there.

It’s done and I owe all of you a big thank you for that. If it wasn’t for you guys offering up your knowledge to a stranger that took a chance to post here who knows what would have happened. So THANK YOU!

Keep your hands warm and your powder dry and if you see a faint glow in the dark and murky mist next fall it’s my teeth from the big a$$ grin on my face waiting for shooting time - then it’s game on birds, grandpa’s gonna be back with a vengeance by way of this old 37.

Major OK!! Thanks for the update.
Walt

Great story, great ending.

"Keep your hands warm and your powder dry and if you see a faint glow in the dark and murky mist next fall it’s my teeth from the big a$$ grin on my face waiting for shooting time - then it’s game on birds, grandpa’s gonna be back with a vengeance by way of this old 37."


Perfectly stated. I am sure your dad will enjoy hearing about the new exploits of Grandpa's Model 37! With modern Bismuth shells, there is nothing that can't be hunted effectively with that gun. Well done!

I like happy endings.
Les @ Diamond Gunsmithing has my M 37 that dad bought me. I sent it to King Ferry Ithaca for a new barrel and wood. Hindsight I wish I'd of known Les. But Les has it now with a Deerslayer barrel
I acquired and I have a finger grooved forend.

Can you post some pictures of the finished gun?

Sounds like my Deluxe

I will proudly post pictures. Thanks for asking!

Stand by on the picture tying to figure that part out

Let's see if I figured it out...ok not me, but my teenage daughter

Nice!

Yes that's where I'm going. I started a thread on the modification.

I had a 20 as well as a 16 37 with that finger groove forend, and really liked it. My 37 was bought in 1969 when I was 16 but was made in 1959, must have been sitting in the rack for 10 years. I could never understand why my shotgun didn't have the interchangeable barrels until I found out when it was made.

King Ferry put some nice wood on my 37 but I do not like the "Supreme" forend.

Very nice story and glad it turned out well. I actually have three, mine from 1979, my Dad's and my Grandpops.