Plain ( non ribbed) shotguns trap/birds?
 

I just picked a sweet old Ithaca M37 in nice condition. Ive had a few of these in the past but I always wanted a real old one w/ the ring tailed forend. anyway I wanna use this gun for trap and maybe some ducks (on a really nice day) but it just has a plain 28"barrel choked to MOD, all the guns Ive used for trap and birds have had ribbed barrels , are plain barrels harder to swing and aim? it feels kinda front light and Im thinking w/out the rib it should hit high? How do you guys think this thing will do at the range? Thanks

I've shot sporting clays with an old double barrel. Once I got used to it I was able to hit about as consistently as everybody else using automatics and O/U's. Though I just do it for fun and not serious.

SxS? did it have a rib down the middle?

It will hit right where you point it, wont shoot high or low.
When shooting clays it will probably work better for you shooting low gun instead of a pre mount.

Congrats on the purchase of a great gun!

If one can afford it....send it to Scott Carlson at (Carlson chokes) in Atwood Kansas to have the barrel cut to the length you want and have screw in chokes installed. Then on to Simmons to have a rib installed.

It makes for a spendy shotgun but a seriously fine gun in the end.

Thanks guys , I cant wait to get out and shoot this thing, the action is so slick and I cant get over how clean it is. the serial # is in the600000s im gonna look up its age. the only thing thats kinda buggin me is the previous owner installed a tang sight:confused2: I guess for slug use, kinda looks outta place to me, but it folds down and out of the way so no biggie. Ill take some pics and post later.

my model 50 winchesters dont have a rib...theyve both shot more point of aim and center than my screw in chokes and vent rib guns...just looked at my 30" full choked m50 patterns..it shots dead center and the majority of the pattern is high at 20yds i think it was...


i dont know what it is about the m50..but its "my gun" my buddies know when i got that thing in my hands and they hear it fire, i likely killed somethin if i had half a decent shot..its just "that gun" for me...i dont know if its the plain barrel(only shotgun i shoot that has a plain barrel) stock, or what....

but, i am a natural wing shooter...not tooting my own horn..im far from great, but i can kill movin critters if i got a good shot..its just really natural to me...moving targets with a rifle and pistol are the same thing..i can just point shoot well...

ive limited on grouse with my 21" 870 turkey gun (mod choke and grouse loads..) so maybe it aint the gun...i dont know...

but the plain barrel dont bother me none...

some pics of the new old shotty , this thing is so clean you can eat off it.barrel and receiver match too. I dated it back to around 1956-57!
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Looks real good congrats! Now get out and shoot it!

Thanks! trap range opens next month cant wait! Maybe even some CQC w/ a long beard in may????

It has a short rib but not much. I also have used my old Winchester pump. For the double barrel I put on a adjustable recoil pad so I could adjust the angle it sits when I shoulder it and it made a big difference.

The shotgun appears to be in great shape. At one time the model 37 was considered to be the backbone of Ithaca Gun. I live about 30 min from the old Plant in Ithaca and my grandfather worked there for 30 years. Who know, he may have been the one that built yours. Congrats on owning a fine shotgun.

Thanks FA. your gramps does good work!:happy0001:

Sweet. Just get out and practice with it. You will have fun regardless. I picked up a nice 37 early 80s production a few months back, ribbed barrel and slug barrel, in your condition. Lovin it!

That is a really nice M37. I have a 16ga from 1959 that is looks just like it.

Unless you really like a vent ribbed gun the plain barrel should not be much of an issue. They just seem to point so well.

The tang sight sounds like the previous owner might have shot a slug or to out of it???

Something you might not be aware of. The guns of this era barrels do not inter change. So I might consider opening up the choke, I would do this before I cut down the barrel a couple of inches for tubes.But that is just me.

The thing is the gun is yours do what you like.

That's not a "Sweet 16" is it?

If you mean this one here , no. Its a 12ga. I actually bought it instead of a decent 37 next to it w/ a rib and IC choke cause this one had a MOD barrel ,figuring it be better for shooting trap.

I still dont know what to do about the tang sight ,I hardly ever shoot slugs anymore, and Im thinking It might be awkward, not to mention a little tacky looking at the range. Im thinking maybe of removing it and sanding that area smooth again and replacing the pad w/ a shorter hard butt plate. Thoughts?

Browning makes the Sweet 16, and it's an autoloader.

I think I would take the peep sight off.

Taking the pad off and replacing it with a hard butt plate depends on how sensitive you are to recoil.

You will not notice the lack of a rib when you shoot it.


You have a great gun there enjoy it.

thanks, i will:)