Ithaca 37

[wldkat]

I have an Ithaca 37 serial # 124,170 and would like to find a compensator for it. It originally had Weaver choke/comp on it, and I am having a heck of a time finding a replacement. Please help!

[Mark]

You don't mean a screw adjustable system like the Polychoke or Cutts Compensator, do you?
Mark

[Mark]

I did a little checking in some reference books. According to George Madis (author of the Winchester book) Weaver chokes were available from about 1950 to 1968.
I checked a 1952 gun digest, and found Weaver chokes listed, available with 6 screw on tube attachments, ranging from XFC (extra full choke) to skeet.
Checking the listing for Ithaca model 37, there was no mention of this model being available from the factory with any variable choke attatchment. Remember this is only 1952.

There were problems with all of the variable choke attachments shooting loose. What I mean to say here is not all shot loose, but all the different brands (Cutts, Power-Pac, Weaver, Polychoke, etc.) were troublesome in staying attached. When you ordered a Winchester model 12 from the factory with one of these adjustable chokes, Winchester had extra steel left at the end of the barrel on the outside diameter. These special barrels were then machined to accept various variable chokes. Those stayed attached.
The problems arose when gunsmiths put these on as an aftermarket item. They didn't have the extra steel the factory did to custom fit the attachment. As a result, the fitting was not as good as a factory job. Screws loosened or sheared off, and eventually the thing either wiggled or when the screws let loose all at once the thing flew off into outer space.

You might try The Gun Parts Company (formerly Numerich Arms), but as these Weaver chokes were only around till about 1968, these could be tough to find.

An alternative idea would be to have modern screw in chokes like the Rem Choke, or Invector, etc. installed in the end of your barrel. Brownells offers a kit for small gunsmith shops that works out well. Perhaps you can find a local guy to do this for you. Otherwise, Briley, or other larger shops can do the job. Depending on your existing barrel length, you could also just cut off the area where the choke was mounted. This is probably a job left to a gunsmith also, so the end of the barrel is square and the front bead can get replaced. The downside of this would be a cylinder choke, really wide open. Depending on what you hunt maybe this would work OK.
Good luck on this.
Mark