Need some help Ben

[Dave Grubb]

I am working on one of my daughters Model 37 Ithaca 12 ga.

It jammed with a spent shell in the chamber. When I got it the slide was partially back. I have now cleared the chamber and the slide seems to move normally but I cannot move the slide release button on the side of the trigger guard. I have to pull the trigger to return the bolt.

I have done all the "normal" things and find nothing about this on the internet nor YouTube videos. I also have the "Field Maintenance Instructions", all 20 pages and that goes through tearing down the bolt---but never a word about the release.

If you have ever had this problem, I would surely love to have your advice

I have to say---taking these down makes my Model 12s a joy in comparison.

[Dave Grubb]

Never mind Ben---but thank you anyway

When I got it apart--it didn't take long to find the problem nor to fix the problem. The catch that sticks up to block the slide when the trigger is coked got a little burr on it--just enough to catch on the side of the slot that it retreats into. A few minutes with a gunsmith's most valuable tools---a big collection of files, and life is good again

I have no idea, and can see no apparent cause, for the burr, but since this one probably took 80 years to develop someone else will have to worry about the next one

What caused the original jam---I'm not sure but the gun is very dry--a problem I will fix on reassembly.

[Truckman]

Never mind Ben---but thank you anyway

My work here is done......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

...and it was a fine job you did

[UTAH]

Reminds me of a working fail moment. I was sporting a new 9mm and a friend asked to see it. So, I unloaded it and handed it to him. He says, "Watch this!" - as he loads in a cartridge and then purposefully jams the weapon. I was pissed and told him that if he scarred the ramp he'd be buying me a new ramp. Fortunately, that was the only time my weapon jammed. And, that "friend" is long gone.

Hunter

[TriGuy]

Reminds me of a working fail moment. I was sporting a new 9mm and a friend asked to see it. So, I unloaded it and handed it to him. He says, "Watch this!" - as he loads in a cartridge and then purposefully jams the weapon. I was pissed and told him that if he scarred the ramp he'd be buying me a new ramp. Fortunately, that was the only time my weapon jammed. And, that "friend" is long gone.

Hunter

Kind of why no one gets to shoot my bow. Way too easy to have it get away on you with a 60 pound draw

[Honda]

Reminds me of a working fail moment. I was sporting a new 9mm and a friend asked to see it. So, I unloaded it and handed it to him. He says, "Watch this!" - as he loads in a cartridge and then purposefully jams the weapon. I was pissed and told him that if he scarred the ramp he'd be buying me a new ramp. Fortunately, that was the only time my weapon jammed. And, that "friend" is long gone.

Hunter

I apologize in advance for my remarks, but you lost a friend over a scarred ramp and you are totally supporting the guy who is going to take the gun away from you. Incredulous.

[Dave Grubb]

Reminds me of a working fail moment. I was sporting a new 9mm and a friend asked to see it. So, I unloaded it and handed it to him. He says, "Watch this!" - as he loads in a cartridge and then purposefully jams the weapon. I was pissed and told him that if he scarred the ramp he'd be buying me a new ramp. Fortunately, that was the only time my weapon jammed. And, that "friend" is long gone.

Hunter

At one period of time in Korea I ended up baby sitting a 2nd LT---don't ask why me---I never understood it myself In any event, one day we were in the ops building at our "base" camp. I was doing paper work and he was playing with his newly issued 45. I carried a 45 all the time and he thought that was cool so he prevailed on someone to do the same. My "charge" required full time watching, but my attention was temporarily on my paper work and unbeknownst to me he decided to disassemble his new "toy". He immediately put a hole in the roof of the ops building. The sound of a 45 unexpectedly going off in a closed building is not something you would miss!

Some pictures of both the base camp and from our work site, looking into North Korea are below. Camp Alamo was the most northern US outpost. Our work site looked down on the DMZ. We were constantly harassed by NK line crossers. I carried both the 45 and an M1 Carbine in my jeep. The road in the foreground, of the second picture, is in NK. To the left is "Pork Chop Hill"--famous for two battles during the "not a war".

[wacojoe]

Heard it tended to be a bit chilly there in the winter. I heard a veteran of the “not a war” say that troops always saved a bit of wizz so that in the event of a swarm attack they could piss on the frozen action of their M1’s to get them warm enough to operate. Don’t know if that was apocryphal or not.

I thought I was going to have to use that technique once when someone convinced me to go goose hunting, and I found myself lying in a field waiting for the critters in what felt like 100 below zero with a fresh north wind!

[Dave Grubb]

It did get cold but not a lot worse than we have in PA. The summers were worse, including a monsoon that brought seemingly endless rains and humidity.

I never heard that about M-1s. It could be true but I found them extremely dependable in basic training. After basic training it was all M-14's in Korea. It is possible, that the M-1s apparent tolerance of all things bad could have been caused by clearances opened up to the extreme after decades of use.

I was very careful to maintain both of my issued and carried weapons----I never knew when I would encounter a line crosser.

To the living conditions---below is an inside view of our "hutch" or officially called a Quonset hut. The heaters in the aisle were fired by a jerrycan of diesel fuel hung on the side. When it would get really cold we would alternate turning one off, letting it cool and then "flooding" the fire box before we lite it off It would roar---the sides would bulge and the entire thing would glow red---and for a little bit of time you could get a taste of warmth. Probably in the overall heat input we lost---but at least on one side of us we could feel warmer

[Truckman]

To the living conditions---below is an inside view of our "hutch" or officially called a Quonset hut.

Here's a view of my Dad's Quonset hut on Attu...Unfortunately the only parts visible before the spring thaw are the entry door 30 feet above the ground and the top of the stovepipe of the mess hall behind his hut...Dad said spring arrived on a Wednesday that year, and autumn began the following Monday...The entry door seen is the top of the escape tower they built because that's how high the snow drifted in the winter...They insulated the inside with stacks of duffel bags filled with clothing, rags, towels and blankets...The Aleuts call Attu the "birthplace of the winds"......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

They were truly like living in a cave---and no there was no plumbing in them---I would guess your Dad's was the same. As a kid we didn't have indoor plumbing until I was about 5 or 6, so that was not a new "adventure" for me---but everyone else had never had that experience and they didn't seem to think they were better for having the experience

The good news for your Dad, the snow was an insulator---without it things would have been much much worse

[Truckman]

The good news for your Dad, the snow was an insulator---without it things would have been much much worse

Yes, Dad and his unit were lucky enough to be blessed with all the insulation they could ever want...He was in the Quartermaster Corps, and is pictured below modeling the latest beachwear newly arrived in inventory on a balmy spring day......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

Not only did they have good insulation---there wasn't a whole lot of shooting going on

Must have been a bitch when the spring thaw finally showed up and all the leaks along with it.

The snow had to be somewhat of a culture shock for a Texas boy

One of the worst things about the monsoon season in Korea was the frogs---frogs everywhere---it was difficult to walk without stepping on them. The darn things would even get in the shower