I have my dads old ithaca model 51 featherlight 12g mod barrel that is ballooning at the end. I shot steel shot duck hunting a few years back and it caused the barrel to swell, just before the end of the barrel. Does anyone know what i can do with this shotgun to make it shootable again. I have been looking for a replacement barrel, but i can't seem to find one. Can the swollen end be cut off, by a gunsmith, and another kind of choke be threaded into the barrel ? Or should i just have the barrel shortened just before the swollen area, making it more like a imp cyl barrel.

Take it to a gunsmith. A lot of times the barrel is just bulged in that spot and can still be shot, not with steel shot but lead should be fine.

You can also have the barrel cut and fitted with choke tubes pretty easily for less than $150.

Try this website for a replacement barrel-www.corsonsbarrels.com or you can shorten the barrel & have a cutts compensator choke installed.I had a cutts installed on my model 37.

Go look on EBay for a new barrel, under the Reloading section and then Gun Parts. Might get lucky. I'd also look in a weekly newspaper publication called Shotgun News.
Depending on how much barrel you'll lose, I'd prolly have tha barrel cut back and screw in chokes put in it. Mc Clellands in east Dallas, Jupiter & Centrville Rd, did a screw in choke job on a Ithaca 37 of mine years ago, and it came out perfect. Ithaca's have Roto forged barrels ...meaning that the barrels are made extremely thin but extremely consistent in barrel wall thickness unlike anything else on the market...and why you bulged the barrel with the steel shot. Because of the excellent consistency of the barrel wall thickness, Ithaca's are a good candidate for screw in chokes. If you have a vent rib it will also have to be addressed when the barrel is cut back. Me myself and I have never been able to shoot a shotgun with a corn cob looking cutts compensator on the end of it...I just cannot see over it, around it or under it but then thats just me.
Good luck.
Ron

Quote:

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Ithaca's have Roto forged barrels ...meaning that the barrels are made extremely thin but extremely consistent in barrel wall thickness unlike anything else on the market...

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You have to watch the serial numbers. The older Ithaca shotguns had a different thread pitch that the ones with the ROTO-FORGED barrels. I have one of the older ones with a barrel that has been cut off and I can't find a replacement any where.
How much did it cost you to have the screw in chokes done?

MC

Been toooo long ago and I don't have a clue. It was cheaper than another barrel for sure but I did it to get a selection of chokes like an Imp Mod, straight Cyl for shooting slugs or Turkey Full all on the 26" barreled Imp Cyl fixed choke barrel.
Ron

Carlsons charges $85.00 including three tubes.

http://www.choketube.com/

That website said nothing about ithaca !!

With that Ithica, you'll also have to watch the bolt carrier. The rails have a tendency to break and the only sure fix is a replacement. I had one that was a great, great gun but finally gave up on it because of the carrier.

Are you interested in selling your gun? Skeets in tahlequah OK can probably fix you up on the barrel. Hes been there for over 30 years , thats were I send anything shotgun barrel wise hes great. 918-456-4749 Skeets Gun Shop.

It was my dads, but he gave it to me when his uncle passed away, and left him a remington 1100 20ga. I shot it for years till the duck hunting trip that bulged the barrel. I'd like to just get it fixed, and start useing it again. I had it reblued just before the duck hunting trip too by a professional gunsmith.

The model 51 was my first shotgun I shot skeet with and hunted birds with. I regretably sold it and now want another one to let my kids start out with. Good luck with your barrel hunt.