I've been a Winchester guy forever. I like Benelli's for autos. I have a Super Black Eagle in 12 and a 20 Montefeltro. For a long time I had Parkers and AH Foxes for birds.

I've had a small Win M-12 collection and lots of them.

I'd heard about the Ithaca M 37 but never knew anyone who owned one.

A a gun show about 6 weeks ago I found one cheap, I've seen used ones in gun shops but not cheap. I had a Mossberg 20 and offered it straight up in trade. I should have known something was not right by the way he ripped the little 20 out of my hand and stuck the Ithaca 12 in it.

I get it home and clean it up, I decided to see how many rounds it held with some dummy cartridges, counting me it held 1 dummy cartridge. Boy i felt foolish, no magazine spring. I ordered one from Ithaca, installed it and a magazine plug. As of yet I had not tried to insert a shell.

I'd read the 37 is supposed to be a smooth action, it wasn't. I took it to the farm to shoot it. Could not load it, the shell lifter was not moving. I did a little twist and got one in the chamber. It looks like a 30" full choke, it drilled a piece of tin.

If you get bored on my getting skunked gun go ahead and leave. If you like misery hang on.

I pulled the non-factory pad to pull the parts out the rear to trouble shoot. The parts fell out on their own.

right now the idea of trading a beautiful and wonderful Mossberg 20 that I had $100 in made me wish I could undo the trade. Years ago I actively searched for these kind of guns so I could fix them up and trade up. It's been so long since I've been snookered in a trade that Reagan was still Gov of California.

So I have these pieces. The one that holds the shells in the tube was frozen and the only one I had to take out.

I cleaned it inside, added new oil and put it back together, dang it's smooth. I took it to the farm and shot it 5 times, smooth, no issues and that full choke pattern is tight. I think I've found an old time turkey gun for this spring. It's a 2 3/4" gun but it is so tight I'm afraid all pellets will go through the turkeys pupil.

Brought it home and sanded down the bubba kill notches on the bbl. I think he may have killed one rabbit or perhaps one possum as there wasn't much blood marks. Cold blued the sanded down areas and it got close to the faded 1976 blue.

I knew bubba had owned this gun, all screws were removed with what looked like a Colonial jack knife but no scratches on the action. I don't know how he missed it. Both of the lock screws were missing.I had not called Ithaca to order until I was sure no more were needed. Oh yeah bubba and his no oil thing had turned the magazine cap with channel locks or perhaps a vise grip to open it. Today I ordered all new screws and a magazine cap nut.

A few weeks ago when I ordered the magazine spring I asked a couple of questions mentioning I had bought bubbas gun and may need more parts. When he asked my phone number to look me up I heard him say, hey the guy that bought bubbas gun is calling back to order stuff. It's nice to be remembered.

Tonight, the little darling pumps smooth, it can be loaded and fired, It is rust free, it is blue, it is waiting on the new screws and cap. Bubba where ever you are , eat your heart out for I turned your sows ear shade tree gunsmithing job back into a silky smooth shotgun. And no you can't borrow it to go kill a mess of Armadillo's for dinner.

It was worth restoring.

But avoid armadillos. They can carry leprosy. Really.

Model 37's can be had in excellent condition for $200-$300

You had a bit of an adventure

Glad it worked out

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Every collection (accumulation) probably needs one troublemaker; does you good staring it down, and all the more satisfying when it behaves.

Good job.

Many moon ago, I had a featherlite M37 in 16 ga. that kicked like the proverbial mule. OK gun (single action bar) but I don't miss it.

I just returned from a visit with my uncle who is the outdoors guy in the family. Around 80 yrs young now but still sharp. I listened to stories for a full day and most centered around dove hunting in Mexico and South America back in the 60s and 70s. I asked him what gun he used, fully expecting him to pull out a couple of side by sides or other semi-exotic guns. He returned with 3 pumps, all Ithaca 37s from various decades. He said he was shooting when his friends were cleaning their autos.

Congrats on your first Model 37,
be warned they tend to multiply especially if you can find a decent Military version, PD long tube or Deer Slayer under $500.
These are not mine but I do have a few...

I always preferred the M37 over the M12 because they were a lot lighter. I thought they were as slick as the M12 and they also didn't have a disconnector. I will admit that they would kick your eye teeth out but I stayed away from them thar high brass shells. Larry

The 37 Ithaca was a design off the Rem 10. All in all a good gun,
the barrel off a 37 used to be worth more than a Mossberg pump.
The only thing with the 37 is it is not best gun for hand loaders.
Ithaca dropped 37 and came out with 87. Just like Rem with
1100 & 1187 didn't go over so well. I to was raised on Win 12s
and Brn A-5s. From time to time some one would bring in the odd
gun, but a Mossberg would have meant expulsion from the family. The 37 is one of the classic shotguns, the last good pump
to go under.

Our PD had a bunch of these in 12 gauge when I was hired back in the 70's. First thing I noticed was the recoil using deer slugs! Wow

Always thought they were dangerous because they will fire when the bolt closes if the trigger is held back.

Still have my dad's model 37 in 20 gauge....I believe it's called the "Featherlight". Always thought this one was weird because there is no ser# on the receiver that I can find.....only on the barrel. Anybody have more info regarding the possible serial number location? I may have just missed it. thanks

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The Model 37 is still available new direct from Ithaca Gun Co.

Yes, it's still available, but that is not the original Ithaca Co.
Remington bought Ithaca and sold off 37 and Trademark. Guns
now being produced here in Ohio. Have not shot one but have herd good reports. Only complaint I hear is high price. There are
lots of originals on used market, nice one can be found in 12 &16
for about half of the price of t he new remake. 20g guns are a little harder to find, and bring a little more. Prices on used 37s
are about equal to Win. M-12s. Which have fallen, unless collector grade. New generation goes for plastic and taticool
shotguns, us old timers who know what a good gun is are dying
off, so is the market for shooter grades in these fine old shotguns. I was at a auction recently, where a nice M-12 went
for $375, the next gun up was a Moss/ camo pump, it went for
$450. That's how things are today with young crowd.

Look at the front edge of receiver right side. It's easy to miss.

Sweet memories I have of deer hunting in western Iowa years ago with my 12 guage Deerslayer. So accurate with Remington 2 3/4 slugs. I sold the gun years ago and my hunting buddy died last year. We hunted all of Guthrie county we could. Time marches on however. Such is life.

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For me, the only thing the 37 has going for it over the Model 12 is the bottom ejection. Other than that, I prefer the more solid heft of the Model 12. And a little extra weight will damp down the recoil a tad. Even so, with 00 or slugs, you gotta have that stock firmly into your shoulder...don't even give either one of them room to kick harder.

I'm seeing even not-so-decent military models going for $2K-plus now. They keep that up, they'll start matching prices for really decent Model 12 Trench Guns and authentic Model 97 Trench Guns. Then some unscrupulous guys will start making fake 37s decked out with phony war time hardware...if they aren't already. Especially if there's a hint the gun saw action in Vietnam.

The main advantage of bottom ejection is for use by southpaws.

Actually, it was spun off from the Remington M-17, not the M-10. Lou Smith at Ithaca picked up the basic gun when Remington patents expired. By then, Rem. was making the M-31.

This was from Col. Chas. Askins and is, I believe, repeated in Keith's, Shotguns, of which I have the revised edition. A VERY good basic shotgun book, as is the one from Jack O'Connor.

The 17 is a updated 10.

I have owned and shot Ithaca 37's for over 30 years,
Like the light weight and bottom load bottom eject,
Dislike the single carrier arm on the pump handle and actually had one break the weld years ago rendering it inoperative in the field.
Neutral on the slam fire feature, used to think it was great but can be dangerous for those not used to it.

Incidentally there was a parkerized Chinese copy made a few years ago that had dual carriers and was chambered in 3" Magnum , came with nylon stocks, longer mag tube, interchangeable pistol grip, heat shield and winged rear site for under $300 new.
Parts would swap with a regular 37 too but internals were rough and the quality was what you would expect from a cheap Chinese copy.

There are more around here somewhere

Ithaca's are one of the finest pump guns ever made.



Ned

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I have owned two Ithaca Model 37 12 gauges.
1. Riots of 1968 I wanted a short barreled that I could carry back and forth to work (this was the beginning of 12-18 hour shifts) I purchased a Model 37 (Cheap) from a gunsmith and had him cut the 30 inch barrel to 18 inches. Testing it at the range I discovered that with #4 buckshot I could obtain a killing pattern on a B-27 Target at 100 yards !!!
A few months later one of the kids needed new school shoes, so I regrettable I sold it and kicked myself every since.

2. I had a High Standard 12 gauge Model ?? that came with an extended magazine (1976 ?) that a friend fell in love with for home defense. He traded me a new Ithaca Model 37 "Deerslayer"? 12 gauge that was AWESOME. Fool that I can be (most of the time)I traded it for a Remington Model 870 12 gauge.

Thanks very much.

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The Ithica M37 featherlight was my first shotgun. 1975, maybe. Saved up money for months, and had to get my mother to sign for it. Rabbits squirrels and pheasants ended up on the dinner plate because of that shotgun. I wore out the part that held back the shell in the mag tube, and I got double feeds with a certain brand of shell that had a slightly smaller rim diameter.

Traded it off for something. Wish I would have ordered a new part and kept the gun.

I've read some about the 37 and hope to own one someday...hopefully an old one in 12 ga. Sorry for the problems you incurred but it seems it was worth it now...

It needed some caring love!

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I've neither owned nor even fired an Ithaca shotgun, but aesthetically I prefer the appearance of a Winchester Model 12.

About this I will not be humble.
I am the fortunate owner of one of the finest examples of the Ithaca Model 37 on the planet.
First year Ithaca 37T trap gun, Serial No. 813:











You may call these, My Three Ithacas:

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My son just got married last week and the bride's grandfather brought along a 552 rem 22lr, a single bbl H&R, and a 20 ga mod 37. The stock has been cut on the 37 and some old rust on receiver, but otherwise nice. I'll look for an original length butt stock and it should fair well in the dove fields this fall for him. If you 37 was made prior to 1968, it may not have a serial number.

Charlie

I do not think this is correct
All the early 37's I have seen had serial numbers on the front right face of the receiver.
From my 1937 example above:


Some of the pre-68 Mossbergs did not have a serial number

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Actually
I enjoy basket cases. If I knew all of the issues I could have gotten into much lower.

I'd rather buy a basket case and fix it up than a NIB one. I do get satisfaction from restoration. Anyone, including me at times, can buy one and go shoot it. When it has some of your sweat in it the use of it seems better.

I've never seen many used ones for sale, a small shop has 2 under 300 but I fet their condition did not warrant it. One has a nasty crack in the stock. I would have bought it if he had met in the middle. He's waiting for the guy who will not notice it.

I've been reading all I can about Ithaca's trench gun and the Winchester 97/12 trench and riot guns. Like the old model 70 and 12's if it looks like the big rare one you'd better have your own expert with you. Trench guns are going through the roof like one poster said. In about 1974 I bought a 99% Win M-12 Riot US flaming pot and all. It actually looked new. I know this one was acquired by a fella who worked in a gov armory, nuff said.

After the war and into the 90's folks were buying 1903's and surplus M-12's and other guns and immediately sporterized them. I looked for a full choke bbl for mine, did not find one.

I have found many civilian M-12's and for the last few years had been looking for a 20" bbl front half in CYL to put on my M-12 for late night duty. All I find are priced at complete Mod/Full choke guns.

At the gun show after this I found a 20" complete front half from 1916 or 17 and got into around $100. I fit it to my receiver and the first pump the fore end and nut pulled loose. I pulled the wood and found the action slide was split from stem to stern on top at the thinnest point. Years ago someone drilled holes in it and bradded them. They failed. I found a new one at Hoosier PArts and it is now a working "riot" gun.

I bought one of the new High Standard clone riot guns so now I have a collection of 2 isn't that a riot?

Just for grins I'm now looking for a used Ithaca M-37 bbl, a rough cheap one, to cut to 20". I guess this is how collecting sickness starts, get one, find a 2nd and now it has to run the full course and no relief until the fever breaks.

I know there is specific SN that is the beak point for factory fitting and fitting your own bbl. Mine is a 1976 Ithaca M 37. Most bbls from about 1970 up are of the new type manufacture for interchangability.

WatchDog, Engine 49, I know you guys love the pics, I will take pics of the bubba screws and the after with new Ithaca parts in place. Too late for a before on the bbl. If you can imagine a hot sweaty bubba hand with a little blood on it gripping the bbl above the fore end and the resulting rust blisters. Also imagine a gun that has never been oiled.

Bubba also was an amateur proctologist. He left his marks on the butt too, he had tightened the pad until it broke at both screws. I'm thinking limbsaver.

The stock on my M12 Win from 1925 was cut down and has a rubber slip on pad. It has 2 old cracks in the wrist they are old cracks and oil filled, no epoxy fix here, not even with whiting. I've been using it that way for several years. I redid the receiver and it is now blue black and the old stock is going. I found a NIB NOS Sile Walnut set on fleabay and bought it. If you were one of the 20 or so watching, it's gone.
Original? No, more pleasing to the eye? Yes. But then it too was a minor basket case.

After serial number 855000 barrels should interchange, IIRC.

CORRECTION: while looking for my Winchester Model 97 I discovered a forgotten Ithaca Model 37 12 gauge #344611 28 inch barrel with a Poly Choke

[QUOTE=bushmaster1313;139023023]About this I will not be humble.
I am the fortunate owner of one of the finest examples of the Ithaca Model 37 on the planet.
First year Ithaca 37T trap gun, Serial No. 813:



That can't be the original butt pad, looks too good to be pushin' 80. Pretty shotgun, my 1949 37S 16ga Skeet wouldn't mind it's company in the safe.

The SN is too low. I see Ithaca bbls on ebay starting at $100. Might be a good place to sell it, or even here if someone had an older one that wanted to make a riot gun.

[quote=CZU;139023942]It is a new old stock pad expertly fitted by Frank Valone at Sycamore Hill Designs. He is a gun stock and Ithaca expert and I had it sent from the Gunbroker seller directly to Frank to give it a stock and function check. He said the old pad was crumbling away and needed to be replaced. All I did to wood finish was to rub in a little raw walnut oil. Walnut oil looks good, and if there is any left over you can put it on your salad.

Note, Frank Conley, author of The American Single Barrel Trap Gun, was careful in his book to avoid pictures of recoil pads. They are sort of like tires on a classic car. Which would you rather on your 1962 Shelby Cobra, the original rubber or a new set of Goodyears.

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On earlier guns you can send the receiver to the New Ithaca company in Sandusky Ohio. They can make an old receiver accept post 850,000 interchangeable barrels, but the trade off is that the old original barrel will no longer fit.

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On the subject of barrels I would mention that another great feature of the Model 37 is its quick release barrel.

On the down side the mag tube cannot be extended on the 37 like it can be on the 870, also no top folding stock was ever offered that is similar to the Remington 870's ...at least none that I am aware of ...




Aftermarket Ithaca 37 side folding stocks are out there but are few and far between.

In the past 4 or 5 years I have fulfilled my longstanding lust for a M37 by buying a 1942-vintage 16 and a 1952 12. I had always thought the post-war ringed forearm was the original type until I encountered the beautifully checkered wood on the 16. Both (at different times) on consignment at the same local shop. I forget which was which, but paid $200 for one and $250 for the other.

You will enjoy your rescue project, I am sure.

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The Ithaca model 37 made a wonderful combat shotgun. I carried a 13” barrel version (made in-house by the NYPD) when assigned Bronx Central Robbery (we went after heavily armed robbery teams). Both the 13” and 20” versions we used had open rifle sights. The 20” had a full sling and the 13” had a safety strap covering the operating handle to keep officers hands away from the muzzle of the short barrel. I put slugs in mine.

Rich



Our unit used Ruger Mini-14s also.

I would expect that letting loose with 12 ga. slugs from a 13" barrel in the confined quarters of a concrete structure such as a public housing project would be quite dramatic.

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Rich, nice pics, thanks. I remember when it was the thing to smoke a pipe, have a mustache and grow a head of dark hair over a flat stomach. Whut happened to us?

Slugs may be a definitive stopper. I know what they do to deer and many PH's in Africa used slugs and or double aught buck to follow up wounded big cats into cover.

Now if I had a big cat with a bank bag, a firearm of any size and malice aforethought in my face I think that 13' shotgun or "shortgun" would be the one I'd pick.

Well, in point of fact most of our "hostile" encounters took place either on the street or in and around a business. The only time I came close to really using my model 37 was when my two partners and I arrested four armed robbers who made the mistake of trying to take down a bank while we were just around the corner. Timing is everything.

Rich

The Ithaca M37 Featherweight is a very reliable Shotgun and is excellent for either right or left handed shooters since it ejects from the bottom. The only real negative I can think of is that because of the somewhat narrow stock, perceived recoil is sort of stiff with Buckshot and slugs.

If you get a hold of an older model, you MUST be very careful and cognizant of the fact that if you operate the pump while the trigger is squeezed, the gun will fite and continue to do so until you either run out of ammo, stop pumping or release the trigger. Ithaca DID make a replacement part that did disconnect the trigger so this could not happen, but I do not know if they are still available.

That said, it is a well built, reliable pump gun that is relatively compact.

Operating pump with trigger depressed is called "slam fire"

Ithaca expert Walter Snyder says in strong terms: Don't Slam Fire

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Back in 1969, fresh out of the Army I wanted to go deer hunting with my uncle. Now you need to know that growng up in our house the only gun I was ever exposed to was an old model 27 winchester SS .22. Dad didn't hunt as he only had one eye as the result of a childhood accident. He wanted to, but he also knew he couldn't see well. (side note...after 6 tries he got into the Army in '43 by memorizing the eye chart, lasted 27 days at ft. Dix)
Anyhow, after my military exposure to firearms, I was hooked and wanted to hunt some deer. NY state at the time only allowed shotguns in the southern portion of the state, so a shotgun was in order. I bought a brand new model 37 featherlight in 12 ga for the princely sum of $109.00, about two weeks wages. It took three years but I did score my first deer with that gun. Hunted with that gun for many years, until I moved to the north country, where rifles were the go to option. I've had 30-30's, (prefer Marlins), 308's, even an old Marlin 38.55 since but that 12 ga was the winner. Hold it tight and recoil wasn't too bad, and it was accurate out to about 75 yards with Brenneke's.
Alas the old Deerslayer is gone but was replaced by my uncles 1957 model 37 in 16 ga , which now resides with my oldest son in MD. Rather spend time with my handguns and old Savage 99's now.
Good luck with your 37, and show us some pics of the restore

Wasn`t this pump a Browning design ? Is the current BPS a (somewhat) faithful repro ? Thanks, John

Yes he did design the 20 gauge M-17 and sell it to REM. It was the basis for the Rem 31, Ithaca 37 and the Browning BPS per the following link. It is wiki, accuracy is probably close.

I think they may mean M 10 Rem, not the 31.

But there a few good REM collectors who can get to the bottom of this.

I have to appoligize as the only old Remingtons I touched was when I moved them to get a better look at an old M-12 Win.

With that said I would like to find one of the ball bearing action ones, cheap.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Model_17

A couple of nickel 8 shot cruisers

I hear you about the possum on the half shell. I've read that. Thanks for being my straight man.

Leprosy? I'd bet Bubba would come apart at the seams if he saw the Ithaca now.