Value- Ithaca Model 37 Riot

Other than S&W another passion of mine is Ithaca shotguns. (and a couple of 1911's) I started with a rather small PD in 1969. The chief had all the long guns in a large gun case in his office. Among two Thompson's, some Winnie 97's, and .351 patrol rifles were six Ithaca model 37's in the trench configuration, with hand guard bayonet lugs. At one time the cruisers carried a 97 and a patrol rifle in a locked mount. They wouldn't fit the newer cruisers so each officer carried basically what he bought himself, which was an approved S&W or Colt revolver with a couple of guys carrying 1911's. You could carry a shotgun but you had to buy it yourself. At the time mine was an old Winnie model 12 with the barrel cut to 18 1/2". The Ithaca's were bought by the department around 1961 and were never used. The Ithacas were traded to a dealer when they decided to give all the officers a High Standard riot gun. These didn't last long as they weren't very durable. I got one of the Ithaca trench type guns from the dealer for $40.00. I've had it for over 40 years now and it still looks almost new. Over the years I picked up a few other riot guns, including a nickel Winchester 1200, several different 870's, S&W 3000's (short tube, long tube, and folding stock), a ANIB High Standard, and of course a few various Ithaca 37's. The 37's I currently have are the trench type mentioned above, a five shot DS Police, a US marked five shot from Viet Nam service, an eight shot, and a brush nickeled marine finish. A year ago November I picked up an eight shot model 37 at the Tulsa Show for $400.00 and sold it for $850.00 when I got home to help pay for the trip. I saw one just like it and the one pictured above recently sell for over $1200.00. The five shots I've seen selling for around $1,000.00. I worked security at a gun auction several years ago and watched over 30 five shot Ithaca 37's, unissued with consecutive serial numbers sell for between $100 to $150.00 each. I bought one and a friend bought two. They also had a bunch of USAF marked model 15's at this same auction. I should have bought all of them. Hind sight is 20/20.

I bought this at my LGS in 1995 or 96 for $150.00. I would never consider selling it. It was a Wells Fargo trade in - at the time the LGS had a slew of these, and Winchester 97s, and S&W Model 10s.

It's been my bedroom shotgun for most of this century.

$1000 is a lot of $$$
But it might be the new normal

ISCS Yoda said:

I bought this at my LGS in 1995 or 96 for $150.00. I would never consider selling it. It was a Wells Fargo trade in - at the time the LGS had a slew of these, and Winchester 97s, and S&W Model 10s.

It's been my bedroom shotgun for most of this century.

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I've seen some of these before. The local WF guys at one time carried nickel Winchester model 12's when making their bank rounds in an armored truck.

ultra45 said:

To the OP...As per Blue Book of Gun Values, not as much as you think.

MODEL 37 DS POLICE SPECIAL Add To Collection
12 ga. only, 18 1/2 in. barrel with rifle sights, Parkerized finish on metal, oil finished stock, typically subcontracted by police departments or law enforcement agencies, with or without unit code markings.
Grading 100% 98% 95% 90% 80% 70% 60%

$. N. $325 $275 $235 $200 $185 $170 $160

Believe it or not, newer manufactured guns bring a higher price. I wouldn’t think so, but that’s what the book says.

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The newer version is manufactured by Inland Industries (not the same as Inland of GM & maker of M1 carbines) and runs about $1,000.00 new. I had one, its a nice shotgun but all in all i'll take the High Standard or original Ithaca instead.

Got these before retiring, was like a lottery. Got mine first, the Model 37. Wife got drawn at the very end and a few late guns had been found at Personnel Div. hers is an 87 but looks like new. LAPD guns have 18" barrels. I measured some at 18.5" ??
While the Ithacas spend their days sitting in the safe I have these to use if the need arises.

dsf said:

The newer version is manufactured by Inland Industries (not the same as Inland of GM & maker of M1 carbines) and runs about $1,000.00 new. I had one, its a nice shotgun but all in all i'll take the High Standard or original Ithaca instead.

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The newer Ithaca 37 vs the older Ithaca doesn’t have the same barrel to magazine tube. The older is more robust.

I would really like to have an Ithaca Model 37 Riot Gun. I have a nice ex-Sheriff's dept. Remington Model 870 Police that dates back to 1968 so I don't really ~need~ another home defense shotgun.
However, for me to pay $1000 for an Ithaca, it would have to be an instance of where I had just sold a gun that I paid $300 to $500 for many years ago for $1000 so didn't really feel like I was paying $1000 out of pocket in today's dollars.

Yeah, i’m having a hard time convincing myself I need one that badly.
But they do have lay away! JK. .

I have a 37 with 2 barrels. One is a 26 or 28 inch VR bird barrel. The other is shorter and has rifle sights. I recently handled a 37 with a plain barrel cut back to 19 and it handles better than mine with the deer barrel. The sighted barrel seems heavier and my gun has a larger forend than the older gun.