That being said: I’m not entirely sour because the rest of the work on the gun is exactly what you expect. Top notch machining, deep blue finish and it drives large caliber tacks. I’m very comfortable at 125 yards with it and I’m certainly not a marksman.
Any Ithaca 37 Love in Here?
- Thread starter gwhysow
- Start date
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I admit to being a little jealous of the accuracy reports of the Deerslayer 2. However my long admiration of the Ithaca shotgun, has only been tempered by the knowledge of frequency of financial crisis and chapter 11 foreclosures.
For example one of my Kings Ferry guns was absurdly the worst of my pack and is no longer in my stable. Yet the 1997 M87 Turkeyslayer, also made by Kings Ferry might be the best hunting shotgun next to my newer M37 Waterfowl or M37 28 gauge of Sandusky Ohio.
Wonders never cease!
Hence I very often keep my interest in the older M37-87s, and even though often second hand, are much more easily supported/gunsmithed within Canada.
It does appear the new company in Sandusky is commited to CNC quality of very high grade. Yet the magical line in the dirt, it still is still the bane of our Canuck existence.
For example one of my Kings Ferry guns was absurdly the worst of my pack and is no longer in my stable. Yet the 1997 M87 Turkeyslayer, also made by Kings Ferry might be the best hunting shotgun next to my newer M37 Waterfowl or M37 28 gauge of Sandusky Ohio.
Wonders never cease!
Hence I very often keep my interest in the older M37-87s, and even though often second hand, are much more easily supported/gunsmithed within Canada.
It does appear the new company in Sandusky is commited to CNC quality of very high grade. Yet the magical line in the dirt, it still is still the bane of our Canuck existence.
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I also have a '98 M87 in 7+1. Parkerized, good wood, and a bead sight. The gun is overall quite nice, and has functioned flawlessly for me. Though not quite as slick as my early pieces, it's still better than 90% of the market today. From a construction standpoint, the only real standout is on the forend tube...one of the bracketing clamshells that holds the corncob forend. Instead of being a nice rolled cup, it's just a piece of sheet metal that stops a little short. Great piece all together though.
That's how it's done. Hunt pics are always welcome in the thread. Lacking photos lately
You sure it's a '98?
The King Ferry guns stopped the '87 designation in '96 and went back to the M37 designation.
So either it's a pre-96 M87 -- or if it's a '98 then it must be an M37.
BTW the Ithaca Gun Co. website for serial number and date of manufacture is incorrect in spots, so you can't rely on it.
Unable to post pics as I formerly used Photobucket and they want only $400 to allow me to 3rd party post my own pics.I told them to insert and rotate.That's how it's done. Hunt pics are always welcome in the thread. Lacking photos lately
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
It's sometimes very hard to get specific dates of production and roll out the door for dealership shelves.
Purely because Ithaca company through various closures and chapter 11 sessions could produce parts guns, slightly mismatched, just to get another completed firearm out on the market before bankruptcy.
And newer company owners could also have done exactly thus, with piles of shotgun parts that became thier sole property.
My two examples: I have an Ithaca Deerslayer Police Special with an M37 Ithaca 2 3/4 inch NY barrel, yet it was mounted upon a 1990 made three inch capable M87 receiver.
And the barrel has a darker kind of subdued blueing versus the rest of this 4 shot shotgun is parkerized.
I also have a seven shot M87 Military&Police (bead site, park'd) where the shotgun is parkerized as well, except for the forward barrel support yoke which is blued.
These sometimes mismatched guns are actually mentioned in Walter Synders excellent book.
Cheers
Edit: I forgot to mention I have two other Ithaca examples. I own two M87 Stakeouts. The 20 gauge does not slamfire and has standard trigger. Yet, strangely enough the harder kicking 12 gauge does certainly slamfire!
Wonders never cease.....
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Pics or it didn't happen
Also, if you get tired of looking at those ugly things, you know where to find me.That’s true, or at least plausible, and not even necessarily a consequence of their various closures, as those same mismatches are documented in Roger Rule’s Rifleman’s Rifle on the Winchester M70. I have copies of both books, my copy of the Ithaca book is signed by Walter Snyder.
So no argument there, except to say that the barrel has the model designation and the receiver has the serial number (for 37/87’s made after 1963), so for there to exist a ‘98 M87, it would require a pre-‘96 King Ferry barrel (they stopped stamping the M87 designation in 1996) mated to a receiver whose serial number corresponded to a 1998 DOM. In other words, if a mismatch occurred, then the barrel sat around the factory for 2 years after its manufacture. There were no upheavals at Ithaca in the years spanning 1996-98 (not until 2002, and then the big move to Upper Sandusky in 2005) so although the scenario is not impossible, it’s perhaps unusual.
Also it’s worth noting that the older 37’s with serial number block lower than 855000 corresponding to 1963 DOM had the SN stamped on both the barrel and receiver, as barrels were non-interchangeable without custom fitting and checking for headspace.
I currently own three Ithaca 37/87’s:
- 1966 blued 20” DSPS M37 with rifle sights and short mag tube
- 1980 parkerized 20” DSPS M37 with rifle sights and full-length mag tube
- 1994 parkerized factory 14” DSPS M87 with rifle sights.
The last one is rare — I’m told the only one exported to Canada, but I have no way to verify that claim so I take it with a grain of salt.
Ah man! You made me run to the bookshelves for nothing
Ah man! You made me run to the bookshelves for nothing
You know you enjoyed heading to the bookshelf...
This kind of info can only be held by the bookshelf Notes, print offs, books or otherwise. I'll be sure to post something proactive on Monday to give you a bit of a pick me up.
But honestly, those DSPS pieces in the stable. Pics must be shared.
Notes, print offs, books or otherwise. I'll be sure to post something proactive on Monday to give you a bit of a pick me up. But honestly, those DSPS pieces in the stable. Pics must be shared.
This kind of info can only be held by the bookshelf
But honestly, those DSPS pieces in the stable. Pics must be shared.
Agreed. I need some images to hold me over until one of you lucky folks are willing to sell me your DSPS!
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Yes sir full agreement here.
I would definitely concur a DSPS with rifle sights front and rear w/14 inch barrel is a rare one.
I have only seen pics of it and within the hands of NYPD Emergency Service Unit officers.
Edit: Your 14 inch DSPS, can I safely assume the rear sight is LAPD wedge type sight?
Just curious.
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I've seen a couple pics, though some have claimed that the NY highway patrol got 13 inches, and some made their way downtown. They all looked like 14s to me in my research, but some (bead) were likely stake out converts, especially with ESU.
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Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Good pics gwhysow.
I have only seen that most recent photo the officer with the kevlar helmet.
I do believe there were other photos of him on the subway platform(?) And IIRC he holds a shotgun with a bead sight. I could be mistaken, but I think his shotgun appears to have a 13 tube.
I have only seen that most recent photo the officer with the kevlar helmet.
I do believe there were other photos of him on the subway platform(?) And IIRC he holds a shotgun with a bead sight. I could be mistaken, but I think his shotgun appears to have a 13 tube.
