ITHACA MODEL 37 FEATHERLIGHT 12 gauge, pump action
- Thread starter YevhenN
- Start date
If I recall correctly the Model 37 was a John Browning design. It was first made by Remington, then when the Remington patent ran out, made by Ithaca.
Good solid design. I have never fired one but have been told they tend recoil a bit harder than other designs. My main concern is that Ithaca cannot stay in business. They have folded several times. They do keep coming back though.
The Browning BPS is pretty much the same design. While I am not a Browning fan, you may want to consider the BPS over the 37. The BPS is still a current model so parts should be easy to get if needed. I haven't heard of any "bugs" with the BPS. I find the BPS to be a bit long for me to shoot comfortably, i.e., the forearm seems quite forward. Shoulder one before buying to be sure it fits you. Of course new BPSs have choke tubes which should eliminate any concerns over steel shot and make it a more versatile gun.
The M37 Ithica is a good shotgun. It does not recoil more than any other pump shooting the same load. The M37 is a good design and not prone to breaking, but if it ever does need repair, they are easy to work on and get parts for.
It does tend to distribute recoil differently than most other shotguns due to excessive drop in the stock, mechanically the occasional firing pin breaks, also the action arm make break,and the pin that holds the action arm to the bolt breaks occasionally It is a fact there recoil is more punishing . Over all they are fine.But i would buy the BPS first,
My son and my uncle both have 20 ga mod 37's..I have a 12 ga mod 37...my 12 is only 2 3/4 inch chamber but nice strong guns! 
Like Jet says...never any issues with em....huntin rabbits in -20 with the hounds, or -5 in a blizzard...no issues...ever! I did have to get a few cosmetic thing for my young fellas 37 when he bought it, but they were readily available from Numerich Arms in NY.
Like Jet says...never any issues with em....huntin rabbits in -20 with the hounds, or -5 in a blizzard...no issues...ever! I did have to get a few cosmetic thing for my young fellas 37 when he bought it, but they were readily available from Numerich Arms in NY.
M12shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- East St. Paul, mb
Ithaca 37's were an offshoot of the much older Model 10 Remington/UMC (as the company was called those days) which was first introduced around the 1910 era.
The Rem M10 was a bottom load/eject design like the 37 and was designed by a dude named "Peterson" I believe. Model 10's were manufactued in several grades from the plain Jane field to several trap and fancy grades. It was only chambered in 12 gauge though.
Remington/UMC discontinued the M10 in the early 1930's or around that time. I have my Grandfathers M10 which he purchased new in the 20's. Bluing is wore to a silver brown patena and it sports a still very fine walnut stock.
I once read that Remington sold this design pattend to Ithaca and they put it on the market as the 37. How much truth this statement holds I do not know.
The only contact I have had with Ithaca m37's was short and sweet. The gun was poorly finished, kicked like a mule and prone to jamming. But there are many out here that swear my the 37's and would shoot nothing else.
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Dad and I each have one. Dad's is 30" tube, blued/walnut, made sometime in the '50s, and is solid as a rock. Mine has been chopped to 18.5", Duracoated, and goes with me camping as a bear gun.
Both have fired plenty, and neither has ever jammed. They are smooth, all steel, well engineered and built, and strong as the proverbial brick outhouse.
The one downside I've found is shooting mine with slugs - recoil is, to be diplomatic, unpleasant. 10 slugs per trip to the range is enough to build a flinch in me that takes an hour or two of .22 time to remedy. Other than that, they are a wonderful shotgun, and well worth owning.
Both have fired plenty, and neither has ever jammed. They are smooth, all steel, well engineered and built, and strong as the proverbial brick outhouse.
The one downside I've found is shooting mine with slugs - recoil is, to be diplomatic, unpleasant. 10 slugs per trip to the range is enough to build a flinch in me that takes an hour or two of .22 time to remedy. Other than that, they are a wonderful shotgun, and well worth owning.
The model 37 is primarily a browning design with some in put from a fellow by the name of john Pedersen first made as a Remington model 17 1921-1933 only made in 20 ga, then picked up by Ithaca then in 1978 there patent ran out and browning was able to produce it as the BPS ,
1978??
There are Ithica 37's around from WAY before that!
They do kick a bit, but they are light.
I've got one in 20 gauge. It's sweet.
From the 'net
The Ithaca 37 is a pump-action shotgun made in large numbers for the civilian, military, and police markets. Also known as the Featherlight, it utilizes a novel combination ejection/loading port on the bottom of the gun which leaves the sides closed to the elements. In addition, the outline of the gun is clean. Finally, since shells load and eject from the bottom, operation of the gun is equally convenient for both right and left hand shooters. This makes the gun popular with left-handed shooters.
Designed by the famous firearms designers John Browning and John Pedersen, the gun was initially marketed as the Remington Model 17. The Model 17 was a 20-gauge of trim proportions, later redesigned and refined into the popular Remington Model 31. That gun would eventually be replaced in production by the Remington 870 which is still produced to this day.
Following the First World War, the Ithaca Gun Company was searching for a pump-action shotgun to produce, primarily to compete with the Winchester Model 12. They settled on waiting for Remington Model 17 patents to expire. After gearing for production of the Ithaca Model 33, they discovered more Pedersen patents that would not expire until 1937; along with the introduction date, they changed the model designation from 33 to 37.
With the depression dragging on and war looming on the horizon, it was possibly the worst time to introduce a sporting arm. Many sporting arms ceased production entirely during the same period. While Ithaca did produce some shotguns for military use during the war, they also produced M1911 pistols and M3 Grease Guns.
After WW-II, Ithaca resumed production of the Model 37. Made in many different models, the Ithaca 37 has the longest production run for a pump-action shotgun in history, surpassing that of the Winchester Model 12 that had originally inspired Ithaca to produce pump-action shotguns. Ithaca has suffered many setbacks in its history, changing hands numerous times. At one time, the Ithaca 37 was renamed the Model 87, although it was soon changed back in one of many ownership changes. Production paused in 2005 when Ithaca once again changed hands. Production has resumed in Ohio.
Loading the Ithaca 37 involves inserting shells of the proper gauge through the loading/ejection port and pushing them forward into the magazine until retained by the shell stop. The slide release is pressed and the slide retracted completely then pushed forward. Pulling the trigger fires the gun and releases the slide for reloading. On most models, holding the trigger down causes the gun to fire the instant a new round is cycled into the chamber. Otherwise, the model 37 operates in much the same way as other pump-action shotguns.
From the 'net
The Ithaca 37 is a pump-action shotgun made in large numbers for the civilian, military, and police markets. Also known as the Featherlight, it utilizes a novel combination ejection/loading port on the bottom of the gun which leaves the sides closed to the elements. In addition, the outline of the gun is clean. Finally, since shells load and eject from the bottom, operation of the gun is equally convenient for both right and left hand shooters. This makes the gun popular with left-handed shooters.
Designed by the famous firearms designers John Browning and John Pedersen, the gun was initially marketed as the Remington Model 17. The Model 17 was a 20-gauge of trim proportions, later redesigned and refined into the popular Remington Model 31. That gun would eventually be replaced in production by the Remington 870 which is still produced to this day.
Following the First World War, the Ithaca Gun Company was searching for a pump-action shotgun to produce, primarily to compete with the Winchester Model 12. They settled on waiting for Remington Model 17 patents to expire. After gearing for production of the Ithaca Model 33, they discovered more Pedersen patents that would not expire until 1937; along with the introduction date, they changed the model designation from 33 to 37.
With the depression dragging on and war looming on the horizon, it was possibly the worst time to introduce a sporting arm. Many sporting arms ceased production entirely during the same period. While Ithaca did produce some shotguns for military use during the war, they also produced M1911 pistols and M3 Grease Guns.
After WW-II, Ithaca resumed production of the Model 37. Made in many different models, the Ithaca 37 has the longest production run for a pump-action shotgun in history, surpassing that of the Winchester Model 12 that had originally inspired Ithaca to produce pump-action shotguns. Ithaca has suffered many setbacks in its history, changing hands numerous times. At one time, the Ithaca 37 was renamed the Model 87, although it was soon changed back in one of many ownership changes. Production paused in 2005 when Ithaca once again changed hands. Production has resumed in Ohio.
Loading the Ithaca 37 involves inserting shells of the proper gauge through the loading/ejection port and pushing them forward into the magazine until retained by the shell stop. The slide release is pressed and the slide retracted completely then pushed forward. Pulling the trigger fires the gun and releases the slide for reloading. On most models, holding the trigger down causes the gun to fire the instant a new round is cycled into the chamber. Otherwise, the model 37 operates in much the same way as other pump-action shotguns.
