I just got a Ithaca Model 37 waterfowl off the EE. It appears to be a extremely well built shotgun, and resonably light (about as light as I need to go with a 12 guage). Why aren't these more popular? They are miles ahead of a Remington 870 in quality. Also does anyone know if there is a dealer for these shotguns in Canada, I couldn't find any.
Ithaca Model 37
- Thread starter FLYBYU44
- Start date
Yup, gotta love the 37, bottom eject makes it an ideal gun for lefties too!
I have an older one in 16 gauge and it is a model 37 featherlight. It is my favorite upland gun and when I was younger and lead was used for waterfowl it was my favorite duck gun for jump shooting on prairie potholes.
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
The great old Ithaca Gun Company has been through at least two bankruptcies and continues to re tool under new owners and carry on. I believe the latest carnation is in Ohio. They are the last American made pump of all the greats that are still manufactured. The Remington model 31 and the old Winchester model twelve disappeared about 60 years ago. The problem facing the new outfit building them is shotgunners are not really into paying 1200.00 plus for what is essentially a work horse shotgun. They are great guns and I own two. Mine were both built in Ithaca NY. The only complaint I have with them is with HEAVY lead loads and fast steel loads they do kick. That's the trade off to being light to carry. Recoil pads do solve this problem. I don't know if there is any dealer in Canada right now. I believe not. Your Waterfowl will have a 1/4" longer receiver than the original 37 to accommodate the 3" cartridge. Enjoy that gun.
Darryl
Darryl
Yes, it has choke tubes and takes 3" shells. The current Ithaca seems to have a lot of parts on their website if any are ever needed, would be nice to have a Canadian dealer though. I don't understand why people will not buy a highend pump, it never (or at least rarely) fails to fire or chamber a new shell, can handle any load too.
Many do not like the bottom eject of this gun and the Browning BPS, but with minimal practice you can throw a shell right into the chamber as well.
Many do not like the bottom eject of this gun and the Browning BPS, but with minimal practice you can throw a shell right into the chamber as well.
They are a really nice pump shotgun, but it seems most people are looking for "cheap" when buying a pump. It's by far the best made and smoothest pump I've ever played with, bonus that it's 3" chamber, removable chokes and corrosion resistant coating too.
shackleford
CGN Regular
- Location
- S. Ontario
Isn't the barrel threaded into the receiver? I thing other SGs are more popular because you can switch to slug and trap and others more easily.
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
Barrel is secured with interrupted threads and a mag cap. All barrels post 855,000 ser# will interchange with no tools. 3" barrels can only shoot 3" shells on a 3" receiver.
Darryl
Darryl
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
I think the current market for Models 37 (new) is driven by nostalgic US buyers who want to live the good old days. They are good guns but 300.00 will get you a real decent old one that will do the job just as well. For me the model 37 became somewhat less when it was lengthened and chambered for 3" shells.
Darryl
Darryl
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Guess my sentiments fellas.
I own a dozen of them.
-My 20 gauge Featherlight has probably brought down over 100 hares & at least a dozen grouse easily.
-One 12 gauge Deerslayer plopped a wild boar @70 yards with a single RWS Brenneke Classic.
-With one M87 Turkeyslayer it is flipping wild to see small critters cleanly taken at 55 yards with non-magnum #4 birdshot!
-I have sunk low enough to use 12 gauge buckshot (Alberta legal) on flying grouse when they were really skittish....
The rest are mostly DSPSs, with a 20 gauge Stakeout to keep them company.
My name is Joe and I am an Ithaca addict.
I own a dozen of them.
-My 20 gauge Featherlight has probably brought down over 100 hares & at least a dozen grouse easily.
-One 12 gauge Deerslayer plopped a wild boar @70 yards with a single RWS Brenneke Classic.
-With one M87 Turkeyslayer it is flipping wild to see small critters cleanly taken at 55 yards with non-magnum #4 birdshot!
-I have sunk low enough to use 12 gauge buckshot (Alberta legal) on flying grouse when they were really skittish....
The rest are mostly DSPSs, with a 20 gauge Stakeout to keep them company.
My name is Joe and I am an Ithaca addict.
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Just finished a skeet shoot at our local club, came second with my Ithaca pump made in 1925. Have shot this gun for 50 years, and it was my fathers before me. It have never failed or malfunctioned. Would love to retire it and get a new one but there is no Canadian importer. Trying to sort out how to get a new one up from the states. Think I have that figured out but haven't tried that yet.
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
"Just finished a skeet shoot at our local club, came second with my Ithaca pump made in 1925."
Curious, what model of Ithaca is it? My Featherweight was in 1975, your typical 28" full choke model. I shoot a decent round of trap with it, traded for it as a late season Grouse and Hare gun. To answer an earlier question, the average slide-action shooter isn't willing to spend north of a grand on a well-made slide action these days. The Ithaca 37 as mentioned is the last hand fitted American made slide action, making shotguns this way is very expensive, this why the model 12 dropped off the books in 1964, and the y-model on appears as limited runs. The price as is worth it to the right people, their just isn't a big enough market of those right people anymore.
Curious, what model of Ithaca is it? My Featherweight was in 1975, your typical 28" full choke model. I shoot a decent round of trap with it, traded for it as a late season Grouse and Hare gun. To answer an earlier question, the average slide-action shooter isn't willing to spend north of a grand on a well-made slide action these days. The Ithaca 37 as mentioned is the last hand fitted American made slide action, making shotguns this way is very expensive, this why the model 12 dropped off the books in 1964, and the y-model on appears as limited runs. The price as is worth it to the right people, their just isn't a big enough market of those right people anymore.
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
The first Ithaca model 37's were built in mid to late 1937. Is it possible you have a Remington Model 17? It was the model 17 patent Ithaca used to build the model 37.
Darryl
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
They were made in all chokes, the full choke is by far more common. The Gun Dealer in McAdam, NB has one with a modified choke in his used listings right now.
