Not sure where this should really go, but figure here is as good as any. I have been striving lately to get my collection down to three or four guns I really enjoy shooting, so have sold my handguns (may buy one in the future) for more field kind of guns. I hunt grouse every year with my .410 and so I kept that. I plan on hunting waterfowl this year, so I looked for a 12 gauge.
I found this used Ithaca Model 37 Waterfowl on the EE. The model 37 has always fascinated me and I knew I had to have it. I have heard of how slick they are and such, but never so much as held one. For the very reasonable sum of $550 I purchased what I believe to be the greatest pump gun ever made.
When it arrived I noticed it was light, it feels like low 7lbs, and it fit me amazing. The pump feels like it is sliding on roller bearings, very smooth. The bottom eject is a nice feature and you can shove a shell directly in the barrel with little effort. Mine is the Waterfowl edition, which has a nice synthetic stock, not cheap like many guns you see, it feels very solid. The rest of the gun, with the exception of the red high vis bead, is all solid steel. It is coated with a special treatment that actually is embedded in the surface of the steel, much like the surface treatment on a Glock.
I haven't been to the range in a month or so, I brought a box of clays and 150 rounds of target loads and slugs. I bought slugs to try out as I want to try deer hunting with this in the fall. I managed two 23/25 trap rounds on our getto trap range. After a bit I removed my mod choke and threw the IC one in. Time for slugs!
Picture of my gun and our facility:
In the far, top right corner you can see the shell box I filled with sand for a slug target. 50 yards out, I launched a slug at it and hit first shot, I repeated that three times with similar results, very happy with the accuracy, and I am a horrible shot.
Next I moved a box out to 80 yards and shot five shots at it. Not one hit, but I could see the impacts and I was low, windage was spot on, but elevation was about 6" out.
Here is my two boxes at 50 yards:
a pic of my gun:
I am very happy with this Model 37, it lives up to the hype. I am now wondering what would be best inside of 75 yards, slugs or buckshot? Slugs seem more than accurate to harvest a deer, but maybe buckshot is better? I could buy a rifle, but I may only do this once (deer hunting) so figure I will use a gun I have first.
I found this used Ithaca Model 37 Waterfowl on the EE. The model 37 has always fascinated me and I knew I had to have it. I have heard of how slick they are and such, but never so much as held one. For the very reasonable sum of $550 I purchased what I believe to be the greatest pump gun ever made.
When it arrived I noticed it was light, it feels like low 7lbs, and it fit me amazing. The pump feels like it is sliding on roller bearings, very smooth. The bottom eject is a nice feature and you can shove a shell directly in the barrel with little effort. Mine is the Waterfowl edition, which has a nice synthetic stock, not cheap like many guns you see, it feels very solid. The rest of the gun, with the exception of the red high vis bead, is all solid steel. It is coated with a special treatment that actually is embedded in the surface of the steel, much like the surface treatment on a Glock.
I haven't been to the range in a month or so, I brought a box of clays and 150 rounds of target loads and slugs. I bought slugs to try out as I want to try deer hunting with this in the fall. I managed two 23/25 trap rounds on our getto trap range. After a bit I removed my mod choke and threw the IC one in. Time for slugs!
Picture of my gun and our facility:
In the far, top right corner you can see the shell box I filled with sand for a slug target. 50 yards out, I launched a slug at it and hit first shot, I repeated that three times with similar results, very happy with the accuracy, and I am a horrible shot.
Next I moved a box out to 80 yards and shot five shots at it. Not one hit, but I could see the impacts and I was low, windage was spot on, but elevation was about 6" out.
Here is my two boxes at 50 yards:
a pic of my gun:
I am very happy with this Model 37, it lives up to the hype. I am now wondering what would be best inside of 75 yards, slugs or buckshot? Slugs seem more than accurate to harvest a deer, but maybe buckshot is better? I could buy a rifle, but I may only do this once (deer hunting) so figure I will use a gun I have first.
