Ithaca Model 37 question - Page 2

edm1 · October 19, 2022, 07:44 PM

37 prices are climbing. It’s a classic. Absolutely fantastic gun designed by John Browning. Longest continuous production American Pump shotgun. Those screws though…

**Mike Irwin** · November 3, 2022, 07:25 AM

Ithaca 37s were used by the military during World War II... just not in combat (their primary combat use would come during the Vietnam War).

The military took tends of thousands of pump and semi-auto shotguns of all stripes to be used as part of the training regime for aerial gunners.

tango1niner · November 3, 2022, 10:11 AM

The recoil pad on that particular Ithaca may have been added later but it appears to be a genuine "Ithaca Starburst" recoil pad.

Contrary to what others have said I say you would be hard pressed to find a pump as slick as an Ithaca Model 37, but that is my opinion.

If that Ithaca is in fact made in 1947 and has a serial number below 855,000 the barrels are NOT interchangeable. While older barrels can possibly be fit to it by a competent gunsmith newer ones cannot.

Older barrels were threaded and while newer barrels appear to be threaded to the casual observer, they are not. They have annular grooves which look like threads but are not as they have no lead angle.

bamaranger · November 3, 2022, 10:30 PM

Just for grins, I'd be curious to know how the gun is choked. If the barrel is indeed 26" from breech face to muzzle, I'd be surprised it is FULL choke as somebody has suggested. On older guns like that, a true 26" bbl was often IC. Close the action, drop a dowel down the barrel till it contacts the breech face and mark the dowel, then measure. Factory lengths should be 26, 28 and30". I'm thinking that 26" FULL choke barrels came along much later. I bought a Rem 870 26" FULL 12ga 3" mag barrel in 1980. It was the first I'd ever heard of in that configuration from any maker, and I had to that one direct from Remington. A 28" could be either FULL or MOD, and a 30" should be FULL.

It could be that somebody lopped a few inches off a longer barrel and it is marked FULL, but actually now has NO choke and is actually CYLINDER. Since the gun has been modified to mount a scope, it makes me think it could have been shortened to make a slug gun.

November 3, 2022, 07:25 AM	#27
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Ithaca 37s were used by the military during World War II... just not in combat (their primary combat use would come during the Vietnam War). The military took tends of thousands of pump and semi-auto shotguns of all stripes to be used as part of the training regime for aerial gunners. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

November 3, 2022, 10:30 PM	#29
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,318	barrel/choke Just for grins, I'd be curious to know how the gun is choked. If the barrel is indeed 26" from breech face to muzzle, I'd be surprised it is FULL choke as somebody has suggested. On older guns like that, a true 26" bbl was often IC. Close the action, drop a dowel down the barrel till it contacts the breech face and mark the dowel, then measure. Factory lengths should be 26, 28 and30". I'm thinking that 26" FULL choke barrels came along much later. I bought a Rem 870 26" FULL 12ga 3" mag barrel in 1980. It was the first I'd ever heard of in that configuration from any maker, and I had to that one direct from Remington. A 28" could be either FULL or MOD, and a 30" should be FULL. It could be that somebody lopped a few inches off a longer barrel and it is marked FULL, but actually now has NO choke and is actually CYLINDER. Since the gun has been modified to mount a scope, it makes me think it could have been shortened to make a slug gun.

October 19, 2022, 07:44 PM	#26
edm1 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Kentucky Posts: 111	37 prices are climbing. It’s a classic. Absolutely fantastic gun designed by John Browning. Longest continuous production American Pump shotgun. Those screws though…

November 3, 2022, 10:11 AM	#28
tango1niner Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: NY Posts: 317	The recoil pad on that particular Ithaca may have been added later but it appears to be a genuine "Ithaca Starburst" recoil pad. Contrary to what others have said I say you would be hard pressed to find a pump as slick as an Ithaca Model 37, but that is my opinion. If that Ithaca is in fact made in 1947 and has a serial number below 855,000 the barrels are NOT interchangeable. While older barrels can possibly be fit to it by a competent gunsmith newer ones cannot. Older barrels were threaded and while newer barrels appear to be threaded to the casual observer, they are not. They have annular grooves which look like threads but are not as they have no lead angle.