Many sporting arms ceased production entirely during the same period. Mine is a 12g. All rights reserved, copyrighted, no material within this document may be copied or distributed in any way without the express written permission of the author, Walter Claude Snyder. ISSUE LAPD Commemorative Model LAPD Model 37 LAPD Model 87 LAPD Model 87 Bicentennial Model Centennial Models Presentation Model Trade Model Ducks Unlimited Models Trade Model* Auction Model Americana Model Charles Daly Model Stakeout DU Guide Gun for Canadian chapters DU Guide Gun for U. S. chapters Genoa Centennial Commemorative King Ferry . This page was last edited on 4 February 2023, at 19:08. There are several different types of semi-auto actions, but all have a more complicated operating system that can be more troublesome than a pump. At one time, the Ithaca 37 was renamed the Model 87, although it was soon changed back in one of many ownership changes. It was one of the streamlined hammerless (internal hammer) designs that soon took over the pump-action shotgun world. The Model 37 was issued by the LAPD beginning in the 1940s and remained in service until the late 1990s. They then knurled the end of the barrel so you would have to pull down on the spring loaded barrel to load, often placing the butt end on the ground and if those old paper shells got stuck or your hand slipped the gun would go off. Solid gun. [7] Year of Manufacture:. 16 Gauge .Click for more info. The second sear is the small projection on the right side of the hammer. The New York City Police Department used 2 versions of the Model 37: one with a 13" barrel with forend hand-strap for its Emergency Service Unit and one with an 18" barrel for its Highway Patrol and solo patrol officers of designated low-crime precincts through a short-lived program spanning from the late 1970s to early 1980s. Chamber marked 2 3/4", choke measured modified, and 14" LOP. With Original Box, Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight 12 Gauge Shotgun Mfg.1952, Ithaca Model 37 16 ga UNFIRED VINTAGE 1958 COLLECTOR ***, Ithaca 37 16 ga Vintage Beauty 1949 Hardly Used, ITHACA MODEL 37 DUCKS UNLIMITED 40TH ANNIVERSARY 12 GAUGE. However, law enforcement agencies could order new guns with the slam fire if desired. Factory Ithaca pad. To clear the jam, I must force the second shell back into the magazine and then close the bolt face. directly from the factory outlet store in 2016 after calling and asking if they have fixed the problem. The 16 was made in 1965 and the 12 1974, and the 20 1975. Make: Ithaca. Modern CNC technology means that the machined parts are made more precisely than ever. While Ithaca did produce some shotguns for military use during the war, they also produced M1911 pistols and M3 submachine guns. This is not always a good thing, especially with an inexperienced shooter. A 12, 16, and 20 gauge. In the current catalog, you will find the Featherlight, Defense Gun, Deerslayer II, Deerslayer III, Turkey Slayer, Waterfowl, Trap Model, Womens Stock and 28 Gauge. He was Ithaca's head gunsmith for years before he retired. Year Designed: 1933 Manufacturers: Ithaca Gun Company and Industrias Marcati (unlicensed clone from Argentina). The Model 37 pictured is a late-production 30 " -barreled, 12-ga. example that is unmodified and appears to be unfired. I have one made in 1975 that is a 20ga and another made in 1977 coming in 12 ga. Thanks berettaracer! NY: Avon Books, 1995. Model: 37 Featherlight. The "slamfiring" is done with a second sear in the trigger group. When I dress Western, nothing beats the classic good looks of my Smith & Wesson (S&W) 586 .357 revolver. Nobody builds on model 12s because parts are getting scarce and you need to really understand them when tweaking them. They tend to be heavier and are not as easy handling in the field. Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight 16ga.,28" Modified,Take down,Made in 1969,Excellent Condition. Otherwise, the Model 37 operates in much the same way as other pump-action shotguns; with the exception that, unlike most pump-action (and semi-automatic) long arms - which usually eject expended shells to one side, usually the right - the Model 37 ejects them downward, through the aforementioned loading/ejection port. With a 2 3/4 in chamber it has a fixed Cyl. At that point, Ithaca was no longer a gun company. I didn't write down the serial number. They will pump-fire just like the Ithaca Model 37. WOOD AND METAL EXCELLENT. WESTERN ARMS MODEL LONG RANGE DOUBLE GUNS. With the depression dragging on and another war looming on the horizon, it was possibly the worst time to introduce a sporting arm. The Model 97, as it was later known, became the most popular shotgun in the country. However, due to interruptions of civilian gun production during the First World War, it was 1921 before Remington could begin manufacture of the new gun. An LGS has a 37 for $250. The Ithaca 37 remains a popular choice among civilians for both sport and personal protection. This 8-shot pump shotgun has a 20" barrel chambered 3 inches. Privacy Policy. The Model 87 data came from the serial number records of the Ithaca Acquisition Corporation. A similar model, known as the Trench Gun, was made for the military during WWI. It then mentions that this fault is impossible on the Remington M31, M11 and sportsman, and Savage M720 (all guns with disconnectors)(my words). A favorite of sportsmen, police and the military, the bottom-ejecting M37 made before 1975 or so could be slam fired super fast due to the design of the sear. 3% charge on credit card purchase. An M37 will not "slamfire" unless it's broken. He sent it back a second time and got it back again without any explanation and very little improvement. It probably came about because they were going to law enforcement and military, but that is conjecture. I have two that will not fire with the trigger held back --- 37147xxxx and 37153xxxxx both guns have a "disconnector". Winchester decided to go ahead and do their own, but soon found out that the little toggle that opens the bolt to load the first shell was a Browning patent. Many sporting arms ceased production entirely during the same period. He is one of the best Model 37 "mechanics" in the world. The 12 month average price is $1,060.27 used. The late Jerry Lee served for many years as an editor with the Petersen Publishing group, covering titles such as. The gun is in almost new condit, Smith & Wesson Model 37 Airweight, chambered in .38 Special. A Cold War era classic with smooth lines, a legendary back story, and an exotic-sounding name, Beretta's Model 71 was definitely a mouse that roared. Regular M37 serial numbers apply within this range. Lugs that are machined out of the barrels original steel block create what Ithaca calls the truest, strongest barrel you will ever shoot.. Manufactured in 1976. R eprinted with express written permission from Walter Claude Snyder s books The Ithaca Gun Company F rom T he Beginning and I thaca Featherlight Repeaters:: The Best Gun Going:: A Complete History of the I thaca M odel 37 and the M odel 87 . My older Ithaca is capable of slamfiring. The Ithaca 37 (or Model 37) is a pump-action shotgun made in large numbers for the civilian, military, and police markets. There is no record I know that explains the rationale behind it. Used. It later became General Recreation Inc., which added general sporting goods, outdoor clothing and catamarans to its line. They were intrigued with Remingtons Model 17 and wanted to produce a similar gun. When Leroy Smith died in 1902, he left his share of the company to his son, Louis, who for 17 years was Ithacas only salesman. The Ithaca 37 is a pump-action shotgun made in large numbers for the civilian, military, and police markets. The Ithaca Model 37, now that's a piece of advanced weaponry. I also have a Remington Model 17, which we know to be the precursor of the Model 37. Serial Number: 371659823. A slightly used but still functional Ithaca Model 37 DS Police Special provides a great afternoon of fun down at Demolition Ranch. Buyers beware : My son bought a brand new, in the box, model 37 Featherlight 16 ga. pump from an Ithaca dealer in or around 2012-13. .Serial Number: 371659823. strong>ITHACA MODEL 37 DEERSLAYER 12GA BARREL 20 iNCH SMOOTH BORE. What to know about the classic Ithaca Model 37 pump-action shotgun: The pump-action shotgun has been the favorite choice of many American hunters for well more than a century. It is finished in a matte black finish. After loading the shells into the magazine and pressing the slide release located in the forward part of the trigger guard, rack the slide and push it forward, loading the chamber. After World War II, Ithaca resumed production of the Model 37. ITHACA MODEL 37 FEATHERLIGHT PUMP 12 GAUGE 3 MAGNUM CAMO SHOTGUN. I have one made in 1975 that is a 20ga and another made in 1977 coming in 12 ga. . This feature gave the gun a solid receiver that protected it from the elements and prevented twigs or other debris from getting into the action. Then as the shell is lifted up toward the chamber, another shell slides out of the magazine under the guide arms preventing closing of the bolt face. While the slam-fire is cool it is hard on the gun. It has a 20 inch barrel with a brass bead front sight. I do know the 1975 will slam fire not sure about the 1977 yr or model. The new value of an ITHACA 37 shotgun has risen $138.11 dollars over the past 12 months to a price of $1,117.44 . 1951 Ithaca model 37 Feather weight in 20ga. Once again, hope. Lay-a-w, ITHACA MODEL 87 12GA DEERSLAYER MODEL WITH 24 1/2" RIFLED BORE WITH FACTORY IRON SIGHTS. Year of Manufacture: . Even without a shell holder, the gun offers 7+1 rounds of awesome power. Cond. Mr. Smith was a brother of L.C. It's a featherlight model with the dog and such engravings. This was a big lie, as my son had sent his back twice. SKU: N/A Categories: Firearms, Shotguns. The cutoff date on that is around 1975. With the depression dragging on and another war looming on the horizon, it was possibly the worst time to introduce a sporting arm. Other users include the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and various military, police, and security agencies and prisons around the world. I bought my model 37 12ga. Come's with an extra barrel cut to 18 5/8" and ported. Any of these that came to the factory for service were converted back to the original shell stops at no charge. His response was that the US army viewed the practice as poor use of ammunition, creating excess wear and poor fire control. A spring then forces the bolt forward again, and in the process a fresh round is stripped out of the magazine. Thanks Donald. What year or serial # range did the mod 37 stop being able to slam fire? Some opinion that it can cause un due wear of the trigger group, I have never done it enough to prove out either way. "Shooter-grade" 37s can still be had in the $200 range. I didn't write down the serial number. Classic Guns: The Ithaca Model 37 Shotgun, Ballistics Basics: Bullet Efficiency And Ballistic Coefficients, New Rifle: Smith & Wessons Economical M&P10 Sport, Colt Single Action Army Clones And Replicas Vs. Originals, 8 On-Target Concealed Carry Insurance Options (2022), 10 Affordable Double-Barrel Shotgun Options (2022), Best AR-15 Options For Any Budget And Buyers Guide (2022), Best Concealed Carry Handguns For Women (2022). (hold the trigger down, keep pumping the action and it will fire multiple times) I've only done this a couple times just for fun. 1942 per the page above. K-Mart Classics: Remingtons Nylon Rimfires Engineered To Last. * Some M&P guns were built from unused Ducks Unlimited Trade Model receivers and had a DU serial number. All Rights Reserved, Slam fire memories with the Ithaca M37 pumpgun (VIDEO). Much of the data presented for the Model 37 guns came from microfilm copies of Ithaca shipping records on file at the National Tracing Offices of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and from microfiche copies of invoices from the 1980 era that were found at the Ithaca factory. Other special models over the years have included the Military & Police, English Style with a straight grip, Sporting Clays, Grouse Special, Hogslayer, Home Defense, Rifled Deluxe with a rifle barrel for slugs, Magnum, Bicentennial and others. Hunters & Shooters, An Oral History of the U.S. Navy SEALS in Vietnam. Evolution Of The Model 37 The Model 37 operates in much the same way as other pump-action shotguns. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Unique serial number sequences were established for special edition and commemorative Model 37 and Model 87 guns. DECENT REFINISH OVER SOME LIGHT PITTING. Ithaca Acquisition took over the company and moved all the manufacturing to King Ferry, New York. Scared the hell out of me, but then I realized it was a cool feature. Up for sale is an Ithaca model 37. Eight major concealed carry insurance programs are now available to the millions of Americans who carry concealed. I have a 1973 Ithaca Model 37 and have never tried to slam fire it,so I do not know if it will slam fire or not.Guess sometime I should try it and find out. Double check on this, but suggest you add a note for 1962 that Ithaca started with truly replace/switch barrels at # 855,000. The 97 has it, as does the 12. Well known for its line of high-quality side-by-side doubles, the company saw a bright future for the less expensive pump models. Ithaca M37 Defense in 12-gauge. The Model 37 had the slam fire from day one, and was discontinued in the late 70's. However, law enforcement agencies could order new guns with the slam fire if desired. 2018. It's a "newer" "old" 37 with a SN of MAG - 870042xxx and it did come without the two carrier screw locking screws. I'm no authority. Barrel Choke: Cylinder Choke .730. The Winchester Model 12 had become very popular and was setting the standard for pump-action shotguns. $1,299.99. Pump action 16 gauge with 26" ribbed barrel, 2 3/4" chamber, improved cylinder choke, and factory recoil pad. . Thanks again! This, a "slamfire" is an inadvertent discharge due to (usually) a stuck firing pin or inertial pin. The largest single users outside the US Military were the New York City Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department. Here's what it's like to shoot this classic scattergun. The Model 37 was a big success and went on to have the longest production run of any pump-action shotgun, surpassing that of the Winchester Model 12 which had inspired the 37s very existence. Key: Admin , Global Mod , Mod Checkered walnut stock and beavertail forend. $895 and FREE SHIPPING to your FFL in the l, Excellent overall condition, a few light handling marks. Firing the gun by pulling the trigger releases the fore-end slide so it can be pulled to the rear to eject the spent shell and then pushed forward to quickly load another round into the chamber. The recoil-operated autos are cleaner but some, especially the older long-recoil designs, have more of a kick than either the gas guns or pumps. The person I talked to said this is the first I have ever heard of any problems with this shotgun. Chamber marked 2 3/4", choke marked modified, and 13 3/4" LOP. The design is derived from the JMB designed Remington model 17. It's a featherlight model with the dog and such engravings. The Ithaca 37 (or Model 37) is a pump-action shotgun made in large numbers for the civilian, law enforcement and military markets. All barrels are steel-shot compatible, and current Model 37s come with three Briley choke tubes in full, modified and improved cylinder; a red TruGlo front sight; gold-plated trigger; and a five-round magazine capacity, with a plug to reduce it to 2+1 where required. Hope no one was in the room above him. The M&P Model served our troops well in World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. A total of 22,000 of these Model 37 shotguns was delivered to the Saigon government between Nov. 14, 1962 and Jan. 31, 1963. Finally, in 1937 Ithaca was able to bring the Model 37 to the market. That's nice, I won't feel bad about slamfiring it anymore! May be due to pressure on trigger by operator as action slide handle is pushed forward. In my safe I still have my 20-gauge Model 37 from 1960, which was my first shotgun and is still my favorite. The trigger consistently pulls at 4.5-5 lbs force and has no creep. I wanted one so bad for a while. . WANT TO, ITHACA MODEL 37 DEER SLAYER 12GA SMOOTH BORE RIFLE SIGHTS BARREL LENGTH 26" EXCELLENT BLUE AND WOOD MECHANICS PERFECT. 2 3/4 inch with a fixed modified choke. Get Guns.com offers and news!! In the case of the Ithaca Model 37 shotgun, if you hold the trigger down while you continue to rack the weapon, it will fire without you having to let go of the trigger. Here's a 1971 Ithaca model 37, the last popular firearm to offer slamfiring as a feature. This shotgun will slam-fire as designed. My Ithacas will slam fire as well. Chambered in 12 and later 20 ga, the 37 had a few interesting facets of its design that made it somewhat unique. The Ithaca Model 37 has had the longest production run of any pump-action shotgun. Comes with original box. They used the Remington Model 17 as their model and made modificationssuch as simplifying and cost-saving alterations of the firing pin and ejection mechanism, the work of Ithaca designer Harry Howland in 1931[2]while waiting for related patents to expire. And the demand just isn't there, especially now that they've fallen out of the general population's knowledge. Ithaca Model 37 Slam fire * 12 Ga * 2 3/4 chamber * Barrel length 26" * Front bead sight * No interstate sales tax This Ithaca is in used condition, The finish is worn is a few places. REDFIELD SCOPE INCLUDED. More than one million were produced over its 60-year life-span between 1897 and 1957. Very good plus overall condition, a few light abrasions. VENT RIB. Serial Number: 371493073. WANT TO PURCHASE CALL SHOP 716-941-3946, ITHACA MODEL 37 PUMP 16GA PLAIN BARREL CHOKE FULL BRASS BEAD FRONT SIGHT DATES ABOUT 1953 SERIAL NUMBER 528135 RECEIVER AND BARREL MATCHING SERIAL NUMBERS. Ithaca M-87 Featherlight Deerslayer 20 ga. An oddity of the firearm that has some combat value is the lack of a disconnector. This page also has other serial numbers for guns made by Ithaca, LeFever, and some others. This allows the shoot. This was free of charge and, while exact numbers arent available, many Model 1893 owners took advantage of the offer. Manufactured in 1962. The shotgun ejects out the bottom of the receiver. The short stroke and very solid sound and feel of the Ithaca action is a delight to me; it is claimed to be unsurpassed by any pump gun in this regard. Special serial number blocks were discontinued during 1953 for the models 37S and 37T. Both shotguns have exactly the same malfunction right out of the box. The way Ithaca stopped the firing when the bolt was closed and trigger held back was to remove the second sear on the hammer. John Browning had his reasons. The first new shell lands onto the guide arms like it should. A forum community dedicated to Shotgun owners and enthusiasts including the Remington, Beretta, and Mossberg shotguns brands. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards. I've only done this on target loads. The Rise Of The Model 37 Meanwhile, the Ithaca Gun Company wanted to get into the slide-action shotgun business. Ithaca Gun Company warrants to you, the original purchaser, that this firearm was manufactured free of defects in material or workmanship; and for a period of one (1) year after the date of purchase, the manufacturer agrees to correct by repair or replacement (with same or comparable quality model) your firearm. LOP TO NON ORIGINAL PAD 14", Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight is a pump action shotgun in 12 Ga. Gold bead front sight. Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight 12 Gauge Shotgun. Ithaca triggers. A slightly used but still functional Ithaca Model 37 DS Police Special provides a great afternoon of fun down at Demolition Ranch. Epic 22 Pocket Pistol: The Beretta 71 Jaguar. As such, its value would be around $400. The Model 37 is a manually operated, slide- or pump-action shotgun fed from a tubular magazine located beneath the barrel. Richard Anthony @ Great American Outdoors, Pay Attention As Scott Says: This Isnt Your Grandpas .300 Win Mag, Scott Introduces Bill to Teach Students the Dangers of Communism, Here You GoThe LA BOMBA A 12ga Exploding Shotgun Slug, AOC Tries to Blame Staff Member for Ethics Violation. Sign up for our daily email and get the stories everyone is talking about. It should come as no surprise to a reader of this publication that both designs came directly from the fertile mind of John M. Browning. If you scroll down below the video, I will place a description of the shotgun showcased. The Ithaca Model 37 has had the longest production run of any pump-action shotgun. The 1893 was caught between two eras in firearms history, the end of black powder and the beginning of smokeless powder.