is a ithaca 37 20ga. deerslayer worth keeping ?

the only problem with trying to build a tactical 20 out of the 37 is the severe lack of anything cool to put on it. even something as simple as a scope mount you can find them for a 12 gauge 37 but not a 20 not to mention a collapsible stock
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The only practical thing you need to do with that Ithaca is cut the barrel to 18.25" to make it "tactical." Everything else is like fender skirts on a pickup truck.
 
i just cant bring myself to cut down a barrel or even tap a reciever for a scope,you can never go back after that. the only thing i will do is change the wood for plastic and add bolt on parts,plus i like fender flares with the right tires, gives the truck a good stance but beauty is in the eye...
 
The real issue that you are dealing with here is that Ithacas were all built on their own size receiver. The 12s,16s and 20s had unique sized receivers, barrels, mag tubes, stocks, foreends, etc. There are some internal parts to the receiver that are interchangeable, such as the trigger pack (has to be either a 2 3/4 or 3 in trigger pack depending on chambering) and some of the springs. Even the guns chambered for 2 3/4 or 3 in had different length receivers (3 in added 1/4 in to the original design) and that changed some of the components and unless you know which are which and understand the differences, you can buy parts and they simply won't fit, or will fit and won't let the gun function.

That gun is an interchangeable barrel gun. Since the serial nbr starts with 371xxx, it is well after the 855,000 cutoff. You can buy a different barrel and simply turn it into a field gun. That gun is a 2 3/4 in chambered gun otherwise it would say MAG-371xxxx or 371xxxx-MAG. A 3" chambered barrel will fit it and function, but it will still only function with 2 3/4" shells.

It is not really a good platform to build a "tactical" shotgun on. You cannot get an extension for the mag tube due to the design, etc etc.

Its value is in trade, yes in trade as it is not a highly desirable Ithaca OR, and most importantly, it can be turned into a field gun if you hunt or shoot trap or clays.

If you are wanting to build a tactical gun, and can get a good trade out of it, go for it.

Or get a another barrel and and turn it into a field gun, just make sure you don't get a barrel with a 6 digit serial nbr on it, 855,000 or less.
 
thanks for the excellent information, im gona start looking for a trade asap. preferably with a friend and not a shop as i believe the feds want to know to much about you allready. thanks again for the info.
 
Ithacas are fine guns. My Dad loves Ithacas. He had a 20 gauge Featherlight from the 60's and found it's twin in 12 gauge on the used rack of a local shop a few years ago. Needless to say, he bought it (same year of manufacture to boot).

I do agree, sell it for something you want but don't chop it. Ithaca is still making fine shotguns, but something about those old guns just makes you want to keep them as-is.

Someone should buy it. Deerslayers are/were popular in the shotgun only states.
 
As pointed out above Ithacas are proportional to the gauge and shell length. It really makes the sub-gauges nice handle well. I only own 12s, but if I wanted a 20, 28, or 410 an ithaca would be very nice.
 
ok i have changed my mind and decided to keep the 37 20 gauge. The gun really doesn't beg me to shoot it but it looks good sitting next to my dad's old 37 12 gauge and it will make a nice loner gun for visiting friends. besides used 870's are pretty cheap and as soon as my rap 6.5 creedmoor gets here (already lost interest in it, hopefully it'll peek again when it shows up) im going to start looking for the 870 within my budget, maybe even a mossy 500 but that would have to be almost free.
 
sg

Here's what I do not understand....and you surely do not have to justify wanting another shotgun....but, that being said, you have an Ithaca 12 ga. and an Ithaca 20 gauge. What do you expect an 870 to do that the Ithaca will not?
Spend the money on ammo.
 
here is my reasoning, several years back i bought a plastic pistol grip stock for my 1100 12 gauge deer gun to try to save weight,needless to say it did'nt but i did realize that the pistol grip was very comfortable to shoot and to carry. i understand all my shotguns are capable of home defense,hunting,skeet,trap,sporting clays or just having fun with and I already own a Wingmaster 20 gauge but that gun is too pretty to mess with and i really like it so i want another one as a
tactical project, retractable stock, pistol grip, extended mag tube, reflex sight, cool paint job... you get the idea. its all just for fun and you cant get that stuff for an Ithaca 20 gauge
 
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