Ithaca 37

T

twhidd

New member
Someone school me on the Ithaca 37. Are they made as well as they used to be? Do they have any plastic parts and are they still made in America?
 
Still made in Ohio and made very well to say the least, they are one of the best pump action guns under 1000 you can buy. They are pricey for a pump gun but worth it. Very solid gun to rely on.
 
Still made in Ohio
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Make that NOW made in Ohio - they were made in Ithaca, NY originally, until the company went bankrupt, and this machine shop bought the name and rights.

When this new one came around, a gun writer friend of mine got one for review - it took them three tries to get him a gun that worked. Hopefully they have those issues resolved.

Whether the new company makes them as good or better than the originals is a matter of opinion
 
It's all steel and no plastic or alloy, very well made. No alloy unless you want the ultralight $$$$$ alloy reciever. But that said the Model 37 is now made on CNC equipment and put together very well.

One thing Ithaca has a frame size for each gauge, smaller gauge the smaller the frame. That makes a 20 gauge a very fast handling gun. Many of the other makers out there use one frame size for all the gauges and "make" the barrel fit.

The service dept is second to none, very helpfull, and the gun being the same as it was first made all the parts fit no matter how old your gun is.
 
I have two 37s, both 12 gauge, one made in the early 1950s with the corncob forearm and one made in the early 1970s with the modern forearm.

I love them both.

But....

The biggest benefit to the 37 is also its biggest drawback -- the light weight.

They're a joy to carry in the field all day, but if you get into heavy shooting, they can really pound the hell out of you.

Years ago I fired 75 rounds on the trap course - 1 1/4 ounce 2 3/4 dram equiv. loads. Not heavy by any means, but at the end of it I felt as if I had gone 10 rounds and come out the loser.

The WORST recoil experience I have ever had, and I've fired some of the really big British African cartridges, was with my 37 and a slug that I got mixed into my range bag.

Friends and I were shooting some pick up at the local sportsmans club, and I found the slug in my bag, so I threw it in the gun and touched it off before I had a good shoulder weld.

BIG mistake. It was like getting hit by a pile driver. I didn't shoot anymore that day because my shoulder felt like hell and quickly went black and blue.

That said, a good recoil absorbing butt pad can make a huge difference.

I'm also looking to get an older one in 20 gauge.
 
I just ordered one of the new 37 trap guns. I started with one in the mid 50s and loved the gun. Recoil on the 37 is not an issue if the gun fits you. They are the best pump shotguns currently being made.
 
Even a gun that fits you is going to take a toll eventually. Proper fit does not negate the effects of recoil, proper fit only makes recoil tolerable for a longer period of time.
 
Yeah you are right. Some people are not as fit as others and several hundred rounds in a afternoon would bother the less fit.
 
Yeah you are right. Some people are not as fit as others and several hundred rounds in a afternoon would bother the less fit.
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Fit as far as the individual goes has less to do with the wear and tear then the fit of the gun. Doesn't matter how "macho" you are, several hundred rounds with a gun that doesn't fit is a case of the flinches waiting to happen
 
Friend from work was a competitive trap shooter for years. Three decades of shooting finally put the flinches to this very tough man, to the point where only a release trigger could help him.

I really want a Model 37 in 20 gauge. Don't waterfowl hunt much anymore so I just don't need a 12....
 
Heh, I used to think I was too tough to flinch, had a permanent callous in my hand web where unmodified 1911s and BHPs would draw blood every session. Well, I learned different, took a long time to cure that flinch.

My 37 came with rifle sights and a hard plastic buttpad. Says "Featherweight" on the side. Hmmm...Rifle sights, I worked it out with slugs, it is ridiculously accurate on them. 50-60 slugs in a night testing for the best one will mark you up a bit though.
 
great guns but don't forget..

The shotgun, more than any other firearm, is an extention of your left hand and the natural act of pointing is very much affected by the degree to which the gun fits you. If it is a first gun then the thousand or so rounds that you'll put through it getting used to it will train your muscles to learn the gun rather than the gun having to conform to old muscle memory from shooting some previous model. If it is not your first gun then do some natural pointing with one. I am completely on board with the other Ithaca lovers but I used one for a year with marginal results (although it will always hold a spot in my heart because with it I killed my first grouse), and then went back to my earlier Wingmaster. Because the Remington was my first shotgun, my muscles got used to pointing it where it needed to be pointed to hit well. Now, in spite of the beautiful Fox in my safe, if I want to have the most productive hunt, I know what I have to bring, and if I ever wanted to have a gun custom built, I'd ship the butt stock of my Wingmaster out and have it's dimensions duplicated exactly.
In oher words, try it out. they may be beautiful but if it isn't your first gun, it may not fit you. Just my $.02
 
The new one? I would love an old one, love the way the barrel comes off, and hold the trigger back, and pump. I have a new made in Ohio, on consignment, at B&H. An ex NYPD would suit me.
 
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