Ithaca aluminum reciever shotguns

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bullfrog99

New member
Ithiaca has listed new this year a few aluminum reciever model 37's in 20ga, billed the ultralight models with barrels ranging from a 20" cyl bore to removeable choke 28" bird guns. has anyone handled any of these?

http://www.ithacagun.com/store/newguns/deerslayer.html

The short tubed deer model weighs less then five pounds unloaded, sounds like a great shotgun that could fit into that 'smoothbore M-1 carbine' role, a carry all day gun for the field or working. what do you guys think.
 
It's a good variant on a classic, but....

IME, shotguns of extremely light weight are hard to shoot well. With less inertia, one has to work more to keep the swing going. The other extreme is the gamer guns, with their 8-10 lb weights and muzzle heavy feel. That's to keep the swing swinging.

Don't be put off by this, good work can be done with the featherweights. It takes a little work, that's all.

Also, light shotguns are stone cold $%^%^&*es to shoot heavy loads in. A 5 1/2 lb 20 gauge kicks really hard with a 3" load or even a fast 7/8 oz one. A good pad,fit and form are essential for comfort.

Given that one can shoot the thing well, this would be a great knockabout/woods gun.
 
Dave, you are right about the recoil. Some folks who have never shot a 20 gauge think it is a pussycat to shoot. By and large, the 20 kicks just as badly as a 12 in the "same" gun because the 12 typically weighs about 1.5 pounds more than the 20. In guns of equal weight, the 20 gauge is a lighter recoiling round, but who wants a 20 gauge that weighs as much as a 12?

Having said all that, I own both and shoot 99 to 1 more 20's than 12's because I like to carry the 20's. One of my all-time favorites is my Model 37 Ithaca in 20 gauge.:)
 
Cut my teeth on a too light 20, didn't know any better. It was several years before I learned that a well ballanced 12 was a pussycat compared to my small framed, short barreled Parker 20.

A light 20, that fits will definately fill the pot tho.

Sam
 
I've mentioned it before here,but I was surprised at the kick from the little 20 ga Youth Express I got for the kids. 1 oz loads and that smaller butt are the causes. And that's not a super lightweight, it runs over 6 1/2 lbs.

Good fit and form are paramount for comfort with light shotguns.

Of course,these will not be seen much on the ranges, they're field guns pure and simple. Carried a lot and shot a little.

For this, the featherweights are excellent.
 
Sorry, but...

Aluminum is such an un-aesthetic material. I have a Model 87 that is a pure joy. Why the joy? That solid steel billet, nicely machined, with no ejection port, that makes the M37/87 receiver.

Aluminum? Then I'm an ex-Ithaca aficionado
 
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