Originally Posted by Direct_Drive
Ithaca M37
My first scattergun.
Best slug gun in it's day in Deerslayer form.
Duck buster with the 30" full.

Longest "still-in-production" slide action shotgun.
The slower, clunkier 870 a distant second.
Still a good gun, just not the same as the John Browning designed Model 37.

The army used them for ventilating the enemy, too.
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Sir, I'm not trying to sound like a know it all but I do believe the shotgun in your photograph is either a Savage Model 67 or 77. It is not an Ithaca Model 37. Thank you.

Savage 77E
Notes: A long-unsung hero of the Vietnam War, the Model 77E was one of the standard shotguns of that conflict, used by MPs, security forces, and even some personnel such as platoon sergeants and special ops units. Though designed to be a police riot gun, it saw much more service in the military, in Vietnam, the US, and other world postings. Between 1963 and 1964 some 60,920 were built and delivered to the US military, A further “emergency” order was made in late 1964, for a total of 1980 shotguns. 771 of these were provided to the ARVN. The M-77E was relatively inexpensive, and proved useful in the jungle.
Complaints by flak-jacket-clad shooters led to the stock being sawed off by 0.62 inches. This led to further complaints from those not wearing body armor, and later, a screw-on stock extender was devised that allowed the M-77E to be brought back to the original LOP. Unlike most US military shotguns, the M-77E had a thick recoil pad; the stock and pump slide were made of varnished beech, painted black. The stock was cheap and not too strong; a strong butt-stroke against an enemy often required a stock replacement. Savage responded by shipping the Army and Marines lots of extra stocks. The stock has a deep semi-pistol grip. The trigger guard was also made of weak alloy and broke often. As replacement trigger guards were in short supply, armorers often resorted to taking one off of an M-77E not being used or making them from scratch. Metal finish was Parkerized black. A few were experimentally fitted with bayonet lugs, but as bayonets on shotguns were little used, the experiment came to a halt, and the bayonet lugs removed. The crossbolt safety was on the left front of the trigger guard, a very ergonomic position.
The Savage 77Es were regarded as less-desired brothers to the Ithaca 37 and Winchester Model 12. Most were sold into civilian and police service after Vietnam, where their shortcomings were not as deleterious. They are now considered collectors’ items.