I love those; my first gun was a 37 .410 that I paid all of $23.50 + 2% sales tax for in 1952. Still have it; mine has a 28" barrel. Is yours 28" or 26"? I've seen both. I take mine rabbit/quail hunting once every season just for auld lang syne.
From the shape of the hammer and opening lever, I would say yours is a very early one. Does it have Winchester stamped in the bottom of the reciever? Most early ones do; some have red paint in the letters, some never did, some did but it has worn off.
These are interesting guns from a design standpoint: Winchester made them on automobile manufacturing machinery that it adapted to making gun recievers, forend irons, and other parts. They used the same technique and machines to made the Model 24 double barrel and you can see the relationship if you put the two guns together. They also made so prototype hammerless single that look like a cross between the 37 and the 24, or a 24 "cut in half." Don't know what the proposed model number was, but they never made any for sale.
Can you tell I LIKE 37s?
