Home Forums Reloading 16 Gauge Society Ithaca 37

I am thinking hard on an Ithaca 37 16 gauge. Probably plain barrel for weight savings.

What years or submodels seem to be the most preferred?

I have an early 1950s M37. It is the standard plain barrel model. It has cut checkering panels on the pistol grip and ring grooves in the fore end grip. I much prefer this configuration over later models that have embossed checkering.

I have a 1938 model 37 Skeet, 16 gauge, 26 inch improved cylinder, and vent rib. Pretty handy gun. I don’t think the vent rib adds enough weight to be a consideration.

Like carbon12 I prefer the older 37s with the cut checkering.

I own several 16 gauges and like the op, have a hankering for pump gun. I had one in a local gun store but it had that god awful poly choke on the end. That was a deal breaker for me.

Just FYI, I bought one of the new manufactured model 37 in 16 ga, 5-6 years ago. It was a great gun but very heavy. Sold it.

What did it weigh?

Never heard of 37’s being described as “heavy”

DF

The new ones were/are a brick compared to the older.
Have handled both.

There website now only lists a 20 and a 12.

The only new one I’ve handled is the 28 and it’s not heavy. It uses a scaled down frame. I like mine.

If they making them heavy, they’ve lost what makes a 37 a 37.

I have a first year 20 ga with solid rib. Nice gun.

DF

Have a 28 also..It is lightning rod quick when it comes to handling...Great little shotgun...

First year 20 ga. It has a Poly Choke, which was initially a turn off to me, like the previous poster.

But, it represents that vintage and works well. I thought about cutting it and installing choke tubes. But, was afraid it may be too whippy, the Poly Choke adding some wt.

Metal was as your see it, wood was terrible, so I restored it, recut the checkering. It handles great.

Walt Snyder's book, Ithaca Featherlight Repeaters, The Best Gun Going, is a must for 37 lovers. Walt ended up with the Ithaca, NY records and has done a lot of research on the subject. Walt says those solid rib barrels were rust blued, receiver and other parts, hot blued. One can see the difference with close inpection.

I had worked with Bill Askins, Col Charles Askins Jr's son, on his grandfather's Superposed which I ended up with. When it came time to sell Major Aksins double Ithaca 16 ga.Grade 4 ejector gun, Bill offered it to me. I thought Walt should be the one to have it. I notified Walt and helped with the deal. Walt did a great write up on the Major, featuring that gun in The Double Gun Journal, Winter 2018, pg 92-101. The Major was a renouned gun writer, the most prominant shotgun guru of his era. I have some of his original books.

This link is long, has details on the Aslins Superposed and Askins info not otherwise published. http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=124719

DF

^^^^ This is what I prefer too.

The Ithaca 37 in 16 ga is a sweet upland gun!

I just picked up this 1956 Ithaca 37 featherlight today. 12 gauge, 28" full Choke, ventilated rib. It was value priced at $349.99. Some day's you get lucky.

Nice.

You done good.

DF

I have no clue what the most preferred is but I really like my non-ribbed, full choked 37, made is 1948.

It has been a solid gun for me.

I own a handful of Ithaca 37s. Really like the 16ga. One 16ga is a solid rib version, the other vent rib. Haven's shot the VR model as I've been dragging my feet with a needed stock repair.

Getting ready to get serious about looking.

Any tips? Questions to ask seller since I will most likely end up buying over the net?

10g.. I have had a bunch of 37s and I really like them.. When I was a kid 60 years ago several of my older cousins owned them in 16 g. The handled really well and those guys put a lot of rounds through those old guns. I always had a soft spot for them, b ut the one I have never owned is the 16.. Had a 20, and a number of 12s, but never a 16.. If I weren't so old I would still look into one.. But with the little bird hunting I still get to do, I doubt I ever get a 16.. Get one and enjoy.. I do like the older models.. I might be seduced in to an older 16 with a solid rib.. But I am not sure I ever saw one. Enjoy/..

^^^This^^^

You and I don't agree on much but you've hit the nail square on the head on this. When the new Ithaca gun company made a limited run I reserved a deluxe with vt rib , colonial choke tubes, sunburst recoil pad and ring grooved forend. Mine was #269. Everything was fine but the butt stock did not copy the original line in the grip area. I KNOW BECAUSE I have a 37 R in 16 gauge. I shot it for awhile and it went down the road still have the 37R. Mb

Here’s mine. From 1938 a 37S. 26”IC. Sweet upland gun and turning out to be a great skeet gun.