The only shotgun I have is the one I received for my 14th birthday. An 870 combo express 12 ga 3" mag with 2 barrels. I have used it for everything for the last 20 some years. Turns out it was a great present. I am now looking for something smaller, lighter, more refined for bird hunting and I found a few things that I like locally, but I have not a clue what the best value would be or what I would be happiest with. Looking for some opinions from people with a lot more experience. I know it depends on the person in the end, but looking for my best bet. I will try to list some of the options I have and details on them...

Ithaca M37 16ga, great condition, 1955 i believe, $449

Belgium Browning A5 16ga. Larger than the others, $650

Ithaca M37 20ga, some finish wear, $399

Remington M17 20 ga, better condition, $399

LC Smith Field grade SxS 16ga, gorgeous metal, dinged up wood, locked up very tight with a nice loud click... Lovely gun. $799

Fox Sterlingworth 12ga, good case colors and finish but rust forming on release.. $749

Ithaca SxS grade 2 and Flues grade something.. Didnt look too close because they were something like $1299 and $1699 but might check them out next time. Appear to be nicely engraved.

Any tips or any that jump out as great deals?
Thanks!

M37 16 gauge is what I like . I have a vent rib deluxe from 62 that is hard to leave at home. Had it fitted for choke tubes. It does everything I need a shotgun for.

Since you have long experience with your 870, but want smaller/lighter, you might like a 20ga Wingmaster?
Sticking with 20ga keeps your ammunition priced best, like 12ga.
The Ithaca 37 in 20ga fits your smaller/lighter & your familiar cross bolt safety & easier to get parts than Remington 17.
Then there is the fun of trying guns that are completely different than what you have had................
Enjoy the journey.

M17. Great light field gun. Much easier to find 20 gauge than 16 gauge shells. I love Ithaca pumps, but would go with the Remington in this instance.

Those all sound like great choices. You may also look into Winchester Model 12s in 20 or 16 gauge. They are nice guns and generally a couple of ounces over 6.5 pounds.

I was originally looking for a model 12 in 16 or 20, but all he has is about a dozen in 12 ga. Some nice ones in the $400-500 range but decided that wasn't really what I was looking for.

Of those, I like the 16 gauge Model 37
Classic shotgun.
And the Browning A5 16.
I would use it as a stepping stone towards the Sweet Sixteen. Why?
Because I think every birdhunter should have a Belgium made Sweet Sixteen. Vintage and Classy.
My advice, stay away from 28 gauges. They are addicting. Very addicting! And they can get a little pricey. But nothing shoots like a quality 28 gauge!
Good luck with whatever you choose,
Ed

Of those, I like the 16 gauge Model 37
Classic shotgun.
And the Browning A5 16.
I would use it as a stepping stone towards the Sweet Sixteen. Why?
Because I think every birdhunter should have a Belgium made Sweet Sixteen. Vintage and Classy.
My advice, stay away from 28 gauges. They are addicting. Very addicting! And they can get a little pricey. But nothing shoots like a quality 28 gauge!
Good luck with whatever you choose,
Ed

I am a big fan of the Browning A5s. That said, I’m a sucker for a L.C. Smith. That’s how I’d go.

Everyone listed I would have to weigh the pros and cons on each individual specimen before I could decide which was the best fit.

I do really like my 37s from the early 50s, both a 16 and 20.

The M37 16ga was in, by far, the best condition. I happened to snap a quick photo because that was the one I was most interested in and wanted to date the serial number. It is a crap photo but you can see that it barely looks used. It is the middle right one.

Whichever fits you best. For me that would be the Fox Sterlingworth. Although on the heavy side, I would not rule it out, assuming it is appropriately choked for whatever type of bird hunting you intend to do. Light it is not, but for bird hunting it still carries well and you are unlikely to check your swing with it. And it would keep you in the same gauge as you are currently in, if that matters to you.

Second choice would be the 20 gauge Model 37.

This, open the choke to choice, light and deadly, as well as classic. ;-{>8

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/890462911

AND, watch out for excessive drop on any of the old double stocks.

I started out a pump shooter and changing over to SxS's was not to hard. Never did care for auto's much with one exception, Browning double Auto! Great gun. Today I have I think five SxS's and one pump. About all I use are the SxS's. The pump though is a Mod 37 Ithica and wouldn't sell it for any price, that is a great pump. Most my pump's have been Mossberg 500's. had a couple 870 but just didn't get along with them that well. In your case, if you wanted to try SxS's, if you could find a used AyA Matador, fairly low price and super gun. I of course have some. Also had a Charles Daly 500 SxS that I liked really well. Have two new CZ Bobwhite's I haven't used much yet but do seem like really nice gun's. At one time I had a Stevens 311 in 12ga and that was a solid gun. Pretty plain Jane to say the least but it always worked. Never much use for auto's other than that Browning Double Auto, just don't care for the way they look or handle. But have seen in photo's some newer imported guns that are slimmer and kind of like, just not enough to get rid f my SxS's or my mod 37. In the end it's gonna need to be you but I guess you know that. We all like to look at what we like to look at and we all like to feel what we ike to feel!

Be hard to go wrong with a mod 37!

Where are all these classic shotguns?

Family owned local shop that is out in the stix. It has been open for almost 100 years. Only does cash business and FTF. Pretty much a time capsule. I can't really decide on any one of these so going to try to make a deal for a few of them.

I have picked up some really nice guns from him that I am going to pass on to my children eventually as heirlooms... I hope.

All of these have come from there.





The 700 is the one I just purchased. Unfired custom shop gun from 1969.

What caliber is the 99 Savage? Nice looking rifle!
The 1894 SRC Look s great too! Caliber?

303 Savage, 1925 mfg. It's a great shooter with 160gr Leverevolution spitzers made for the 30-30, tight clusters, but I can't get the rear sight low enough. It is still shooting about 6" high. I probably need to load up some 190gr like was originally intended for it... try to keep it original and still hunt it.

32 Win Spc, 1909 mfg. It is a shooter too. I hunted with it this year.

The kids have been learning to shoot with the Martini Model 13. My oldest is quite good with it. It was originally from the local High School's shooting team. They used to practice in the basement of the High School in the 1920's and 1930's.

Nice classic rifles.......Real nice!

So I went back and nabbed the ones I had to have. I am excited about getting them into the field. They seem pretty special to me already. They are even nicer than I had remembered.

The Remington model 17 is a 26" mod 20ga (obviously), deluxe, from late in the run. Barrel code is AB, so March 1933.

The Ithaca model 37 is a Featherlight 28" mod 16ga from 1955.

I love the wood on both of them.

Nice guns.
Cool old guns that will last several more life times.....
Enjoy!

I would go ithaca 16ga all day everyday but I'm partial since I've hunted with one for over 35 years I also have Belgium browning rem 870s,franchi which is second favorite but the 16's are awesome