I'm wondering about rear sight options for a model 37 Ithaca slug barrel. I would like a receiver sight except for the fact that I interchange this barrel with a smoothbore shotgun barrel. Any help would be appreciated thank you.

On Friday, I finished up fitting a set of Williams Gun Sight replacement sights to my recently acquired 1960 20ga Deerslayer. The rear is their standard WDOS that slides into a dovetail and secures with a setscrew. The front is a fiber-optic bead specially shaped for the push-button ramp on the Deerslayers. I replaced the open sight blade with a peep blade which also fits on their WGRS receiver sights. I used a plain one, not the one with fiber dots on each side (hard to find just now). The setup is vastly superior to the original open sight paired with the translucent orange triangle front, which simple disappears for me. I'd prefer a blade to the bead, but feel lucky I didn't have to totally cobble something together myself.

Be aware that the front sight they provide isn't a true, sharp-cornered triangle like the original, but has little shoulders on the sides which I had to file flat with a needle file, a minor PITA. Once filed, I tapped it gently into the slot with a drift. The little spring-loaded button wasn't really needed to hold it, but I left it in to preserve the parts. Also be aware that the front ramp won't take a lot of pounding while fitting the insert. About 50 years ago, my late brother was fitting a steel blade to the identical ramp on a Super Single and broke one side of the slot. Epoxy saved the day, but better to not do it in the first place. The WDOS rear was snug, setscrew not really needed, but again I used it anyway. Windage and elevation are built in, no drifting needed.

I bought the 37 sight set direct from Williams and the peep insert from Midway. About $40 for the set and $5 for the peep, IIRC.

https://www.newenglandcustomgun.com


I didn't check, but these guys has many options for many guns.

Perhaps it was a Williams sight setup I saw on the 12 ga. Deerslayer I almost bought a few years back. This thread got me thinking about that gun because it had some custom (?) sights that looked both functional and good looking. Almost bought the gun out of nostalgia. I started deer hunting almost five decades ago when slug guns were all smooth bore and most only had a bead front sight. Ithaca Deerslayers were considered "state of the art", at least to us young guys. Even back then there were a few with some sort of aftermarket sights. Never owned a Deerslayer but I've shot them and loved 'em but never had one. So apparently there are sighting options available. I'll have to remember that.

There's plenty of "meat" in that sight rib for mounting a short rail section for a red dot or scout, but since mine doesn't (easily) accept other barrels, I opted for irons so I can shoot birds and bunnies too. I'm also cheap, at times anyway.

It's a thing of beauty !

Pappy:

Sweet setup. I think I will try that out.

Gonna put the same setup on a couple of TC Strikes for my sons' Colorado elk hunt in September. Both were here Saturday for a treestand fest and lunch, and both approved the sight picture. The Strikes come with Williams open sights, so only the blades need to be swapped out for apertures. Easy-peasy, and cheap.

Thanks for all the responses.

Tagged for later reference...Pappy, thanks for the pix.

Shot it a bit yesterday with some old Remington Sluggers. Little bugger kicks! Can't wait (!) to try some Brennekes.

TAG

tag

Where would I find sights like those pictured above n this thread?

Quite a few years ago (still doing my tool and die apprenticeship I believe), I stripped down the receiver of my 12 gauge Deerslayer, took it into work and drilled and tapped it for a receiver sight, don’t remember which one. I then machined a steel blade front sight to replace the orange triangle, making it with a base that fit into the dovetail the orange one fits into. Some years later, I cut a 28 inch full choke barrel on a 16 gauge model 37 to 24 inches (it was the tightest shooting shotgun I’d ever seen), d & t’d that receiver and sweated a ramp gold bead sight on for my son to use. It made a pretty good slug gun for him.

I don’t see the Williams Firesight set for Ithaca listed on their site now. Maybe if you call them, they can fix you up. The parts for the rear sight set are shown below:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1005987284?pid=211355

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1005995365?pid=496762

The Deerslayer front sight is an odd duck. You may have to use the original or file something to fit.

TAG

Thank you Pappy, Much appreciated. I ordered both products.

As for the front sight, any recommendation of exactly what part (product) to start with before filing would be appreciated too. The height is likely important.

I used the one that came with that Williams Firesight set, but it had to be filed down a little to fit. I didn’t see that set listed on their site, but a call to them might get you one. Otherwise, you might have to whittle some brass stock to fit.

I just got done sighting in an early Deluxe Deerslayer, the one that came with a factory-mounted Williams receiver sight. With nothing else on hand, I used the original orange triangle. Ithaca also had a black triangle that came with some models, but I haven’t seen one since the ‘60s or early ‘70s.

That rib on the Deerslayer barrel is just begging to be drilled and tapped for a base for a red dot, or the dovetail base Skinner sells.

EDIT: They make a bunch of
Firesights for pistols with narrow bases. One of those might be relatively easy to fit, but again, a call to Williams for their help would be a good place to start.

If your rear site has 2 flats you can install a scout scope or red dot. You need good .22 rings (Millett is what Ithaca recommends, I called and asked) just mount them as far forward as the grove allows, as they can slip.

Those flats in the grove are for .22 rings.

That looks like a new 37. The newest one I’ve had was made in 1963, and those grooves aren’t present.

BTW, any shotgun with a vent rib can make use of a Meadow Creek mount for a red dot. The one I have puts a FF3 really low on the rib. I’ve used it on a CZ O/U and by happy coincidence the same base fits my Gold Hunter 20ga. Very solid.

TAG

All suggestions are appreciated.
I would really like to stay with iron sights.
A few years ago I contacted Williams re the front sight for older Deerslayers & was told they were out of stock & no longer made.
I have seen several front sights at my local stores that could work if I re-filed the base to fit the older Deerslayer, but I am unsure of the height measurement. I really don’t want to file down several front sight bases.

Jim, this one looks like it has possibilities:

https://www.hivizsights.com/product/target-front-sight-for-all-glock-models/

Maybe there’s another replacement Glock sight that doesn’t come quite so dear.

I’m futzing around with some other Hi-Viz sight parts that I found in my Box-o-Crap. If it pans out, I’ll post it.

This is NOT what I started out to do, which turned out to be a bust, but in my little pile of Hi-Viz fiber optic sights I picked out of a clearance bin someplace, there was magnetic model intended for mounting on shotgun ribs. Turns out it’s a perfect fit for the front base on my Ithaca. Those magnets (3) are very strong, but a little super glue wouldn’t be a bad idea for strength. Also, trimming the end(s) to eliminate anything hanging over would help prevent catching it on stuff. The one I tried is the Birdbuster, I think, and comes with round and triangulare light pipes in red and green. It’s much brighter than the original, and sits quit a bit higher, which might be handy for use with replacement rear sights.

https://www.hivizsights.com/product/birdbuster-bb2005-magnetic-front-shotgun-sight/

Not elegant, but workable I think….

Interesting! Thank you Pappy.
I might have something similar in my gun parts box.
In case I don’t, I appreciate the link.

I just Found this thread and liked your set up so I just ordered the rear sight set up. I wish The fire sight set was still available so I could Get that front sight you have in the previous pictures. It looks quite a bit taller than the factory sight , does the peep set up give you enough adjustment to compensate for that ? I may try to figure something else out like you did in this picture but I want To make sure I get the right height.
Thanks !