Ithaca Model 37 vs Remington 870

what are your uses? i like mossys the best. i like remingtons to but not the safety and slide releases positions

The 37 has bottom eject which I like.

It's much harder to break down, can't accept a tube extension, barrel changes are difficult, harder to work on yourself and hardly any accessories available for it. Good shotgun though.


GC

I prefer the Ithaca action by far, shorter smoother pump and it snaps the empties out with gusto downwards instead of dribbling them out the side. Loading is faster too since there's no lifter in your way and they seem to run with less mag spring pressure. The gun itself is just ridiculous light and quick handling for its having a steel reciever. Then there's the JMB factor.

The Remington, for its part wins when it comes to parts availablility, knowledge base, ease of disassembly and brute mechanical reliability.

Both can fire slugs, no problemo.

If your use is going to be HD, the 37 will be fine ... so will the 870.

The main difference would come if you wanted to use the same gun for multiple purposes. You'll find a lot more "add on" stuff out there for the 870 (different barrels, stocks, sights, etc) than you will for the 37.

Being a lefty though, that downspout ejection is a definite advantage for you.

They do make a left handed 870, too.
I prefer the ergonomics of the Remingtons. I like the safety behind the trigger and I find it is a heck of a lot easier to throw another shell in the open port than to feed one thru the magazine when you have run it empty; that was my biggest complaint with my BPSs. Neither the 37's or the 870's ergonomics are "better", they are just different. They are both good guns with a long successful history.
I would handle both if I were you and see which one fits you best.

I like the Ithaca much better

The Remington is an excellent shotgun that is simple in design and very durable. Also there are more accessories and barrels for it. However I personally like the Ithacas . The action is very smooth and fast. I have a 12ga and 20 ga for hunting that has been with me for more than 40 years. I plan , in the near future, to get their home defense gun in 20 ga. For the money, it is a excellent gun .

The M 37 is a slick piece of work-smoothest pump I've ever shot.

Only drawback, for me, is the crossbolt safety. I'm used to the top tang safety of a BPS or Mossberg, and can always find it quickly on a bird flush.

On ducks or turkeys, there's generally more advance warning and, for me, adequate time for the crossbolt-so that's what my 37 is used for / restricted to.

Many others do just fine with crossbolts-just depends what you're used to.

Pick the one that fits and suits you best, but remember that if you ever have to use it in a real emergency, the safety has to be as natural as possible for YOU to operate, half asleep, in the dark, under pressure, scared or whatever.

Then practice, practice, practice til you can handle the gun effectively under all conditions.

The 37 is a great shotgun, esp for a left handed shooter. I have shot a Rem Mod 17 (same Browning design-minor mods) for 30 years, and it has never failed me. Very smooth action, fast to reload, nice pointing. See if you cant see both at a gun show or LGS. Mount each 3-4 times and you will know.

I just bought my first shotgun fairly recently... a M37. I got it for HD and it seems that it will serve that purpose well. Its a 20" smoothbore "Deerslayer" model. I love it.

My only reservations have already been stated. The main thing is that barrels are not as readily available as for the 870. They're also expensive. If you're sure that you won't want to hunt birds or clays, get the Ithaca in Deerslayer garb. Or if you're feeling spendy, get the riot model, or really spendy get the trench gun model. Its a great gun, few people will say otherwise.

it depends. if you're not going to add anything to it, the 37. if you want to get all kinds of accessories and whatnot, then the 870. out of the box, i personally prefer the 37, although i don't own one...

I'd look at a Mossberg 500. I've owned all manner of shotguns and consider myself a "Mossberg" guy although I couldn't ever say no to a 37 or 870. If you're deadset on a 37 or 870, I'd go with the 870 because you say you're new to shotguns. Taking it down and finding parts for it will be much, much easier than the Ithaca.



This being said an Ithaca 37 is a work of art....

I shot an Ithaca 37 for the first time this weekend and was blown away. What a great gun! That being said, 870's are great also. You'll be happy with either one.

I have used a 37 in 20ga for 45 years, the first new gun I every bought. Great balance and I can still carry it all day. I was issued a parkerised 12 ga Ithaca in Viet Nam in 1967 and felt that I was well armed. I was issued a Remington 870 riot gun in the Coast Guard and I felt the same. Maintence for both is simple and easy. My HD gun is any older Ithaca 20" Deerslayer with a flashlight under the barrel. I think you cannot go wrong with either weapons. Have fun

Since you're a southpaw and prefer a bottom-ejecting action, you might want to consider a Browning BPS. It is a mite heavy for toting all day in the uplands or pushing through grouse and woodcock thickets (though just about perfect for shooting heavy loads from a waterfowl blind/boat) but it does have a safety located on the tang-where all shotgun safeties should be. . In my experience, the next best place for a safety in terms of a speedy deployment is where Val Browning put one on the long discontinued Double Auto-behind the trigger guard where it is quickly accessed by the shooter's second finger. And if a safety must be located on the trigger guard, I much prefer one situated on the front of the guard (ala Winchester) as opposed to a rear mounted one as found on the Remington 870, the Ithaca 37 and probably most other repeating shotguns that have trigger guard mounted safeties. Preferences for safety locations is very much a personal thing and probably has as much to do with what we grew up with and have become accustomed to as anything else.

I prefer the ergonomics of the Remingtons. I like the safety behind the trigger and I find it is a heck of a lot easier to throw another shell in the open port than to feed one thru the magazine when you have run it empty; that was my biggest complaint with my BPSs.

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That's more than balanced IMO by the fact that it's that much easier and faster to load the magazine on the Ithaca, the shells practical load themselves in comparison. Another thing is, I believe its much harder to short stroke an Ithaca, even a marginal pump will get 'er done while the 870 needs *slam slam* all the way.

I would think that for HD work/duty bottom eject and no direct access to the chamber would/could be a liability.

I do like the M37 though.

I have a couple 870s and an Ithaca and while the 870s are cheaper, robust and parts both factory and aftermarket abound, I prefer the Ithaca. The 870 has a reputation for being a smooth gun but those that quote that have probably never worked with an Ithaca! The bottom ejection is a plus for left handers or folks like me that just like the downward ejection and one less port of debris to get in. Where I don't like the Ithaca is in it's disassembly. You have to remove the buttstock in order to remove the bolt so that feature doesn't endear it to me. In either case though, you aren't going to go wrong with either one.

There are mirror image 870s available for lefties. Ithaca 37s do OK for lefties also, and so do BPSs (Browning Pump Shotgun). Browning is making a defensive/riot version these days too. The BPS has a tang safety, too, which might be an additional advantage. See http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=137100909 for one offering.

One thing about the bottom-ejecting pumps in a defensive role- they are sometimes used in a pinch from behind cover, like a car hood or mattress. In such a case, you have to remember not to crowd your barricade, or you may jam the gun with a failure to eject. A minor point, but one to remember fwiw.

Your ability to use whatever shotgun you choose effectively is far more important than what gun you choose...

lpl

I'm also a lefty and I've got both, a lefty 870 Express and an Ithaca 37 in 16 gauge. The 870 is nice, though rather heavy and not as well finished. Lots of accessories, as said previously. But the 37 just feels better - lighter, slicker action, better finish and the downward ejection which I like. I've redone the stock with lefty cast and now it fits great. The 37 is my favorite pump. Use it for turkey too.

Grew up on a 37 that was handed down to me from my papaw. Brother has an 870. Always preferrred the Ithaca. When I decided to retire the 37 so I could pass it on down someday, I replaced it with a BPS. Reminded me alot of the 37 and I was already use to the bottom eject. If I had to do it over again, I would go the same route.

Before all the Ithaca lovers coming out of the wood work skews things too far, take a look at this.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=467611

I'm considering having Ohio Ithaca do me up a 7+1 DSPS style gun, parked, with either a bead or rifle sights {haven't decided which yet} and wood stock shortened to a 13" LOP. I could save a bunch of money and go used but money's not really an issue at this point and the quality of the new guns is that much better than anything else in pumpland these days IMO.

Then again I might go with a Benelli semiauto since as much as I like the Ithaca, I already have a good defensive pump in my well sorted out 870P.

Before all the Ithaca lovers coming out of the wood work skews things too far, take a look at this.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=467611
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What am I missing here? I reviewed the link and saw nothing new that relates to the discussion at hand. Unless you are implying that low poll numbers should have a bearing on the selection of a shotgun...