Ithaca 37 ?'s

[Avalanche2082]

Don't know if it's a rumor but I thought I remember someone telling me with a Ithaca 37 you can hold down the trigger and keep puming and it will still fire? I don't know if this is true or if it's even possible it may have been a different gun. Also what is it that makes the ithaca 37 so special? I've had my eye on a them for a while and was wanting some advice. Are there certain things I should look for that are problems with these guns? Thanks in advance.

 

[VegasOPM]

The original 37s will fire as fast of you can cycle the action while holding down the trigger- same with the old Wincheser Model 12's. My repro Model 12's have disconnectors, but I don't know about more modern 37s. They don't have a true disconnector. The 37's are cool because they feed and eject from the bottom. They were really popular for police and security for many years. I have shot several and they don't strike me as any better or worse than any other major brand pump gun. The only issue that I have encountered was a feed issue that turned from a minor issue to a major PITA due to the "in and out the same hole" mechanism of the 37.

 

[Avalanche2082]

Is it still possible to find one of these older models ithacas or remingtons? How old would it have to be and are they class 3 and is there a different price range for the older ones?

 

[Logan5]

It's not a class 3 issue really, you still need one hand to be pumping the shotgun, and your second hand to be holding down the trigger, and then Federal law lets you do whatever you want with however many other hands you happen to have that you might want to lay on your pump shotgun.

As far as I have seen, the new Ithicas are absurdly pretty guns, and quite expensive. I recently watched a guy unwrap a brand new 20GA in my local, and the product looks to be the equal of anything the company ever turned out. A very light, slim, pretty gun.

 

[Dave McCracken]

The 37 is a classic. The fan fire feature, though, is one of those things that you do once, and then ignore. No accuracy. That's why they eliminated it a few decades back.

FYI, the 37 is a JMB design, first made as the Remington 17. It's strong,,slick, durable and lasts longer than we do.

JMB made it as an upland gun, designed to carry and point well. It does that in spades.

 

[another okie]

Not only is it inaccurate, it will mess up your trigger work for other shotguns. But it's fun.

 

[Avalanche2082]

Dave, I have seen in other threads you have the book on B-days of the ithaca's do you happen to know under what range of serial number I should look for if I do want "the fan fire feature". I do agree with you though I'll probably only try it once.

 

[Dave McCracken]

S'not me, it's member Black Talon that has the book and has devoted many hours of his own time helping folks out. I'm sure he'll be by directly.

 

[Black_Talon]

what range of serial number I should look for if I do want "the fan fire feature". I do agree with you though I'll probably only try it once.

Ithaca started phasing this out around '74-'75. With some occaisional exceptions, pretty much anything pre'74 should have been built w/o a disconnector. Serial numbers prior to 371366000 are all pre-'74 guns. You'd have to double-check for disconnect function on a gun-by-gun basis though, 'cause there are non-slamfire versions that show up from time to time. Ithaca started playing with this feature in the mid/late 1960's but it didn't become official company policy until later. Pre mid 1960's serial number ranges would be 927000 and lower.

 

[Avalanche2082]

Black Talon I picked one up to day it is an Ithaca 37 Featherlite 12 ga and the Serial # is 371289xxx what year was it I'm thinking from what you posted maybe '74 ish .

How I can I tell if it will do the Fan fire without firing it? Also any type of shell I should not shoot out of it and does it have some kind of choke or is it built in or is it smooth bore. Also if there are any good websites about Ithacas and take down of them would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[LB7_Driver]

The model 87, identical to the -37 and made by the 1st company to take over, has this pump-fire feature. It didn't take them long to go back to the -37 name.

Production of the -87 started in.... 1987.

BTW - Model 37s are great shotguns!

 

[Jesscott]

WADR to Dave, the Remington 10 preceded the 17.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Jess, I always think of that flapper lifter on the 10 and don't hitch it in to the dynasty. But you're right, the 10 was also in the bloodline.

 

[FEG]

The 37 is a classic. The fan fire feature, though, is one of those things that you do once, and then ignore. No accuracy. That's why they eliminated it a few decades back.

FYI, the 37 is a JMB design, first made as the Remington 17. It's strong,,slick, durable and lasts longer than we do.

JMB made it as an upland gun, designed to carry and point well. It does that in spades.

After owning several older 37s, I have to agree. The light weight in the field is their real advantage. The lack of a disconnector is pretty neat until you realize it is just a really good way to waste shells.

Unless you would ever feel the need to dump three shells into a single person at a range of under 10 yards, it has little practical value. It is fun, of course.

 

[Jesscott]

Dat's true Dave, I forgot the 37 doesn't have that flapper. I dunno if that's an improvement or not LOL.

They made stocks and forearms for Model 37s in my town, up until +/- 1985. Go into a lot of professional offices even today and there's a tabletop lamp sitting there ... made from a 37 stock LOL. They must have given them away wholesale. No, I didn't get one dangit.

The building where they turned the stocks still smells like walnut, even this many years later.

 

[Milkmaster]

While holding the trigger down, my old model 37 dropped the hammer as soon as the forend reached all the way forward closing the action. It is easy to test with the gun empty because you can hear it. Use snap caps if you choose. Of course you don't HAVE to cycle the gun that way. Obviously it will work with one pull per cycle as any other shotgun does as well.

I do remember my 37 being light to carry in the field, but rough on the shooter. It had a pretty crisp kick to it for sure. It was great hunting a few cubbies of quail etc where a half dozen shots is all I would get in an outing. I don't think I would want it for many rounds of trap unless some weight is added to settle down the recoil. My
"new to me" Browning BPS feels a bit heavier and doesn't seem to bother me on recoil near as bad as the old 37 did. Going by memory, the BPS looks identical in the workings to my old 37. I took the BPS out to the trap range once already and shot a couple of rounds to try it out and it did fine. It does take some extra concentration to load it one shell at a time during trap. I love the gun, but the extra motion loading it during trap makes for distraction unless that would be the gun I use all the time. For bird hunting the 37 or a BPS would be a good choice to carry IMHO. Now that I have had both, the BPS would rate higher. The finish on the metal and wood are superior to anything else I have bought lately. I am sorry to say the Browning BPS is made in Japan now. But it sure is purty!