Ithaca 37
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Sovblocgunfan
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I understand they are not the same as the old ones. Heavier, clunkier, not as well balanced.
I picked one up last year, haven't shot it much I'm afraid. I really don't have much experience with shotguns at all, and have never held one of the older 37's, but I do prefer it to the 870 I handled. Now whether or not thats post purchase rationalization or not I can't say. I don't know how the older 37's break down, but the newer ones certainly are a pain.
jaguarxk120
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Why are the newer Ithaca a pain to break down?
They are the same as the originals. There are no extra parts to carry or parts falling out of the action.
They are the same as the originals. There are no extra parts to carry or parts falling out of the action.
I have the 20" Defense model I think they call it, it shipped with a manual to a different shotgun which didn't help any. Getting the two philips screws out of the rubber buttpad is a pain, then you need a 3/8" socket to remove the buttstock, after that the trigger assembly was tight enough I had to take a hammer to it to slide it out. That may be normal for you, but being my first shotgun it seems like a bit of a pain to me needing 4 different tools to disassemble it for cleaning.
But the op may be talking about one of the nicer hunting shotguns anyway so my experiences probably don't even apply.
But the op may be talking about one of the nicer hunting shotguns anyway so my experiences probably don't even apply.
Unless you drop gun into mud you do not have to take trigger assembly out. I once had WWI vintage 25" 20ga Model 12 that has seen many years of field use that had trigger group removed by me (probably first time because screws did not looked turned). It had seeds, debris,....in back of action yet it functioned perfectly fine prior to strip cleaning. Ithaca 37 "eats where it ****s" therefore being more closed system needs even less field stripping. I have Ithaca 37 with fixed barrel and the only thing I need for cleaning is couple of pull thus commonly called bore snakes.
jaguarxk120
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How do you want the parts to fit?
There are some guns where you push out two pins and everything falls out, is that what you want.
I would rather have parts that fit together tightly and like Pabloj has said how often do you pull a Ithaca apart.
Remember there is only one port and that is on the bottom, not like others with two ports where all kinds of dirt can fall in!
There are some guns where you push out two pins and everything falls out, is that what you want.
I would rather have parts that fit together tightly and like Pabloj has said how often do you pull a Ithaca apart.
Remember there is only one port and that is on the bottom, not like others with two ports where all kinds of dirt can fall in!
jaguarxk120
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Modular designed guns weren't made for ease of maintenance, but rather so any idiot with 30 minutes training can assemble the gun on the production floor.
The Ithaca Model 37 is taken from one of John Browning's designs, and the guns made today are better than ever. This is one gun that will last forever.
The new guns made today, with minor changes are the same as the guns made in 1937.
I have seen how the new Ithaca's are made, CNC machining centers, barrels with the rib post's integral with the barrel. The barrels are hand finished, trigger guards the same way, and it is made of steel. No plastic or injection molded parts. The stocks are of higher grade walnut.
At the Ithaca open house I shot a trap gun that performed flawlessly.
The Ithaca Model 37 is taken from one of John Browning's designs, and the guns made today are better than ever. This is one gun that will last forever.
The new guns made today, with minor changes are the same as the guns made in 1937.
I have seen how the new Ithaca's are made, CNC machining centers, barrels with the rib post's integral with the barrel. The barrels are hand finished, trigger guards the same way, and it is made of steel. No plastic or injection molded parts. The stocks are of higher grade walnut.
At the Ithaca open house I shot a trap gun that performed flawlessly.
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nettlle
Contributing Member
Mine was pretty stiff when it was new. After a couple hundred rounds the action is very nice. Better than any 870 action I have tried.
entropy
Member
Haven't tried a new one, but the several 37's I've owned, including my current HD gun, are second only to the 870, IMHO. They aren't as easy to take apart, but as mentioned, they rarely need it.
Panzerschwein
member
The 37s are good guns.
They were carried during WW2 from trench warfare, if that's any endorsement to you. They are perhaps the most reliable and advancement pump shotgun out there, even today.
They were carried during WW2 from trench warfare, if that's any endorsement to you. They are perhaps the most reliable and advancement pump shotgun out there, even today.
Virginian
Member
Ithaca sold 1,495 shotguns in 2014, Mossberg 371,367, and Remington 413,534. Ithaca has risen from the grave twice already. Their much heralded new products have failed to materialize. What's that mean; I don't know.
I do believe the new Ithacas are as good as the old ones even though they mostly have interchangeable barrels now and use a lot of CNC machining to replace hand labor.
The first modern repeating shotgun was the Remington 11-48. It ushered in truly interchangeable parts, and effective use of stampings, and it worked well and was durable, and was able to be built and sold for a profit for less than the competition. The 870 wasn't far behind, and the Mossberg wasn't too far behind that. They ran the Model 12 and the 37 out of the market; Ithaca twice. The older designs did not offer any advantages in functionality over the newer designs which sold for less money.
They all work, and so does the BPS. If the idea of machined parts makes your heart beat faster the Ithaca may be for you. But, though they all work they all feel different, and the bottom loading and ejection of the Ithaca and BPS is loved by some and not loved by many others, including me. I had 3 BPSs that never missed a beat, but I could never grow to like that feature.
I do believe the new Ithacas are as good as the old ones even though they mostly have interchangeable barrels now and use a lot of CNC machining to replace hand labor.
The first modern repeating shotgun was the Remington 11-48. It ushered in truly interchangeable parts, and effective use of stampings, and it worked well and was durable, and was able to be built and sold for a profit for less than the competition. The 870 wasn't far behind, and the Mossberg wasn't too far behind that. They ran the Model 12 and the 37 out of the market; Ithaca twice. The older designs did not offer any advantages in functionality over the newer designs which sold for less money.
They all work, and so does the BPS. If the idea of machined parts makes your heart beat faster the Ithaca may be for you. But, though they all work they all feel different, and the bottom loading and ejection of the Ithaca and BPS is loved by some and not loved by many others, including me. I had 3 BPSs that never missed a beat, but I could never grow to like that feature.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Youu might want to check your history books.
There was no 'Trench Warfare' in WWII.
That was in WWI, well before the 37 was designed.
rc
eastbank
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i don,t know about the new 37,s, but the older ones had trouble with the shell latch when worn would let all the shells in the magizine tube to fly out.i own ithaca 37,s, model 12,s and remington 870,s and shoot them all, but the rem 870 series offer more bang for the buck, cost included. and you can buy all the parts you need to build a 870 except the reciever on the internet and install them your self in several minutes. you have to be a ithaca fan boy to shoot trap with a 37 and as i have done it i know its far easier with a side ejection pump. my 37 is a 12ga three inch mag with a extra barrel with choke tubes and i do hunt with it. eastbank.
One reason for the small number of Ithaca 37s being sold is sheer economics. People in this country don't appreciate a $900.00 pump that doesn't perform any differently than the $300.00 pos 870 Express. They both go bang when you pull the trigger, the rabbit/pheasant/squirrel fall down or the round clay thingy breaks into pieces. (and yes I have a pos 870 Express that I gave $100 for). It is like a pipe wrench. Ugly but will get the job done.
The $900 (give or take a few) takes them out of the price range of most folks and into the range where people that spend that kind of money will spend it on a nice double or one of the higher grade semi-s.
As far as dumping the shells, it is not wear, it is adjustment. The end of the spring shell stop just needs tweaked over to catch the rim better. Additionally there was a engineering change made that caused the adjustment of that stop to be critical. If you look at/examine the older Ithacas, the magazine tube has a smaller diameter insert at the receiver end. This acts as the stop that prevents the shell follower/magazine spring from following the shell into the receiver. It also precisely hands the shell off/guides the shell to the left and right side stops. The change (which also affects the current Ohio production) was to do away with the insert and change over to a roll crimp. This added .015 per side slop to the shell rims going to the shell stops. Additionally there was a small step left inside the receiver from the original design.
I have machined an insert to go inside the magazine tube for the 16ga gun I assembled for my wife. Before the insert the shells would catch, be sloppy being handed off. The insert is the same diameter as the original design. Her gun now feeds shells just as slick as the old style magazine tube.
Additionally, dirt, or a worn spring in behind the spring shell stop can affect shell control and you actually can go to far with the adjustment (bending) the spring shell stop and it won't allow a shell to even feed.
The $900 (give or take a few) takes them out of the price range of most folks and into the range where people that spend that kind of money will spend it on a nice double or one of the higher grade semi-s.
As far as dumping the shells, it is not wear, it is adjustment. The end of the spring shell stop just needs tweaked over to catch the rim better. Additionally there was a engineering change made that caused the adjustment of that stop to be critical. If you look at/examine the older Ithacas, the magazine tube has a smaller diameter insert at the receiver end. This acts as the stop that prevents the shell follower/magazine spring from following the shell into the receiver. It also precisely hands the shell off/guides the shell to the left and right side stops. The change (which also affects the current Ohio production) was to do away with the insert and change over to a roll crimp. This added .015 per side slop to the shell rims going to the shell stops. Additionally there was a small step left inside the receiver from the original design.
I have machined an insert to go inside the magazine tube for the 16ga gun I assembled for my wife. Before the insert the shells would catch, be sloppy being handed off. The insert is the same diameter as the original design. Her gun now feeds shells just as slick as the old style magazine tube.
Additionally, dirt, or a worn spring in behind the spring shell stop can affect shell control and you actually can go to far with the adjustment (bending) the spring shell stop and it won't allow a shell to even feed.
Trench warfare did take place in WW2, but not to the extent of the previous war to end all wars.
As for the 37 takedown...........the recoil pad screws should have been a PITB on a new rig. I have torn down a lot of shotguns for repair/clean (fire and flood damage)........unless somebody has boogered the holes up (usually the pad looks a fright at screw access)............tight is a good thing.
People complain about loose guns at new, and now we have them complaining about them being too tight. Can't make anybody happy.
I'm no 37 fan, having shot old ones. The only advantage IMHO was the ambidextrous aspect (still had to flip safety IIRC).
No need to mod safety, bottom ejection (and better looks)............BPS.
As for the 37 takedown...........the recoil pad screws should have been a PITB on a new rig. I have torn down a lot of shotguns for repair/clean (fire and flood damage)........unless somebody has boogered the holes up (usually the pad looks a fright at screw access)............tight is a good thing.
People complain about loose guns at new, and now we have them complaining about them being too tight. Can't make anybody happy.
I'm no 37 fan, having shot old ones. The only advantage IMHO was the ambidextrous aspect (still had to flip safety IIRC).
No need to mod safety, bottom ejection (and better looks)............BPS.
peacebutready
Member
IIRC, they're imported currently even though they're from China. Are they any good?
farm23
Member
I have a 1950's model 37 feather weight and it has many rounds thru it. The only thing I have ever done is to take the barrel off and clean out the action. It has never miss fired or had problem one, so for me the design is one of Browning's best. I do not know much about the new guns except the barrels are not a direct replacement.
Milkmaster
Member
Barrels were not able to be replaced in the Ithaca 37 shotguns without hand fitting until after the mid sixties.
jaguarxk120
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Interchangeable barrels came after serial number 855,000.
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