Winchester Model 37 ???

[Dan Forrester]

About 5-6 years ago I purchased a shotgun receiver and forend for $15 at a ham radio show. The but stock had been hacked down into a pistol grip and the barrel was gone. It was obviously an illegal AOW at one time. I picked the thing up for $15 and forgot about it.

The receiver is nickel plated and has no markings except for a V right underneath the back of the trigger guard and a W with a P over stamped on top of it inside an oval at the top of the barrel break lever thing (whatever you call it).

I have determined that it is a Winchester model 37 single shot shotgun. However it doesn’t say Winchester any where on it, and has no serial number.

Does any one know the history of this shotgun?

Where can I pick up a barrel?

Thanks, Dan

 

[Dave McCracken]

Dan, Numrich/Gunpartscorp may have a barrel and a stock. The Winchester 37 was well made, had a steel receiver vs the iron one usually found on cheap singles, and oft turns up these days as the platform for a custom built turkey shoot shotgun.

These were made in 12 through 28 gauge and 410 bore.

HTH....

 

[Dan Forrester]

They dont have any barrels in stock.

Would you have any idea why there are no markings on the receiver?

Dan

 

[Dan Forrester]

Its been a couple years and this thing is bothering me again. I found a barrel for it and I don’t mind handing over the money, but I want to make sure it’s a real Winchester. I’ve heard there were some cheap Canadian copies of the Winchester model 37 floating around that were of questionable quality. Can anyone confirm that this is a true Winchester model 37 before I but the barrel. There are no markings or serial number except for what I described above.

Edit: The 4th pic is of the W and P stamped on top of one another inside an oval.

Thanks, Dan

 

[JohnBT]

Looks like a 37 to me, with the finish polished off, but that's hard to see from here. As best I know, other than the circled PW, the only obvious markings were on the barrel and the butt plate. Okay, I pulled my .410 out of the safe. It has the PW and a little z1 or something behind the triggerguard. None of them had serial numbers and they were discontinued in '63, well before the GCA of '68 required them.

The later 370 was made in Canada from '68 to '73 and has the opening lever behind the hammer, not in front of it.

John

 

[Dan Forrester]

Well I did find out that the little marking behind the trigger guard is the stamp of whoever inspected the completed receiver. I was just worried since it didn’t say “Winchester” anywhere on the receiver its self.

I think the receiver is nickel plated or something.

Since I have you here what are your general impressions of these guns? Dave McCracken seems to think highly of them.

Thanks for your help. It is very much appreciated. Info on these shotguns is difficult to find.

Dan

 

[Fred Fuller]

It was probably the best mass distribution single shot ever made. It's worth finding abarrel for, if you can. Try Jack First Inc., Corson's Barrels, etc.

lpl/nc

 

[rcmodel]

The "W P inside an Oval" is the Winchester proof mark.
The leg of the P is extra tall to clear the W top & bottom.

It stands for "Winchester Proof", and was used by Winchester on every firearm they made for many many years.

There is no possibility it would be found on the Canadian copy.

rcmodel