Ithaca Mod 37 -- 12 and 16 guage

[bline]

I saw an Ithaca mod 37 for sale and the gun comes with both 12 and 16 gauge barrels. Can someone please confirm that Ithaca model 37 guns were capable of mounting 12 and 16 gauge barrels on the same receiver? I have never known that to be possible. Maybe it's something unique to this make and model of firearm or I have somehow missed a very interesting aspect of this gun that I was not aware of.

 

[butchlambert]

Yes, It is common.

 

[bsekf]

I don't believe so! First off the 12 ga tubular magazine can't handle 16 ga shells and 12 ga shells won't fit in a 16 ga magazine. Year ago you couldn't even interchange same gauge barrels, the threads had to be fitted. That has changed.

Show me some more information.

 

[ben-o]

I’ve never seen or heard of a 12/16 gauge combo, But the design goes back to 1917, so no doubt it’s been tried. I’d be surprised if the magazine and shell stop/shell lifter could work well with both rim sizes, but the barrel threads might match.

They definitely have done smooth bore/slug combo guns, but with the same gauge.

 

[akajun]

No not the same
Different bolt ,

 

[spudgun]

If that Ithaca is a featherweight, you might want to reconsider.

I had one back in the 60's. Great gun to carry in the fields or woods but once you pulled the trigger you will feel it.

At least I did. May have caused me to flinch a couple times because I knew what was coming.

 

[El Matador]

Like others have said, the bolt and magazine tube would not be compatible with 2 different sizes of shells. It was common for people to purchase extra barrels for these guns because they are easy to change. In the days before choke tubes they would just buy different barrels to change chokes. So it's likely that one of those extra barrels just went home with the wrong gun.

 

[1shot]

Another thing with earlier model 37's that you need to know. They didn't have a sear disconnect feature. If you hold the trigger back and work the action, the next shell will fire! Don't ask how I know this.

Lloyd

 

[Turpentine]

If that Ithaca is a featherweight, you might want to reconsider.

I had one back in the 60's. Great gun to carry in the fields or woods but once you pulled the trigger you will feel it.

At least I did. May have caused me to flinch a couple times because I knew what was coming.

Nostalgia Alert! My apologies. My Pappy had one in 12 ga. with the corn cob forend and 30” full choked plain barrel. Daddy didn’t hunt much or supply my ammo. His hobby was work. But Pappy always made sure I had something to shoot as long as I held up my end of the bargain by working in the garden and cutting and splitting firewood. No wood, no heat in those days. He believed in ”Hi-Powered” shells. 3 3/4 dram equiv, 1 1/4 oz of shot. He did not believe in “wasting” shells. If you pulled the trigger, it was to put meat in the pot. A lot of the folks that went through the Great Depression were that way it seems. I used his 37 dog driving for deer and for a lot of other hunting in my early teens until i was deemed A5 worthy. It put a lot of meat on the table. I liked the design and the bottom eject. You definitely needed your Man Card to shoot it. But I wanted to hunt and was certified Dumb and Tough back then. Recoil was just part of the game. Even so, that thing would kick you from under your hat. There’s a reason a lot of them had cracked stocks. Brings back a lot of good memories.

 

[Charles]

I had one did not keep it long the recoil was one of the worst

 

[FNSafari]

Yup, an Ithaca Model 37 was my first firearm after taking the required NRA hunter safety course mandated by my folks. Still have it. Was purchased from a friend of my father for $75. Lovely, light to carry shotgun. Has a Polychoke on it, makes it very versatile.

 

[centershot]

I had one did not keep it long the recoil was one of the worst

I bought a 20 gauge for my son and shot it once. The recoil was so bad that I sold it. The stock had a bad pitch to it.

 

[Dgd6mm]

My wife as an older 37 Featherweight in 20ga. It's a nice piece of work. Engraved animal scene on the receiver.

 

[LoganDon]

I saw an Ithaca mod 37 for sale and the gun comes with both 12 and 16 gage barrels. Can someone please confirm that Ithaca model 37 guns were capable of mounting 12 and 16 gage barrels on the same receiver? I have never known that to be possible. Maybe it's something unique to this make and model of firearm or I have somehow missed a very interesting aspect of this gun that I was not aware of.

I no longer have a 37, too abusive on me. I have a Win. model 12, 16ga 2-3/4" with a Herters adjustable choke and rib, and I pretty much have given up shooting other shotguns. As a boy, I had an old Browning Auto-5, 2-9/16 chamber and killed all sorts of waterfowl, including geese, and small game. It did fine but at some time after gave Uncle Sam presented me with an all expense paid "vacation" to Vietnam, it dissapeared. As now I can fabricate 2-9/16 shells sure wish I had that old Browning back.

 

[Schippergreg]

I’ve got 2-12ga 37’s, both are 3” chambers. Only shotgun I hunted with for probably 20 years. I never felt that the recoil was bad. I couldn’t imagine the number of ducks and doves I’ve killed with one. Only problem I’ve ever had with them is extraction issues due to some shells having steel “brass” instead of actual brass. I assume that the steel doesn’t retract as much after expanding causing it to hang onto the chamber walls.

 

[ebb]

Like 1 shot said be careful of the slam fire, you won't shoot your eye out but your foot could be in the way.

 

[FNSafari]

Regarding the Ithaca 37, I think the operative word is "featherweight." I've loaded shells for mine from the getgo and a 1 1/8th oz of 7.5 or 8s at 1100 fps is plenty manageable imo. I did take it sea duck hunting on occasion with heavy 1 1/4 oz loads and they were a handfull, so I do understand. Generally, if you match a light load with a light gun it will work. I found mine delightful to carry in the woods all day, when I could hunt all day! Upland bird hunting is carry a lot and shoot a little. I do use an 11-87 when I want to shoot fast, heavy loads.

 

[FNSafari]

Like 1 shot said be careful of the slam fire, you won't shoot your eye out but your foot could be in the way.

It made for a great trench gun though, just like the Win 97 did.

 

[Lone Hunter]

When my son started hunting all I had were 12 gauge and 2-20 gauge single barrels plus I had an Ithaca 37 Featherlight in 20 gauge. Took him for some skeet shooting. He informed me real quick that if that’s all I had for him to shoot he would not be shooting. Remember rabbit hunting with it,6 was daily limit, killed 5, didn’t want to shoot the 6th because of recoil. Loved the gun but hated the recoil.

 

[bline]

Thanks folks for the information. Interesting comments, especially relative to the recoil.