ithica 37
what is a ithica 37 featherlight made around 1949-50 in great shape worth, and can I use steel shot in it for water fowl or should I stick to upland birds with lead???
0
-
I gave $150 for mine at a local gun show. Mine was made in 1953. Im not sure as to using steel.
The Nut
~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~0 -
timber,
The 37 is a good gun. You did not specify ga. or choke. Do not shoot steel and abide with your hunting laws. Most states (possibly all),
require non-lead for migratory fowl. Upland birds usually do not require anything besides lead. State law vary. Suggest you converse with a local/friend hunter. I have not seen "adamsquailhunter" around recently, but he is the man to contact. The M-37 is a super nice arm.
Great Shape just not work condition nor price. Have to be exact. 1010 -
I know that I can not hunt water fowl with lead here, but I was just wondering if this gun can shoot steel. If i cant shoot steel through it I will only use it for upland game birds. Thank you for your responce. its a 12g full choke 30" barrel. 0 -
None of the earlier model 37 guns would be good for steel shot. I would try some of the newer types of non-lead shot that are not as hard as steel. I have 2 37 shot guns. I like the older models that don't have a disconnecter so you can hold the trigger and they will fire as you shuck it. I have an 8 Shot parkerised model that I ordered from the factory in the mid 70s. It doesn't have a disconnecter and it has a left hand safety. 0 -
In my estimation,the 37 is a fine MODERN gun.However it is not in the same league as the fore-runners were.Remington-Pederson guns,models 10 for 12 ga. and model 17 in 20 ga. The patents were purchased by Ithica to build the 37 cheaply enough to compete with the other shell shuckers of the time. By so doing they had to cheapen the whole gun,stamped parts instead of machined and numerous shortcuts.It is rather ironic in a way as that is exactly what REMIGTON did to the 03 Springfield. They must have taken a page out of Ithica's book.
Anyway,your 37 will last far beyond your lifetime with decent care.Keep it nice for your Heirs. I'm keeping my two 10s and one 17.
BILL
KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY.BUT NOT HOT.....single action S&Ws are keepers
Edited by - modoc on 11/13/2002 12:05:020 -
My father has a pre 1950 Ithaca 37 Featherweight in 12 Ga. I have already laid claim to it.
I wouldn't dream of running steel shot through it, unless I could get a new factory barrel strictly for that purpose. I sure love it for Turkey Season though. It shoots a tight consistent pattern that I am confident in to 45 yards.
The only problem I ever had was extraction of casings, especially "hot" load like turkey. Generally a judicious application of the cleaning brush arount the extractors and the extractor spring prevents such unwanted interuptions.
Great gun. Hold on to it.0 -
I have a Model 37 that I bought new in 1958 at a discount store like K-Mart for $68. It has been my favorite Shotgun even though I have had a Winchester 1400, 2-Rem. Model 87's, a couple Savages, and several other shotguns. I have shot it with everything from low base bird shot to 00 Buck Magnums and have never had a problem with any of these loads of lead shot. I definitely would not shoot steel shot in the gun. Steel shot should only be used in late model guns that were made for steel shot.
If you don't care where you are going, you can't get lost.0 -
modoc , You are wrong about Ithaca using cheap parts. From 37 until the mid 70's they milled the receiver fron solid steel blocks and didn't use stamped pieces. In th e70's they started to use many investment pieces and cheapened the quailiy of the 37. Now again in the King Ferry Ithaca Gun factory they are using solid steel bars to build the receivers. The quaility has gone up again from what it was in the 70's, 80's and early 90's. 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
8 comments