Ithaca 37 Find - AR15.COM

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Ithaca 37 Find

Posted: 10/20/2020 12:45:03 PM EDT

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I found this Ithaca 37 last weekend and pounced on it. I’ve been looking for an 8-shot for a long time, and I’ve regretted selling mine back in the late 90s.

This one has a few oddities and a murky history; 1968 manufacture date but the stock is a Choate that they didn’t make until some time in the 70s. From the breech-face it doesn’t look like it’s been shot much at all, and the internals show it. The real oddity is the FULL stamping on the barrel, and the fixed full choke in the muzzle.

The seller was a FFL back in the day & told me that he bought the shotgun from a local LEO supply shop some time in the late 1980s. I’d like to find a wood stock for it since the plastic stock is longer than I like, or maybe I’ll just change the forend to a Choate plastic piece to match.

It’s going to be interesting to see how plain Ol’ buckshot patterns out of the shotgun, since I have a lot of it. YouTube videos of pattern tests show that a choke actually causes Flite-Control loads to open up because the wad hangs up just enough to release the pellets early.

Posted: 10/20/2020 12:56:50 PM EDT

[#1]

That is a sweet find!! I recall hearing about full choked riot guns for #4 buck. You may be very pleased with the results if you can find any right now.

Posted: 10/20/2020 1:05:37 PM EDT

[#2]

I have almost a thousand rounds of 00 & slugs because I’ve never trusted #4. A few boxes at the gun show, a few boxes there at Walmart, cases of S&B 12-pellet 00 that came with a shotgun I bought at an estate sale... It all adds up.

I don’t own a single round of birdshot or target ammo, either.

Posted: 10/20/2020 1:09:59 PM EDT

[#3]

That is cool looking.

I like #4, well more like my shoulders like it more than 00 or buck, and I'm pretty confident in it.

Posted: 10/20/2020 1:16:14 PM EDT

[#4]

If it will feed the Aquila 1.75" Mini Shells , it will probably hold 13 rds !

I've been testing these latley , they are pretty impressive . I get 9 rds in my Mossberg Shockwave !

Posted: 10/20/2020 1:17:28 PM EDT

[#5]

Is it a slam fire gun?

Posted: 10/20/2020 1:22:23 PM EDT

[#6]

Noice!!!!

I love the Classic '37s...

I had an 870 Police barrel that was 18.5" Full Choke sized & marked that was Factory Remington Law Enforcement that came from the US Bureau of Prisons.

Guess they didn't want to blast any "Innocent Prisoners" with a wide fan of buckshot in the event of a cell block riot... but my experience has been that full choke on Buckshot makes patterns wider as the pellets are compressed and released... But they could at least argue later in court that they "Tried" to keep the pellets close by using a full choke...

Posted: 10/20/2020 1:27:07 PM EDT

[#7]

Just curious, have you verified the full choke? Taken a measurement of the muzzle ID?

EDIT: Nice gun either way, I'd vote wood stock.

Posted: 10/20/2020 1:30:51 PM EDT

[#8]

I'd get a wood stock. Those choate stocks are fugly and, at least for me, too long

Posted: 10/20/2020 1:34:11 PM EDT

[#9]

I had a Model 37 and killed so many doves with it that they quit flying over my place. Quail too. Nice light and easy to carry all day. Mine was a "slamfire".

Posted: 10/20/2020 1:35:58 PM EDT

[#10]

While not rare, the extended magazine tube 37's are highly desirable.
Great score, I'm jealous.

Mine is the standard tube length, but wears the same Choate stock.
When I bought mine it wore the Pachmeyer (SP?) fore arm and pistol grip. Like an idiot I sold the pistol grip off for next to nothing when I put the Choate stock on.
I saw a Ebay auction for the forearm and pistol grip, bidding started at $550.00!!!!!

Posted: 10/20/2020 1:40:42 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
Is it a slam fire gun?

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Yes.

Posted: 10/20/2020 1:43:14 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
Just curious, have you verified the full choke? Taken a measurement of the muzzle ID?

EDIT: Nice gun either way, I'd vote wood stock.

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I don’t have calipers but the constriction can definitely be seen & felt.

Posted: 10/20/2020 2:00:07 PM EDT

[#13]

That 37 will kick you like you owe it money.

Nice find.

Posted: 10/20/2020 2:00:25 PM EDT

[#14]

I miss mine (stolen).

It was a great shotgun.

Posted: 10/20/2020 2:15:42 PM EDT

[#15]

Very cool.

Posted: 10/20/2020 2:22:38 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
That 37 will kick you like you owe it money.

Nice find.

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My last long mag tube 37 was an ex-Georgia Department of Corrections gun. It wasn’t a slam-fire model, and the wood furniture had a black crinkle-finish paint on it.

Posted: 10/20/2020 3:22:51 PM EDT

[#17]

Numrich carried the wooden ribbed forearm and stock. At least they used to.

Posted: 10/20/2020 3:32:48 PM EDT

[#18]

Very sharp, and in great shape too. One of the only shotguns I ever regret selling.

Posted: 10/20/2020 8:51:53 PM EDT

[#19]

Great score! Care to share how much you gave for it?

Posted: 10/20/2020 10:50:41 PM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
Great score! Care to share how much you gave for it?

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Nope.

Posted: 10/21/2020 7:26:56 AM EDT

[#21]

12 ga - check the choke with a dime. If a dime won't go in the end of the barrel it's a full choke. Dad taught me that 50 years ago. Still works today.

Yeah, full choke on a riot gun is different. Mine is marked CYL, for cylinder bore.

Having a bead sight is different, too. Most of the M37's I've seen have the raybar (fiber optic) front sight unless it's made in the 50's or older. Dad bought mine (5 shot hunting 12 ga.) used in 1969 and it has the raybar sight.

You know, I haven't looked at the 8 shot riot gun in awhile, it may be a bead front sight. I'd need to look to be sure.

Any M37 made back in the 60's or before will slamfire. Just be sure you've got a good grip on it or a very strong wrist.

Posted: 10/21/2020 4:24:24 PM EDT

[#22]

My ex-Georgia prison gun had a bead sight, it’s only the DS Police Specials that I’ve seen with rifle sights. I haven’t owned one in years, but this is far from my first slam-fire 12 gauge.

Posted: 10/21/2020 4:38:28 PM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
My ex-Georgia prison gun had a bead sight, it’s only the DS Police Specials that I’ve seen with rifle sights. I haven’t owned one in years, but this is far from my first slam-fire 12 gauge.

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Mine is a brushed nickel with rifle sights. DS Police Special featherlight. The mag tube is as long as the barrel.

Posted: 10/21/2020 4:55:04 PM EDT

[#24]

I’ve owned a number of Ithaca 37s over the years.

Fun Fact: most you can keep the trigger pulled and it will shoot as soon as you slam the next round in. On the farm as a kid I used to spray a lot of lead at pigeon flocks that would gather to eat hog feed.

Posted: 10/21/2020 8:28:38 PM EDT

[#25]

I had a 37 Police Special that I bought new around 1980 . It had a 18.5” full choke barrel .

Posted: 10/21/2020 8:52:01 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
I miss mine (stolen).

It was a great shotgun.

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Same here . Stupid me left my 37 Police Special in the cab of my truck while it was parked overnight in my driveway.
Cost me the gun and a new door window .

Posted: 10/21/2020 9:07:05 PM EDT

[#27]

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Well, looky here...

I guess she’s got a full choke after all.

Posted: 10/21/2020 9:37:05 PM EDT

[#28]

Nice.

Posted: 10/21/2020 10:14:20 PM EDT

[#29]

Nice. I've got a similar M37

Attached File

Posted: 10/21/2020 10:49:21 PM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
Nice. I've got a similar M37
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/255759/C54AAB74-E644-464E-BD80-E4C058907CFD_jpe-1647568.JPG

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Nice.

Any ideas where yours came from?

Posted: 10/22/2020 12:31:35 AM EDT

[#31]

Good luck finding a wood stock
They are expensive.

Posted: 10/22/2020 1:02:03 AM EDT

[#32]

Quote History

Quoted:

Nice.

Any ideas where yours came from?

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None. Purchased from a PawnShop in Mphs. No markings.

Posted: 10/22/2020 2:48:10 AM EDT

[#33]

Man, that is a great find! I miss my 37. It was stolen from me while I was overseas. It had the same stamping as yours but with the original wooden stock. I used to slam-fire that baby all the time! And it was was very accurate/patterned well with regular old buckshot from the 80s.

Posted: 10/22/2020 6:46:47 AM EDT

[#34]

Oooh. Thats nice.
While Flight Control is awesome, a nice tight choke and "plain" buck is pretty dang awesome!

Here's one on ebay. $95.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/333758560979

Posted: 10/22/2020 8:24:57 AM EDT

[#35]

Nice find. Just remember, you really can't properly butt stroke with plastic. When all else fails, wood and steel make a formidable club.

Posted: 10/22/2020 9:09:10 AM EDT

[#36]

Quote History

Quoted:
Nice find. Just remember, you really can't properly butt stroke with plastic. When all else fails, wood and steel make a formidable club.

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I don’t know, dude, Choate’s stocks are really heavy compared to other synthetic stocks. The buttplate is more grippy than it is soft, so it probably doesn’t absorb much recoil, either.

Posted: 10/22/2020 4:36:36 PM EDT

[#37]

Nice! I’ve been watching for one of those for many years. My first shotgun was a 37 bought new in 1976, plain barrel bird gun.

Posted: 10/22/2020 8:33:30 PM EDT

[#38]

I bought a wooden stock for my M37 from Boyds.

Posted: 10/22/2020 8:41:07 PM EDT

[#39]

Quote History

Quoted:
I have almost a thousand rounds of 00 & slugs because I’ve never trusted #4. A few boxes at the gun show, a few boxes there at Walmart, cases of S&B 12-pellet 00 that came with a shotgun I bought at an estate sale... It all adds up.

I don’t own a single round of birdshot or target ammo, either.

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~~Will she slamfire?~~

ETA: beat like a taxman trying to collect at a UFC match.

Posted: 10/22/2020 10:26:49 PM EDT

[#40]

Quote History

Quoted:
I bought a wooden stock for my M37 from Boyds.

https://i.imgur.com/JdXlBpn.jpg

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I love the Stake-out AOW.

Posted: 10/25/2020 11:08:23 AM EDT

[#41]

I’m always on the look out for a full tube 37.

Posted: 12/20/2020 8:19:39 AM EDT

[#42]

Oops double post

Posted: 12/20/2020 8:30:53 AM EDT

[#43]

Beautiful gun OP.
I too found one for sale.
Did you ever find a wooden stock ?

Posted: 12/30/2020 12:11:13 PM EDT

[#44]

Quote History

Quoted:
I'd get a wood stock. Those choate stocks are fugly and, at least for me, too long

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I would contact Numrich and see if they had an OEM walnut take-off and install it too OP. I have the same shotty but mine is Satin Nickel finish with a birth year of 1982 or 1983... She sports the oem wood stock and is one of the most attractive shotguns I've ever seen. Just like yours is. Nice find and almost impossible to find in current times!