What vintage would a Ithaca 37, serial 68236X be?
Further, this particular gun has a -2 after the serial number-any significance to that marking?
Thanks in advance,
Best,
Ted
1957. The 2 is Mod choke, just like the doubles.
Thanks, Walt.
You would not believe the condition of this plain grade 16 gauge. $275 brought it to my sweaty little paws, shipping included. Original everything, including buttplate.
Thanks again!
Best,
Ted
It sounds like a treasure. If you love the M-17, and who doesn't, you will like this one. Enjoy!
Classic American field grade "trombones" are true bargains of used gun market.
As long as you aren't talking Big Red, or the model 12.
Honestly, this mid 1950s plain grade is the equal of the single model 12 left in my safe. The matte top on the receiver is a nice touch, for actual shooting, anyway. I could do without the rolled birds and dog, but, they are expected, and a little campy at the same time.
1957 was a different era. When you ponied up the newspaper route money for the lowest grade Ithaca 37, you actually got something. No checkering, but, that is a nice looking walnut stock, nice polishing under the blue, and a "Raybar" sight.
Dismantled, cleaned thoroughly, lefthanded safety installed, ready for 50 more years of shooting at my house. I'm actually going to try trap with it today.
Best,
Ted
I paid $106 for mine in 1957, that was 2 weeks pay for a lot of people in my small town...MDC
Dick,
Try as I might, there are no new messages in my PMs. Feature is a little flakey here, try tedjs@usfamily.net for better results.
MDC,
Was that price for the cheapie, or a deluxe? This is the cheapie, and they sold for $99 in the "Shooters Bible" in 1965, the earliest version I have on hand.
I gotta' believe a $106 Ithaca was a nice gun in 1957
Best,
Ted
Good luck with the gun Ted, sounds like a bargain and a keeper. Shoot it well.
BTW Walter thank you for writing a great book it has being an invaluable resource.
Ted: Mine was the standard model, It may have been cheaper if I could have gotten out of the boonies,,MDC
What vintage would a model 37 16GA be with serial number 1020XX?
I just picked up a sweet little slick 16GA 37, That was my "go to" chukar gun growing up. For some reason I shoot them extremely well. Funny, the best run of trap scores I ever has was with get this: an Ithaca Model 37 12GA featherweight choked full - no rib.Gun was too long LOP for me, but I shot lights out with it. I literally shot that gun to death.
Walt, as long as your helping guys with s/n's.
Could you tell me the date for these two guns?
They are both 16 gauge. 449221 and 66377.
Thanks, Dave
Ted: I have tried hard to be a double bbl. guy, but I keep coming back to the Model 37. I have five of these, two pre-WWII (these are my favorites), a 1948, a 1951, and a 1963. These are the guns I use now. Sometimes, I think I should just sell the rest of my collection because I am probably not going to use them much, but I then I think, what if I decide later that I want a double again. My other shotguns(non-Model 37's) are great to look at and pick up, but when it comes to carrying in the field and actually using, I am stuck on the Model 37's.
Ed Pirie
West Topsham, Vermont
Wow!! My 37 is circ 1946?? Its immaculate for that shape and now I dont mind that I paid 400 bucks for it. Its all original too.
Thats exciting
Ed,
Well, I'll confess to a similar sin-I shoot just about any design gun better on clay birds than a double. A few weeks past I put a new bead on a guys childhood 16 gauge Mossberg bolt action gun, and "tested" it by knocking 24 out of 25 clay pigeons out of the sky with it.
I really didn't want to shoot it that well. Yes, it was embarrasing. No, I didn't offer to buy it from him. Yes, people laughed.
My first repeater was/is a Remington model 17, purchased in 1977 for all of $50. Still have it, and, to date, it is the only gun I own that I have ever shot a Minnesota limit of grouse and woodcock with in the same outing. I own that Remington 20 (1931 vintage) with two barrels, a recent (yesterday!) new-to-me 16 Ithaca, (1957, it would seem) and a non featherlight 12 magnum (1995 King's Ferry gun) with two barrels.I recently sold an Ultra Featherlight version of the Ithaca in 16 to a guy who wanted it way more ($$$$$) than I did.
I am quite familiar with the Browning patent bottom eject/load pump. But, I feel nothing but repulsion for the BPS version of that design. I was never crazy about that diecast trigger assembly, or the way it sheads pot metal against the steel receiver every time it is removed for cleaning. The great majority of them, regardless of gauge, aren't svelte, or well balanced. Now, before anyone accuses me of snobbery, racism, or whatever, let me say, that is my opinion.
You like a BPS, fine. You keep it, too. Start a post about somewhere else about how great they are.
I still hunt birds with my doubles, but, more and more, I shoot a pumper at my local clays club. My results are consistantly better that way. I've got a variety of pumps, including Ithacas, a model 12, and others, even lowly Mossberg 500s, and they all work better than I can shoot, most days, anyway.
I'm not going to sell my doubles, just yet, But I'm not going to sell any more pumps, either!
Best,
Ted
449221 is 1952 and 66377, if it is indeed a 5 digit sn, is about 1942/46. A few confusing number in the war era. What is its configuration? eg pre or post war?
Walt,
66377 is on the barrel and the receiver.
Has a 26" mod. barrel, no rib, checkered forearm, PG stock, with the Ithaca black plastic butt plate.
449221 is exactly the same, except it has the corn cobb style forearm, and a Poly choke.
Does 66377 have a hand checkered slide handle? I think 1942 is it, the last year of civilian production.
Yes, the slide handle looks to be hand checked, on 66377. I'm at work, but I think it's like a double diamond pattern.
Good model 37 Ithacas are tough to locate here in North Carolina. There is quite a following and they don't sit too long or they are in really rough shape. I hit the gun/pawn shops on a regular basis looking for a nice 20 gauge with the corn cobb for my dove gun. I want it to match Dad's 12 gauge.
Deano