Modern Production M37 Ithacas

[Deleted member 67409]

I'm considering a new Ithaca M37 "Defense" with a 20" barrel and 8-shell tube.

Ithaca Model 37 Home Defense | Best Defense Shogun | Ithaca Gun Co

Does anyone have experience either ordering a gun from Ithaca's website to be shipped to a FFL and or with the new M37s?

 

[Mark from MA]

Ive not ordered or bought a new Ithaca. I have handled the new ones and they are quality, like the old ones, but probably made on better and more precise tooling. However, you pay for it with guns running around 800-1K dollars. Which is a tough sell for a pump.

Their sticking point is that there are still a shit ton of usable used guns out there. I have like 4 of them made in the 50's-70's range. Best pump ever made IMHO. BPS is an upgrade on the design, but you can run a 37 faster.

Its not that easy to find the Home Defense models or Deerslayers for older guns as less were sold than the 37 Featherweights. What a lot of people do is buy the older Featherweight with a longer barrel and cut it down, and refinish it however they want it. You can do that for a lot less money than a new one. Especially if its the HD model your looking at.

If its an 8 shot you need, you'd have to buy new, those are very rare and unlikely to be found used.

 

[rocket500]

The old ones you could slam fire just holding down the trigger while you pumped the action. Win!

 

[ccm75]

I do love my Ithaca's but for that application I would go with an older model or maybe just a mossy 500.

These popped up:
ithaca home defense For Sale - Buy ithaca home defense Online at GunBroker.com

 

[Mark from MA]

The old ones you could slam fire just holding down the trigger while you pumped the action. Win!

Yes...pre 1973 or 74 I believe. All mine slam fire.

 

[45collector]

My Ithaca model 37 was made in '58. It was less than $200, with shipping, on the C&R. Love that gun for pheasant hunting!

 

[45collector]

Yes...pre 1973 or 74 I believe. All mine slam fire.

When I got mine I took the entire gun down to the last spring and pin to clean and inspect it. The mechanism that allows it to keep firing if you hold the trigger and shuck the slide is pretty neat. It's more like a sear on a full auto gun than a "slam fire" function.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

The old ones you could slam fire just holding down the trigger while you pumped the action. Win!

I had one of those. I cut the barrel down to 13" and put a pistol grip on it. The sons and I had fun with it till the thrill wore off and I sold it. Jack.

 

[Mark from MA]

When I got mine I took the entire gun down to the last spring and pin to clean and inspect it. The mechanism that allows it to keep firing if you hold the trigger and shuck the slide is pretty neat. It's more like a sear on a full auto gun than a "slam fire" function.

Yes its a rather cool setup.

I just bought my kid a 120 dollar 1953 model on C&R. 26" barrel with improved cyl. Great Pheasant gun. Might make a good slug gun. We shot some skeet with it last night and he loves it. We were going to refinish it, but he said No, he likes the original patina.

I'll show him how to take it all down, the action is pretty gummy. Still worked flawless tho for two rounds of skeet.

 

[rocket500]

They are very nice guns. Expensive to manufacture, though.