16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 19 Jun 2004 Posts: 1480 Location: Mpls, MN.

For a good part of my life, a used model 37 was $150-$300, tops. Guess I'm showing my age.
Last one I bought, a 1957 16 gauge that I got right here from a CAS who didn't have the heart to saw the 28" modified barrel on it, and wanted to sell it. $220, shipped, IIRC. I didn't think it was that long ago.
I understand the notion of the pre war stocks and checkering having more work put into them, but, truth be told, I don't shoot them any better than my later 1950s gun.
I'd rather pay $100 too much for an older Ithaca 37, than buy a new Browning BPS.

Good luck on the quest.

Best,
Ted

For my tastes, I agree that it is at least a $100 more than I would be willing to pay. I've never paid too much for a gun, just an amount that was too early to be paid for a gun by 5-10 years. Wink

Keeping ones eyes open and ear to the ground and being willing to act quickly can lead to some real deals. Less than 2 years ago, I found a 1939 M37 20 gauge 28" Mod with hand chased engraving, mirror finished bluing on the receiver, in excellent shape for $400. No, it wasn't from a widow or pawn shop. It was a nationally known dealer that wouldn't haggle a cent. Gil

Member Joined: 30 Nov 2011 Posts: 1697 Location: Minnesota

last 16g 37 I saw was about 2 weeks ago. Seems like the serial# was in the 380k range,28 in full, brass bead. Most of the finish was gone off the receiver and about 8 inches up the barrel. Seemed clean and tight. $269. Guess I should have bought it Sad

Joined: 18 Oct 2015 Posts: 30 Location: Minnesota

I'd rather pay $100 too much for an older Ithaca 37, than buy a new Browning BPS.

Best,
Ted[/quote]

Well said,Ted, a lot of truth in that, I agree 100%.

Joined: 18 Feb 2015 Posts: 17 Location: SW WA state

Tried to make an offer on it, they actually wanted $490, but they said they only consider offers after it's been on the rack for 45 days, and it hadn't. This one isn't such a rare one that I'm willing to pay $490 for it right now. I'll keep looking. There's always some on GB.

Thanks, all!

Joined: 14 Nov 2013 Posts: 19

Seems a bit steep to me. Ithaca 37's around here are a $350-$400 firearm and anything 16ga is automatically worth less. Thanks to the new ones, some stores did raise the prices on their used Ithaca 37's. Those guns don't move and other people still sell them cheap. I don't know how long it will take for the increased ammo availability that has occurred in recent years to make 16ga guns in this area command the same price as other gauges. Currently 16ga still lowers the price in this market. When you make an offer, mention that most people are just looking for a cheap gun to hunt with. You can get a brand new Remington 870 Express for $320-$350 in a gauge with ammo everywhere, and it will come with a warranty and screw-in chokes. Yes I'd rather have the 37 16ga, but that is a limited market and that gun will sit there for a long time before someone is willing to pay $490 for it. A good businessman would rather break even or lose a little and replace the product with something that will turn a profit in days, than spend months trying to make a few bucks extra. There a lot of bad business men out there though. I tried to buy 10lbs of steel shot in town, the guy wanted $65 for it. He said he bought it over ten years ago and paid $59. Whether that's true or not I don't know, but I told him if pay $22 and he could order it for $16, or he could wait ten more years for inflation to catch up to his price. He told me I was full of BS and I ordered the stuff online for $16.50 and paid $8.00 shipping. They can probably find a sucker to pay $490 for that Ithaca, but it's not rare/desirable enough that you can't find another one for less. If you don't need it till next hunting season, or have a reason you want THAT ONE, then I'd throw them a reasonable offer and if they don't take it, it's their loss.

Joined: 09 Dec 2012 Posts: 691

Take a look at this one

http://www.gunauction.com/buy/13708960/

Look past the wood. That can be easily dealt with. Notice the barrel AND the serial nbr. This is a post 855,000 gun so other barrels can be found. Additionally the 26" Imp Cyl VR barrel by itself is worth 175 to 200. I have friends that paid that much for a 26" ICyl VR barrel.

If you were going to spend over $400 this would be the basis for a good platform and the new barrels from Ithaca would fit this gun.

Every once in a while a 28" Mod field barrel will show up in the 150 range, as will Full barrels which of course can be opened up, or have enough meat in the end to install choke tubes.

Yes I see the old crack in the stock. Lots of old Ithacas suffer from the Ithaca crack. A trip into the Acetone bath will soak out the old glue then wood rated super glue can be used to fix the crack.

Minwax makes a "gunstock" stain that can be used and then Minwax spray lacquer will restore the wood's finish.

Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 1310 Location: Western WA

Wow.

I had no idea that a pump gun could stir folks up so much. It's almost like the Elsie collectors.

I know a place that has a bunch of 37s on a rack with old Mossbergs and Jap rifles. Maybe I need to check that out.

Joined: 09 Dec 2012 Posts: 691

The reason is the old craftsmanship and simplicity (as far as the Ithaca 37s go). I acquired an all but new 870 Express when the bro-in-law needed some money. It is one rough piece of work and there really is no "pride in ownership". It is what it is, a pipe wrench, so to speak. But my Ithaca 37's are my "precision tools".

There are Remingtons and Winchesters and even Stevens and Savages that could get a discussion going. I have my dad's Stevens 77 20ga. It is a pretty cool old gun as is the Savage 755A 16ga that was his. Granted it is a boat anchor due to the weight, but it still exhibited the pride people took when they built things back then.

Over the last few years I have learned how to piece together Ithacas from the different generations, using the best of each.

Thus I have a 1966 16ga receiver, that wears a barrel from the King Ferry days, (26" vent rib, choke tubes) with a 1948 buttstock. I also have a 1956 16ga that wears the stock from an early 50's gun, so it simply took a step back a few years.

I swap out barrel yokes and magazine caps as I scrounge up new old stock early ones (or refinish ones that don't have the knurling mashed). There is something about the profiled barrel yokes (as opposed to the milled flat ones) and a magazine cap that has the old push pin design.

What I don't have is a pre-war gun yet. The buttstocks on pre-war Ithacas had slightly different geometry and were hollowed out. This changed the balance point and my friends that have them say they feel a little more lively in their hands.

The pre-war checkering patterns is awful cool also.

Joined: 06 Feb 2010 Posts: 29

I went to an estate auction back in October where there were four 16 gauge guns. Two M37s (1952 and 1956), a M12 and another.

I thought that if I could get one for under 400, I would be doing great. Both went for 650 and 675. Purchased by the same bidder. I spoke with him prior to the auction and he explained that "he probably pays too much, but enjoys old pump guns."

I couldn't even get in the bidding. Smile

When I started searching for my M37 (don't own one yet)... I was looking for a pre-war 20 gauge. I found one... a closet queen with a 28 " barrel that had been cut down to 26". It would have been a perfect shooter for me with no choke. I didn't buy it... It went for $395 to a young Amish boy. He's got a great gun that will serve him well. I have not found one as nice as that...

so, my search continues...

If it fits you... I would lean toward buying.

Maggs