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<  16ga. Guns  ~  I’m looking at an Ithaca 37 Featherweight in 16 ga
Bill K
PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 2020 9:16 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 13 Oct 2014
Posts: 253
Location: North Shore of Boston

I’m looking at an Ithica 37 Featherweight in 16 GA.

Serial number is 371092123, I think it’s 2006 or newer.

I was really looking for a vintage 37 Featherweight in 16, but I’m not sure what would be considered ‘vintage’.

From my experiences the older 37 featherweights were as as slick as a whistle.

Help me decide if I want this gun - please.
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Beagleman
PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 2020 9:04 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Oct 2015
Posts: 280
Location: Clemson

Get both! They can keep each other company. You can find 2 for under $1000. I dont know about you but I've spent a lot more and gotten a lot less. You are correct. The older 37's are slick and also light on an all day hunt.

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Cheesy
PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 2020 12:12 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Oct 2015
Posts: 163
Location: SWMO

The newer ones are heavy with heavy walled barrels for screw in chokes.

I like the older ones, early 50's with cut checkering on the buttstock. Or earlier than that, with cut checkering on the fore-end. Not a fan of the impressed checkering on the later ones.
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Swampy16
PostPosted: Thu Sep 17, 2020 2:04 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Posts: 453
Location: New Jersey

What Cheesy said. How on earth does a company produce a classic like the 37 with such heavy barrels and think they’re going to be successful? I don’t get it. They were 6lbs and now 7+. It just makes no sense to me.
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Bill K
PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:53 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 13 Oct 2014
Posts: 253
Location: North Shore of Boston

Update.

I’ve found another 37 made in 1957, and I think this is the one.

I’m in my late sixties and the 37’s I remember in the hands of my previous generation were legendary, featherlight models were super light weight, and shucked like butter. I remember someone firing one as fast as a semi-automatic, then I read about older 37’s ability to ‘slam fire’.

All things considered, I presume one ounce loads are the best diet for this old girl.

I guess I got bit by the nostalgia bug bad.

I did some research - 37’s have an impressive history, the previous generation spoke of them reverently. The newer ones ‘don’t blow any warm air up my skirt’ (in a manner of speaking). The older ones really hold their values, and the prices they ask for the new ones really blows my mind.

It will be interesting to see how this ‘crush’ works out, but I think it’s going to be fun.
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S.davis
PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 9:00 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 14 Sep 2016
Posts: 68
Location: KC,MO

I own new and vintage Ithacas. The new ones are very well made, and priced accordingly. Not sure, adjusted for inflation, that it is any more than they cost in 1950. There are probably 3 modern pump guns worth owning, and they are all in the same price range. And while Ithaca quality has ebbed and flowed in different eras, the new guns are as well-made as anything they every produced. They are, obviously, heavier which is what happens when you build a gun for modern ammo, so they balance differently and are not as lively and won’t slam fire, but they are probably the nicest pump action guns you can purchase new, and are still cheaper than a middling auto loader or a crappy double gun.
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fallschirmjaeger
PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2020 4:44 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 05 Nov 2017
Posts: 16

Bill K wrote:
I’m looking at an Ithica 37 Featherweight in 16 GA.

Serial number is 371092123, I think it’s 2006 or newer.

I was really looking for a vintage 37 Featherweight in 16, but I’m not sure what would be considered ‘vintage’.

From my experiences the older 37 featherweights were as as slick as a whistle.

Help me decide if I want this gun - please.


Two years ago I spent quite a bit of time looking for an M37 Featherweight in 16 gauge at the price I wanted to pay. I finally found one for a very good price and it even came with a very interesting peep sight that was designed to be mounted using elongated action bolts in the receiver. I removed that and saved it, as I didnt really have a need for sights on a gun I planned to use for upland hunting. I opened the choke and hunted with it that year and really enjoyed it. I'm currently working on converting the pistol grip to an English stock. It will shave an ounce or two and point a little more naturally for me. I can't wait to try it out this season. I believe this was made in the 50s and has a corncob forend.
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df
PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2020 5:31 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 962
Location: Minnesota

I owned one of the new 37s. Very nice and well built. But I was quite heavy, I sold it.
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Bill K
PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2020 8:09 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 13 Oct 2014
Posts: 253
Location: North Shore of Boston

Update.

I recently purchased a ‘vintage’ (circa 1957) Ithaca 37 Featherlight in 16 GA, and it is exactly what I remembered and exactly what I wanted.

Whereas the 37 I owned back a number of years ago in 12 GA simply wasn’t what I expected nor wanted.

So, for now I intend to surrender to fantasy and spend the next couple months romancing guns, and dogs, and birds, and hunting grounds.

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Bill K
North of Boston
Browning New A5 Sweet Sixteen circa 2019
Browning Citori Upland 16 GA circa 2014
Darne R10 1962
Browning Sweet Sixteen 16 GA circa 1957
Savage Fox Sterlingworth 16 GA circa 1934
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sage1
PostPosted: Wed Oct 07, 2020 2:08 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 14 Sep 2005
Posts: 30

I have a 1940’s or 50’s 37 in 16ga. Bought it used in 1969. It’s in fine condition but has a Weaver choke on it. Never been fond of those or the Cutts. The gun hasn’t been fired in forever but I’ve considered having it choke tubed to get rid of the Weaver. It’s a plain barrel. Any thoughts about doing that? Haven’t considered selling it, didn’t know there was a market for them. Thanks
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kgb
PostPosted: Wed Oct 07, 2020 5:36 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1256
Location: Nebraska

sage1 wrote:
I have a 1940’s or 50’s 37 in 16ga. Bought it used in 1969. It’s in fine condition but has a Weaver choke on it. Never been fond of those or the Cutts. The gun hasn’t been fired in forever but I’ve considered having it choke tubed to get rid of the Weaver. It’s a plain barrel. Any thoughts about doing that? Haven’t considered selling it, didn’t know there was a market for them. Thanks


How long is the barrel once the Weaver choke is removed? If it's acceptable at that length there is little reason not to have choke tubes installed.

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