It wouldn't have been a 'special order' gun, by any means - just a different model than the rest of the Model 37 line at the time - although since a dealer might not normally carry that model, if a customer wanted one, it would have to be ordered through some wholesaler, etc. It looks like you have what was marketed as a Field Grade / Waterfowler gun - IOW, a somewhat specialized repeater for longer-range waterfowl hunting/shooting, like pass-shooting Duck and/or Goose (A popular hunting pastime after WWII). I also know where to get semi-inletted new ones. There are some old buttstocks on eBay and gunbroker if you want to have a recoil pad put on. That way you will preserve the collector value of the gun. He specializes in the old guns.ĭon't cut your original barrel back, take the time to find a takeoff and have it fitted. is operated by the former head gunsmith of Ithaca before they were bought out and moved to Ohio. Used barrels can be found, but they have to be fitted by a gunsmith familiar with the design, The reciever is unique to the 12ga size, the 16's and 20's are built on their own frame. Post 855,000 are straight cut, with dimensional interchangeability from gun to gun. Pre 855,000 the 'interupted threads' that allow the barrel to come off, actually had a pitch to them. I do know where there are some pristine ones if someone took a pliers to yours in the past.ĭO NOT try to put a new(er) barrel into your reciever, it will ruin it. The style of barrel nut you have is hard to come by. The magazine nut turns to the right to loosen. The barrel is serial nbr'ed to the reciever, often times/mostly with a -2 -4 etc indicating the choke, along with Full, Mod ImpC etc. If you look at the front flat of the reciever, next to the barrel, you will see the matching serial nbr. Prior to that, they were individually fitted to each reciever. The barrels on Ithacas became interchangeable after serial nbr 855,000. Well worth hanging on to.ĭid you measure that 29 1/2 from the front of the reciever ? if so, then that is a 30' barrel (measured overall). What you have is a nice old, late 40's Ithaca 37 12ga. here is a link to serial nbrs by dates on the Ithacagun website

Ithaca featherlight 12 gauge value