Ithaca Model 37 Stock Question

[lead-1]

Can anyone tell me if a stock set from an Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight made in the 1950's with fit a Model 37 made in the 1970's.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[richhodg66]

I restocked one I'm sure was older than the 50s with a new model stock a few years ago and it fit right up. Fore end too. I think barrels are about all that's different, pre 855,000 serial numbers have to be fitted.

[lead-1]

Thanks a bunch, searching the net wasn't turning up much and I knew the barrels were different somewhere in the mix so I wasn't sure about wood.

[richhodg66]

I like Ithaca 37s and was at a gun show in Anchorage about 22 years ago where one was for sale for $80, finish was bad all over and stock had bad chips and splits but complete and working and by sheer chance at the same show, turned up brand new, unfinished wood with a good recoil pad of the new type cheap. Went home, took it apart, cleaned her up, finished the stock and put it all together. It had one of those poly chokes installed and man was that an ugly shotgun, but it worked fine. Kind f wish I had kept it but I traded it off on a Stevens 311 which I no longer own either, LOL. I didn't even have $100 in it when it was all said and done, shoulda kept it.

[375supermag]

I spent my younger years traipsing about the fields and woodlots of Pennsylvania with an Ithaca M37 in 16ga that I inherited from my father.

That shotgun accounted for a small dump truck full of small game until it was stolen from my brother's house while on loan back in the mid-70s.

I had already replaced it with another Ithaca M37 in 12ga with a vent rib by that time. I used that Ithaca for about 12-15 years before I bought a Browning A500 semi in 12ga. Both of those fine shotguns went away in a divorce in the 1989-1990 time frame.
Still miss the shotguns...not the ex-wife.


It took me a while and a couple of other shotguns, but finally last fall, just at the start of pheasant season I bought a very nice used Ithaca M37 12ga shotgun with a vent rib for about $350 at a gun show.

Managed to drop a couple of pheasants with it the one day I could get out small game hunting this past year.

I don't know if I will use it exclusively for pheasant hunting, but it has been out to the range to break clay birds a couple of times and I am glad to have one in my collection again.

ithaca M37s are light fast handling shotguns that are ideal for pheasant hunting, IMHO. I don't know how I got along without one for the last quarter century.
The Winchester 12ga autoloader I have been using during that time has been a serviceable shotgun and has accounted for more small game than I can count, but I have never had a great deal of affection for it. I often thought to replace it, but just kept putting it off.

I may yet buy another Browning autoloader before this fall's pheasant season, not because I think the Ithaca is inadequate, but because I really would like to have a really nice aesthetically pleasing 12ga autoloader for the range and field.

[Firebricker]

You could call Boyds they will know. Fb

[richhodg66]

I have several 37s. Main one is a standard field grad one made probably in the 50s with the corn cob pump handle. Neat old guna and light and fast. I'm not much of a shotgunner, but this is the one I'd hunt with.

AMong the rest of them is a 16 gauge Deerslayer which is surprisingly accurate for a smoothbore and a neat little 20 gauge I got a deal on that was too good to pass up. Real pretty, vent rib and I still have yet to shoot it.

They call them Featherweights for a reason, I wouldn't pick one to shoot skeet all day with, but they sure do carry nice and point easily.

[wv109323]

I have Ithaca 37"s in several vintages. To the best of my knowledge the stocks are interchangeable within the same gauge. 12,16 and 20 all have different frame sizes.

[lead-1]

Thanks guys, this one serial numbered as a 1947 model and the stock set from the 50's that I was looking at came today and fit right on.