An old magazine ad from the 1950s which refers to the Model 37 as a “Featherlight” repeater. Also, the advantages of the so-called Ray-bar sight are promoted in this ad.
Most shotgun enthusiasts believe that the age of the classic American double gun ended with World War II or the Depression Era. However, if truth be known, the age of the American double went on a down hill slide even before the Depression swept over the country. The death knell for the American doubles sounded just about the time a brilliant Utah gunsmith sold his inventions to Winchester even before the dawn of the 20th Century. John M. Browning’s improvement and development of pump action shotguns, which appeared first as Winchester Model 93, then as an improved version Model 97, firmly established the repeater as the shotgun of the future in America. When Browning designed and produced the first successful autoloading shotgun in 1903 and Remington started making the Model 11 stateside, the repeaters almost completely took over the shotgun market. The repeaters were especially the favorite choice of market hunters, to whom firepower was important for shooting as many ducks or prairie chickens as they could for the market. But sportsmen also wanted repeaters. Not only were the repeaters “fashionable,” being the new kid on the block, but they were cheaper than doubles. Granted, there were cheap doubles sold through discount houses and mail order sales, but they were indeed cheap and did not last long. The repeaters, on the other hand, were sturdy and cheap!
An old magazine ad from the 1950s which refers to the Model 37 as a “Featherlight” repeater. Also, the advantages of the so-called Ray-bar sight are promoted in this ad.
All double gun makers in America began to feel the pinch with the rise of repeater’s popularity. Remington was the first of the major makers that stopped producing double shotguns and switched completely to repeaters, their highly successful Browning designed Model 11, and their new hammerless pump gun, the Model 10. However, they were not satisfied with the hammerless, bottom ejecting Model 10. Winchester came out in 1912 with a slick looking, wonderfully handling 20 gauge pump gun, the Model 12 which immediately caught on with shotgunners. Remington’s response was to have Browning redesign the old Model 10 and come up with their own version of a slick looking 20 gauge, the bottom ejecting Model 17. However, having appeared later than the Winchester, Remington did not sell as well, especially since it was available only in 20 gauge. Winchester, in the meantime, had come up with a larger version of the 20 gauge Model 12 in 12 gauge, which became even more popular with shooters. Remington, instead of upsizing the Model 17, came up with a similar bottom ejecting design the Model 29 in 12 gauge. Browning held on to his patent rights for the Model 17 so Remington had to get around Browning’s patents to come up with a 12 gauge version. The Model 29 was only a stop gap measure, shortly Remington came out with a brand new design, the Model 31 which was a side ejection version made in 12, 16 and 20 gauges.
A catalog lineup of the Model 37s offered in the 1960s with their prices.
Although the Model 17 was an excellent gun, with the appearance of the new Model 31, Remington felt that they did not need the neat little 20 gauge nor the larger 12 gauge Model 29 anymore. In the meantime, Ithaca Gun Company, which made double guns and single barrel trap guns only, was in trouble. They did not have a repeater to offer, and everyone wanted repeaters while the double gun market stagnated. According to some Remington sources, the rights to Models 17/29 were sold to Ithaca in 1933. On the other hand, Ithaca sources claim that they simply waited until the Remington patents ran out, and came out with their own version of bottom ejecting shotgun in 1937, the Model 37, which they dubbed, the “Featherlight.” Whatever the case may be the fact remains that Ithaca came out with a gun that was remarkably similar to the Remington Models 17/29 in both appearance and mechanical application.
In a sense, you could say that the Model 37 pump gun saved Ithaca from going completely bankrupt and disappearing from the gunmaking scene, as it happened to so many other American double gun makers. Most double gun makers were either purchased by other, bigger companies (Parker by Remington, Fox by Savage and L.C. Smith by Marlin) or simply disappeared altogether. Ithaca survived mainly because they had the Model 37, which in time proved to be popular and sold well.
After the end of World War II, the demand for shotguns increased considerably. The country was experiencing an economic boom and Americans found more disposable income and leisure time. Hunting became very popular and naturally, pump shotguns were the most popular and affordable shotguns on the market. The double had almost completely disappeared except for some L.C. Smith’s that were assembled with pre war parts by Marlin. Except for the cheap utilitarian doubles made by Savage and the expensive Winchester Model 21, there were no double guns to speak of. There was of course the inexpensive Winchester Model 24 and some cheap imports, but that was the extent of the American double gun market. The reigning pump gun of the post war era was the Winchester Model 12. However, the Ithaca “Featherlight” was very popular as well and the new Remington Model 870 was beginning to make inroads. There were other inexpensive pumps made by Savage/Stevens, High Standard, Noble and others. But the reigning pump guns were the Winchester Model 12, the Ithaca Model 37, and the new Remington Model 870.
A picture of the highest grade, the so-called “Thousand Dollar Grade” which started at $1000 in the early years but cost several thousand before it was discontinued. A beautifully engraved and stocked pump gun that could compete with the best of them.
The Ithaca Model 37 was made in 12, 16 and 20 gauges. It came in various models and grades, culminating in the “Thousand Dollar” Grade. It was the second most expensive pump gun, after the Winchester Model 12. In 1954, the basic Model 12 sold for $93.85, the Ithaca Model 37, also in basic model, sold for $91.16, and the Remington Model 870AP, was still cheaper at $77.30. Of course none of these guns had ventilated ribs or any checkering on the wood. The pump handles were just plain corncob style, except for Winchester, which started to make beefier pump handles with ring tail grooves. But, they were the three best selling pump guns in America and some considered them to be the three best pump guns. Now Savage/Stevens made a very good pump gun that cost only a few bucks less than the Remington, however, it was never considered to be in the same class. For one thing, the Ithaca, like the Winchester and the Remington was a take down model that you could remove the barrel from the receiver. For the most part, all other pump guns on the market at the time were solid frame and could not be taken down, although Stevens did have a take down version.
The Ithaca Model 37 was a hunter’s gun and not a target gun. Although Ithaca made both Skeet and Trap models, the target versions just did not catch on. The field models were light, advertised at 6 1⁄2 pounds in 12 gauge, although most were closer to 6 3⁄4 pounds. The 16 and 20 gauges were correspondingly lighter with the 20 being advertised at 5 1⁄2 pounds, although again, like the 12, it was heavier. Whatever the case, it was the lightest pump gun around and a favorite with upland hunters. It wasn’t too popular in the duck blind, but in the pheasant fields and woodcock coverts, it was indeed a popular pump gun. However, on the skeet and trap fields, it could not compete with Winchester and Remington. Winchester Model 12 became a favorite with trap shooters and the new Remington Model 870 was catching on quickly in both skeet and trap. Ithaca’s forte was the game fields, especially the uplands.
When Winchester decided to abandon its Model 12 and switch to the less expensive Model 1200, Remington Model 870 gained considerable ground in sales as did Ithaca’s Model 37. Both the Remington and the Ithaca were the only two remaining “classic” pump guns. Like the Remington, the Ithaca Model 37 was made of solid steel, yet it was light. The new Winchester Model 1200 had an alloy receiver and it was not very reliable. Savage/Stevens still made steel framed pump guns, but their guns were never popular and just could not compete with Remington and Ithaca. It seemed that all new entries into the pump gun arena were made with alloy receivers, something that most American shotgunners viewed with suspicion at the time. However, Ithaca could not maintain the high quality all steel machined construction for much longer. The Remington Model 870 used stamped parts, The Ithaca did not. It became harder and harder for Ithaca to stay competitive, especially since their customers were mainly hunters, not trap and skeet shooters.
A standard grade Ithaca Model 37 with a “corn cob” pump handle.
To stay competitive, Ithaca priced their Model 37 exactly the same price as the Remington Model 870. In 1970, both the Remington and the Ithaca retailed at $109.95 for the basic model. However, it cost Ithaca a lot more to make their Model 37 than it cost Remington to make the Model 870. Ithaca’s profit margin was much smaller than Remington’s. Still, there were those who liked the light weight and the bottom ejection of the Ithaca and swore by the old gun. Had the Model 37 been in production continuously without interruption, it would be the longest surviving pump gun design still being made today. However, to keep up with changing trends in shotgunning and the rising costs of manufacture, Ithaca had to make some changes. At first these were cosmetic changes that some found ugly, like the impressed checkering. But soon one could notice inferior finishing on metal parts and other small things. To compound the problem, Ithaca could no longer claim to have the only bottom ejecting pump gun. Browning, came out with the slick looking, modernized version of the original Model 17 in 1977. The Japanese- (Miroku) made Browning BPS was better finished than the Ithaca with updated features such as the top safety and the magazine cut off, and it was available in 3 inch magnum, something that Ithaca still did not have. Around 1979 Ithaca went bankrupt and quietly disappeared from the scene.
The rolled on game scene engraving on the receiver of Ithaca Model 37.
After a hiatus of six years, Ithaca Gun Company under new ownership relocated to another location and the Model 37 reappeared again. There were some changes, like the new 3-inch magnum model, something that Ithaca never had in the Model 37 before and therefore could not compete with the newer Browning BPS. Also, the newly reorganized Ithaca came out with a new alloy receiver model and called it the “Ultrafeatherlight,” aimed squarely at the upland hunter. Unfortunately, by that time the shotgun market was saturated with inexpensive imported guns, both double guns and repeaters, so competition was extremely tough. In 1987 Ithaca changed the model designation of the Model 37 to the new Model 87. Some modernization in design had taken place and the gun took on not only a new name but a new life as well. But this lasted only for nine years for in 1996 the name was changed back to Model 37.
After about a nine-year run, the Ithaca Model 37, as well as the entire line, once again disappeared briefly from the scene. A few years later it resurfaced under new ownership in Sandusky, Ohio, and once again the Model 37 returned. However, the new owners made some changes and the offering have been reduced considerably. The new Ithaca Gun Company specializes in the Model 37, no longer involved in making other guns. The biggest news was the introduction of a small frame 28 gauge Model 37, a delightful little pump gun that comes in different grades, all the way to the very expensive, heavily engraved versions. The new Ithaca Model 37 28 gauge is only the second pump gun on the market that was specifically built for that gauge, the other one is the Remington Model 870, which was built for the 28 but houses a .410 barrel, as well.
Hopefully, this time the new owners will keep Ithaca Gun Company afloat and the old Model 37 will be around for a long time. If it had not been for those interruptions that took place, the Ithaca Model 37 would be the longest, continuous production pump shotgun that we have today.