- Ithaca Model 37 Serial Numbers Year
- Ithaca M 66 Serial Numbers Chart
- Ithaca Gun Serial Number Lookup
- Ithaca Shotgun Serial Number Dates
Feb 24, 2014 I'm with drcook on this one. The model 66 was introduced in 1963 before serial numbers were required. If the 20 gauge Buckbuster 66 didn't come out until 1967, then you most likely have an early gun which was retrofitted with a buck barrel. Apr 04, 2010 A friend of mine has a Ithaca M-66 Super Single 20ga. That his Dad gave him about 30 years ago. Anyone have info about the value of this shotgun and what were the years of production? Most of the blueing is gone from the receiver and lever, they appear to be an alloy, but the barrel and stock are still in pretty good shape.
Ithaca Model 37 | |
---|---|
Type | Shotgun |
Place of origin | United States |
Production history | |
Designer | John Browning, Harry Howland |
Designed | 1933 |
Manufacturer | Ithaca Gun Company Industrias Marcati |
Produced | 1937–present |
Variants | Bataan Modelo 71, Ithaca Model 87 |
Specifications | |
Mass | Varies |
Length | 760mm-1006mm |
Barrel length | 13 inches (330 mm) to 30 inches (760 mm) |
Cartridge | 12, 16, 20, or 28 gauge |
Barrels | Plain Ribbed Rifled |
Action | Manually operated, pump-action |
Feed system | 4, 5, or 7-round tubular magazine (riot, standard, and extended tube versions) |
Ithaca Model 37 Serial Numbers Year
The Ithaca 37 (or Model 37) is a pump-action shotgun made in large numbers for the civilian, military, and police markets. Based on a 1915 patent by firearms designer John Browning for a shotgun initially marketed as the Remington Model 17, it utilizes a novel combination ejection/loading port on the bottom of the gun which leaves the sides closed to the elements. Since shotshells load and eject from the bottom, operation of the gun is equally convenient for both right- and left-handed shooters. This makes the gun popular with left-handed shooters.
History[edit]
Following the First World War, the Ithaca Gun Company sought to produce a pump-action shotgun to compete with the ubiquitous Winchester Model 1912. They used the Remington Model 17 as their model and made modifications—such as simplifying and cost-saving alterations of the firing pin and ejection mechanism, the work of Ithaca designer Harry Howland in 1931[1]—while waiting for related patents to expire. After gearing for production of their new shotgun as the Ithaca Model 33 in 1933, Ithaca discovered a Pedersen patent that would not expire until 1937, and production had to be delayed. In 1937, it was released as the Ithaca 37.
![Ithaca Ithaca](/uploads/1/2/6/6/126694052/365920698.jpg)
With the depression dragging on and war looming on the horizon, it was possibly the worst time to introduce a sporting arm. Many sporting arms ceased production entirely during the same period. While Ithaca did produce some shotguns for military use during the war, they also produced M1911 pistols and M3 submachine guns.
After World War II, Ithaca resumed production of the Model 37. Made in many different models, the Ithaca 37 has the longest production run for a pump-action shotgun in history, surpassing that of the Winchester Model 12, the original inspiration for Ithaca's entry into the market. Ithaca has suffered many setbacks in its history and changed hands numerous times. At one time, the Ithaca 37 was renamed the Model 87, although it was soon changed back in one of many ownership changes. Production paused in 2005 when Ithaca once again changed hands. Production has resumed in Upper Sandusky, Ohio.
According to an article by the Ithaca Times dated June 11th, 2003, the one-millionth Model 37 was produced in 1968; and as of 2003, more than 2,000,000 Model 37s have been produced. The Ithaca 37 is the only pre–World War II shotgun still in production.
Users[edit]
The Model 37 was used by the United States armed forces in World War II, the Korean War, and especially the Vietnam War, where it gained a great reputation for reliability in the jungles of Vietnam. The largest single users outside the US Military were the New York City Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department. The New York City Police Department used two versions of the Model 37: one with a 13' barrel with forend hand-strap for its Emergency Service Unit and one with an 18' barrel for its Highway Patrol and solo patrol officers of designated low-crime precincts through a short-lived program spanning from the late 1970s to early 1980s. The Model 37 was issued by the LAPD beginning in the 1940s and remained in service until the late 1990s. Other users include the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and various military, police, and security agencies and prisons around the world. The Ithaca 37 remains a popular choice among civilians for both sport and personal protection. The Model 37 Featherlight has commonly been seen in the hands of farmers and hunters in the midwestern United States.
Operation[edit]
Ithaca M 66 Serial Numbers Chart
Loading the Ithaca 37 involves inserting shotshells of the proper gauge through the loading/ejection port in the bottom of the receiver and pushing them forward into the magazine until retained by the shell stop. The slide release is pressed and the slide retracted completely then pushed forward.Pulling the trigger fires the gun and releases the slide for reloading. On most models up to 1975, a second sear was installed that would drop the hammer as soon the gun went into battery if the trigger was in a depressed condition. Thus, holding the trigger down allowed the gun to fire the instant a new round is cycled into the chamber without requiring the trigger to be released; this feature was called 'slam-fire.' Otherwise, the Model 37 operates in much the same way as other pump-action shotguns.
Selected versions[edit]
- S-prefix: were manufactured for a 1962 United States military contract. S-prefixed serial numbers ran from approximately 1,000 to 23,000 with 'U.S.' on the receiver and 'P' proof markings on the barrel and receiver. The guns have a Parkerized finish with a 20 inches (51 cm) barrel and plain stock with plastic butt plate and no sling swivels. A few later contracts produced smaller numbers of guns with sling swivels and serial numbers in the high 900,000 range. Some had 'duckbill spreader' shot diverters for use by United States Navy SEALs. Others were fitted with a ventilated handguard and bayonet adapter. New bayonets were manufactured by General Cutlery, Inc. and Canada Arsenal, Ltd.[2]
- Ultralite: an aluminum receiver variation.
- Deerslayer: a version with a shortened barrel and rifle-style sighting system.
- DSPS: for Deerslayer Police Special. A military and police version
- Stakeout: short version with a 13 inches (330 mm) barrel and pistol grip stock, which was notable for being the signature weapon for Ricardo Tubbs, Philip Michael Thomas' character on Miami Vice as well as being the secondary weapon of Corporal Hicks in Aliens (although it was technically a modified hunting variant) and Aliens: Colonial Marines, where it has the words 'no fate' carved into the top, a reference to Michael Biehn's role in The Terminator. Because of its barrel length and overall length, this model is classified as a National Firearms Act 'any other weapon' and must be registered with ATF.
- 28 Gauge: 28 gauge model built on traditional size 28 gauge receiver.[3]
- Defense: an affordable 12 or 20 gauge model built for home defense purposes. 18.5' barrel with 5-round capacity or 20' barrel with 8-round capacity. Essentially the same as the Model 37 M&P's used by military and police for many years.
Ithaca Gun Serial Number Lookup
Argentinian variants[edit]
Ithaca Shotgun Serial Number Dates
An unlicensed, near identical copy known as the Bataan Modelo 71 is manufactured by the Argentinian firm Industrias Marcati.[4][5][6]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/8/25/a-look-back-at-the-ithaca-model-37-shotgun/
- ^Canfield, Bruce N. American Rifleman (March 2002) pp. 44-47 & 92-95
- ^[1][dead link]
- ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-06-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2012-04-05. Retrieved 2011-06-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2012-04-05. Retrieved 2011-06-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
References[edit]
- Fawcett, Bill. Hunters & Shooters, An Oral History of the U.S. Navy SEALS in Vietnam. NY: Avon Books, 1995. ISBN0-380-72166-X, pp. 79–80, especially.
- Snyder, Walter C. Ithaca Featherlight Repeaters, The Best Gun Going. NC: Cook and Uline Pub, 1998. ISBN0-9629469-1-5
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ithaca_37&oldid=970726266'
Introduced at $20 in 1961 and sold until 1979, Ithaca M49 looks like a conventional lever action repeater with 18 inch barrel. A closer look reveals that it’s nothing of the sort, In fact, it’s a single-shot falling block with a dummy magazine tube! If that seems silly, just look at today’s 10-22 carbines disguised through the use of aftermarket stocks as G36 automatic rifles or MG42 machine guns.
Loading is quite similar to Martini rifle, but the hammer is external and must be cocked manually. Also unlike the Martini, M49 has very positive extraction. The sights are typical of entry-level 22s, post and notch, with unmarked drift and elevation adjustments. The finish of the painted aluminum receiver tends to wear poorly.
The original design was riding the coattails of popular Western TV shows. It was meant as a recreational plinker and succeeded admirably in that role. Since 22 Short ammunition was cheaper than 22LR back then and also substantially quieter, many of these rifles have rather gunked-up chambers but substantial chamber erosion is unlikely.
The proof is in the performance. With the rifle rested on a sandbag, five-shot groups all looked like the picture below. For a budget carbine with iron sights, that’s pretty impressive! My friend who owns this particular rifle has had it since he was eight years old back in the 1960s, and the gun just keeps on working with minimal care. Since function-testing of this carbine before buying is very simple and spare parts are still available, I would rate it as a diamond in the rough.