Its short-stroke pump was faster, a reversible cross-bolt safety made the gun adaptable for southpaws and unlike the Model 17, the Model 37 was brought out in 12 gauge. But, the Ithaca was lighter and used fewer parts. The Model 37 was a much more efficient design than the Remington 17, although both shared the dual bottom loading- and ejection-port feature. The Ithaca Model 37 served in a variety of wars, including World War II.
Ithaca Model 37, Model 37, Vietnam, shotgun, Model 37 in Vietnam
Although the Model 17 was discontinued in 1933, the patents did not expire until four It seemed the hammerless new Ithaca repeater ran afoul of mechanisms used on the hammerless Remington Model 17 as well as the older, exposed-hammer Winchester 1897. Howland, and working with Ithaca designer Nestor Smith, the gun was ready in May 1932, but production was halted due to patent infringement. But in May 1937, Ithaca introduced the appropriately named Model 37-a single-barreled pump shotgun. Founded in 1883 by William Henry Baker, this well-respected company had become a favorite of such luminaries as trick shooter Annie Oakley and John Philip Sousa. Up until this time, the Ithaca Gun Company, located in western New York, was known for finely crafted double-barreled sporting smoothbores and superb single-barreled competition shotguns. One of the most unlikely-yet obvious-candidates to carry on the effectiveness of an open-choked, short-barreled shotgun for close-range military use was the Ithaca Model 37, which, sharing a link with the Model 97, was based on the Remington Model 17, both John M. The Model 1897 went on to fight in World War II, but by then guns and parts were wearing out and replacement armament was needed. The weapon was so devastating, the German government unsuccessfully petitioned to get it banned from combat. The United States Army had been using smoothbore shotguns since the Revolutionary War, although the formidable weapon didn’t come into its own until World War I with the introduction of the Winchester Model 1897 “trench sweeper,” a 12 gauge, 20-inch-barreled pump-action scattergun. Though not nearly as famous as the Winchester Model 1897, Ithaca’s Model 37 served with distinction in multiple conflicts. Ithaca Model 37, trench gun, riot gun, Ithaca, shotgun Neither had heat shields, both were pump guns with 20" barrels and slings like the Ithaca pictured above. I remember seeing a few, (damn few!) trench guns in Viet Nam in '69-'70, maybe two, and I don't remember what they were. Pictured above is the Ithaca Trench Gun as issued in Viet Nam. According to Canfield the WWII M37 Trench Gun is one of the most sought after martial shotguns only challenged by the Remington Model 10 Trench Gun. I do not know if anyone knows the exact number of WWII M37 Trench Guns left in existence, but the number must be small. As the M37 was not part of what was kept by the military after the war their numbers dwindled accordingly. There is also hope on the horizon for some Winchester pumps too.Īs for the WWII Ithaca M37 Trench Gun, depending on who you read (Canfield, Poyer, etc.) there were between 14 Ithaca Trench Guns built during the war. At the moment I'm working on a 1970 vintage M37. I do find myself gathering guns and parts to assemble into a fake or reproduction/clone Trench Gun. I'd love to have any number of said shotguns, but am poor and can't seem to see myself spending thousands of dollars on something that should be in a museum. I spend way too much time pouring over every bit of information I can get my hands on regarding martial shotguns and they are in my dreams. Imagine just about everybody would love to have some kind of Trench Gun, myself included.