The first time I took that old Model 37 out was for a spur of the moment predator hunt back in 2015. Shortly after I took her out that same season for a Spring Turkey hunt. I had just got back into hunting from a short hiatus. By the time I headed out for gobblers in the Spring of ’15, I just found out I was going to be a dad.

Things were really in perspective at this point of my life. Or were they? I knew I never wanted to stop hunting again… and I knew my life was not going to be the same ever again once that little bundle of joy entered this world. How was I going to balance my passions, my growing family and my other responsibilities? As I ventured into the San Diego mountains with this old relic made of wood and steel, I found myself thinking more of the future rather than gobblers.

My mind was all over the place. Will my wife get crazy cravings? Am I going to faint in the hospital? Am I ready to be a dad? Would I be a good dad? Am I going to be super protective if it’s a girl? If it’s a boy, should I name him Theodore Roosevelt Ramirez? What if they are a picky eater? Poop and pee… Lots of it… ugh! Obviously, I was a bit overwhelmed.

I pondered if my child would grow up wanting to venture out with me in these woods and roam the deserts with me, like I did with my dad. What did I want to instill in him or her? What values? Hunting had taught me so much and I wanted to pass those things down to my future child. What about a gun? Every kid needs a firearm passed down from their old man, right? These things started to matter to me all of a sudden! STRESS! BREATHE!

 

Back then, the Ithaca Model 37 I took out to the turkey woods was full choked. She was bored out to Light-Modified soon after that turkey hunt in anticipation of heading out to the uplands for quail. Being a 12 gauge, the Ithaca was ideal for the wide-open habitat I usually hunted quail in. The 30-inch barrel probably wouldn’t be a big deal, but we would have to see. 2015 could be the year this old shotgun was taken out hunting in decades, likely. This was a revival! This would be the first chapter in my life with this old 37. Wait. This story actually began in 2009 now that I remember…

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Back in 2009, I considered myself a side by side shotgun acolyte. I consistently hunted with old SxS doubles since 2004 or 2005, with an exception of a Beretta 686 Onyx Over/Under. I was quickly becoming a fan of old Ithaca field guns like the Flues and Lefever Nitro (which was made by Ithaca). What’s not to love about those old guns? Long story-short (long), I had an old car-buddy who lived and worked in San Pedro, CA. He worked at an old Volkswagen restoration shop and was the sole employee there. He often found himself doing the cleaning and organizing at the shop for the owner, an old hippy who had a fondness for VW Buses and whacky tabacky.

This buddy of mine found himself cleaning out the rafters and attic of the VW shop one summer day and was instructed by his hippy-boss to “throw away or keep whatever you find up there”. He brought down tons of unwanted and forgotten treasures (mainly old 1960’s girly magazines, which he kept, and vintage garments). He also pulled down a small box which contained diagrams and manuals and a heavy item wrapped in what looked like old cheese cloth.

Upon inspection, he found what appeared to be an old pump shotgun wrapped up in that cheese cloth. It was missing a forearm and buttstock, had no bead, appeared to be missing some screws in the receiver and was gummed up with Cosmoline. Just to be sure, he showed it to his boss. “You scored, dude. I don’t want it”. My buddy, not being interested in guns himself, knew a guy who loved old shotguns.

When I received the box from my buddy, I noticed several diagrams and manuals for the Ithaca 37 Featherlight. I unwrapped the cheese cloth and saw a shotgun in poor shape. Some of the documents had a list of serial numbers. According to the serial numbers, this one was a 1941 model. My friend asked, “Want it”? Who would turn down a free shotgun? Sure, I wanted it. It would be a cool addition to the collection. I would get around to putting it together someday… maybe…

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The Ithaca 37 Featherlight has an interesting story if you are not familiar with it. The basis of the core design was created by the legendary gunmaker, John Browning. Browning patented this pump shotgun in 1915. The design was picked up by Remington Arms, and was dubbed the Remington Model 17, which began production in 1921. By 1931, the Model 17 evolved into the Remington Model 31, a very successful shotgun that would be the inspiration for Remington’s mass-produced Model 870.

While Remington was going through model updates and changes, Ithaca was on the prowl for a design of their own that would keep them relevant in the pump shotgun consumer-craze. They sought to find a design that could compete with the Winchester Model 12, in particular. Lo and behold, the Remington Model 17 patent would be up for grabs in 1933. Ithaca picked up the patent and never looked back. With a few slight setbacks (the Great Depression, threat of war, and an additional patent that popped out of nowhere), Ithaca finally began a slow production in 1937. When the USA was dragged into war, production of the Model 37 nearly halted as Ithaca and other arms companies focused their efforts in manufacturing various wartime firearms, like the 1911 and M3 Submachine Gun.

After WWII, Ithaca resumed manufacturing their Model 37 with success. The unique design featured a common loading and ejecting bottom port, which made it an ambidextrous shotgun, friendly to left handed shooters. This bottom loading design also ensured that the elements were kept at bay and minimized debris entering the shotgun. Up until the 1960’s, the Model 37 featured a design that allowed the shooter to hold and depress the trigger and pump the action, creating an (in)effective high rate of fire we know as “Slam Fire”. My understanding is that design was intentional, however, some argue that was not the case. Due to liability concerns, this function disappeared.

 

 

The Ithaca 37, arguably, has one of the most successful runs for a pump gun. Though there have been pauses in production, due to various new ownerships, the Model 37 Ithaca remains as one of the few reliable and beautiful shotguns made in America today. There are various versions and gauges (including a 28 ga) to choose from and if you have an older model like mine, they still offer many replacement parts and in-house services.

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By 2014, I was done with the 2-year hunting hiatus. I sold or traded many of my guns, including my beloved Lefever Nitro. I missed chasing quail, and I knew I wanted another vintage shotgun. I knew that much. I looked around for a while and couldn’t find anything I liked that was in my budget. It was not until months down the road, and another quail opener that had passed, that I remembered I left that old Ithaca at my mom’s house. There it sat in the same cheese cloth, plastered with sticky Cosmoline, propped up in the corner of the garage. A few calls to my brother, and he was able to locate it.

 

 

At the end of 2014, my brother brought that “hunk of junk” down to my apartment in LA. I assessed the shotgun and wiped off as much of the gunk as I could. Not much surface rust, but a lot of patina and worn bluing. Not bad. It was clearly missing some internal parts, which was my biggest concern. Luckily, it retained it’s original bolt and trigger assembly. Going over diagrams I was able to determine what parts I needed and was able to find much of it online. I found the forearm and buttstock on eBay. I pieced the old Ithaca back together over the first few months of 2015.

I missed another quail season in 2015, waiting for my daughter to be born. That Ithaca 37 was fixed, primed and ready for the next season… but I had fatherly obligations to attend to, first and foremost.

The 37 saw its first upland season with me in 2016. I was happy to walk away with a few birds on the opener. This past year marked its second upland season with me and often find myself wondering what previous adventures it was taken on. It has been a reliable gun, with exception of a worn trigger sear. Not bad for a 77-year-old field gun. I replaced the whole trigger assembly and have not had a hiccup since! Today, the biggest concern is if I should have Ithaca install a new “modern” barrel to this classic. Trading in the old 30-inch field barrel with fixed choke for a 26-inch ribbed barrel, with multiple choke tubes. Versatility? Tempting. A modern barrel is also almost mandatory, especially during the day and age in California, where non-lead ammo options will be required soon.

 

 

Over the past few years, I have grown to appreciate this old hull-shucker. I am bit appalled that I shunned this elegant shotgun for so many years. I was so stuck on hunting with doubles, that I completely missed many opportunities to hunt with this gun. It’s easy to become an “elitist”, stuck in a mono-way of doing things… we only disservice ourselves with this type of thinking. I have learned to be more open minded and to appreciate what you have.

After the initial shock, excitement and awe of finding out we were having a baby, I had a lot of time to ponder about being a father. Things were gonna be what they were gonna be! Where there was uncertainty, things started to make sense and I was at peace. Faith. God’s will be done! I am not going to be a perfect dad. But I will love, protect her, and do anything for her. Poop and pee washes off! Values? Living my life with honor and respect is the best example. She may grow up to be a vegan. That’s okay. If she hunts, she hunts. If not, I’m okay with that too.

But, I am also still struggling with the fact, if my daughter does end up hunting, do I pass this gun onto her? Fathers passing guns onto their offspring seems like a tradition I shouldn’t break. Or perhaps she would appreciate a brand-new Ithaca 37 in 20 gauge, straight from the factory? Yeah. I think that may be a better option for both of us.

 

God Bless & Happy Hunting!

-J.R.

 

 

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