Price for Average Condition Ithaca 37 Trench?

[NFA amnesty]

I am new to US Combat shotgun collecting, but leaning towards Ithaca 37 Trench. If I can find a real one, what king of price should I expect for a well used but working condition Ithaca? Vietnam era production would be okay as long as it is a U.S. military model.

 

I am looking at an Ithaca 37 that had the barrel shortened to 20 inches with a reproduction barrel/bayonet shroud installed and reparked and they want around 1500 dollars for this faux model.

 

Thank you.

Edited March 21, 2021 by NFA amnesty

[StrangeRanger]

That is high for a faux trench

You can get an NIB factory built copy for less.

 

https://www.inland-mfg.com/Inland-Shotguns/M37-Trench-shotgun.html

 

It's still not GI but it's probably the next best thing...and a whole lot less expen$ive

[NFA amnesty]

That is high for a faux trench

You can get an NIB factory built copy for less.

 

https://www.inland-mfg.com/Inland-Shotguns/M37-Trench-shotgun.html

 

It's still not GI but it's probably the next best thing...and a whole lot less expen$ive

Appreciate the info, but his model is no longer available to purchase and of course no slam fire. Prices sure have gone through the roof on non NFA weapons right now.

[Bruce Canfield]

There were two basic types of Ithaca Model 37 military contract trench guns. The first was the 1,422 trench guns manufactured in 1942. Genuine unaltered examples are very rare and can bring big bucks. A nice original example brought just over $44,000 at a December 2019 auction by Rock Island Auction Co. The other type was a relatively small number procured during the Vietnam era that differed from the WWII guns in several respects including a Parkerized finish (rather than blued), a different serial number range and different martial marking format. There were also some "commercial" (non-military) trench guns made during this same period with no martial markings (although some have had bogus markings subsequently applied), a different serial number range and have much less collector value than the Vietnam era military Model 37 trench guns. The later Model 37 trench guns will bring substantially less than the WWII trench guns.

[NFA amnesty]

Wow, had no idea an Ithaca WWII shotgun would fetch that much money! Faux route indeed for me unless I can pick up a Vietnam era shotgun.

 

Thanks Bruce for the info, very helpful.

[Bruce Canfield]

While one auction doesn't necessarily set the market price for a particular gun, genuine WWII Ithaca Model 37 trench guns are very rarely seen for sale and it is undeniably the second rarest production U.S. military shotgun. The rarest is unquestionably a genuine WWI Remington Model 10 trench gun. An example with a questionable wooden handguard (it may have been a reproduction) brought just over $88,000 (including buyer's premium) at a September 2018 Rock Island Auction. These prices may well be extremes but they do point out the scarcity and desirability of these two ultra-rare trench guns. Even the much more common WWI Model 1897 and WWII Model 12 and Model 97 trench guns can bring prices approaching $10,000K for pristine examples. In any event, it is hard to find a collectible and totally genuine WWII trench gun for under $5K. Unfortunately, the vast majority seen for sale today are either outright fakes or have some "problems."

[Roland the Thompsongunner]

You can build an Ithaca for pretty cheap if you shop around a bit. I built one years back before I found a real WWII gun. I bought a very worn and modified 37 on gunbroker. It had some pitting and a cutts comp on the barrel. I cut the barrel to 20 inches. Bought one of the quality replacement hand guards and polished the receiver to remove the game scene on the side and reblued the gun. I ended up with about a 700 dollar investment. Its good for living history events for display as people can look and touch it and you dont have to be nervous of it getting damaged.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Roland the Thompsongunner

[NFA amnesty]

You can build an Ithaca for pretty cheap if you shop around a bit. I built one years back before I found a real WWII gun. I bought a very worn and modified 37 on gunbroker. It had some putting and a cutts comp on the barrel. I cut the barrel to 20 inches. Bought one of the quality replacement hand guards and polished the receiver to remove the game scene on the side and reblued the gun. I ended up with about a 700 dollar investment. Its good for living history events for display as people can look and touch it and you dont have to be nervous of it getting damaged.

Great advice, thank you.

[StrangeRanger]

FWIW

https://www.rockislandauction.com/catalog/82/shotgun/1/?keywords=trench#LotNumber3453

gives a range of current prices

[bmarvin]

I paid $8000 for my WW2 Ithaca about 5 years ago. I also have a copy of the shipping documents from Ithaca proving it's original.

Ithaca reached out to me to borrow it for a television show a few years ago but I declined . I believe I paid about the same for my WW1 Remington. That one does have a reproduction wooden heat shield

[Oldtrooper]

I paid $8000 for my WW2 Ithaca about 5 years ago. I also have a copy of the shipping documents from Ithaca proving it's original.

Ithaca reached out to me to borrow it for a television show a few years ago but I declined . I believe I paid about the same for my WW1 Remington. That one does have a reproduction wooden heat shield

Your declining to allow a television program to use your Ithaca brings about a memory of my being asked to loan an item. A little off topic, but back in the 90's I had a beautiful, tall, Thoroughbred gelding that I used in military ceremonies/funerals as The Riderless Horse. At one ceremony the commanding general of our state Army Reserve witnessed my horse, and was very impressed when a UH-1 helicopter landed right next to my mount, and all the while he stood like a rock chewing his bit. He stood motionless through volley's of rifle fire ... I trained him well, as I used him as a mounted patrol horse as a police officer.

 

Some weeks later the Army Reserve contacted me and expressed interest in renting my horse for a day so that the same general, who as they told me was an accomplished West Point Equestrian could review his troops from the saddle during his upcoming retirement ceremony. After some contemplation, I declined the request. I knew my horse, and while very well trained for me to ride, he had not had too many other people on his back besides my son. He was a Thoroughbred, and a small charge of gunpowder is common to the breed ... I kept getting these mental images of the General getting dumped on his six in front of his troops.

[Baltimoreed11754]

While not an Ithaca it is a faux M12 that I put together 5 years ago. Maybe 550.00 in it not counting the original bayonet, scabbard is a repro. Bought another reblue recently for 325.00 for a riot gun build. Diy is a whole lot cheaper. Find yourself a reblue or cutts comp Ithaca and get Canfields US combat shotgun book if you don’t have a copy and diy. I borrowed a copy from the public library and copied the chapters on the Winchester M12 and 520-30 Stevens, another future build. Good luck.

Edited April 3, 2021 by Baltimoreed11754