Opinions on Ithaca 37 US marked

[Burns556]

Organizing the safe and pulled this one from the back. Had for 8-10 years, 989xxx serial number. Parkerized with 20 cyl marked barrel and never drilled for front sight, under barrel is not recessed for a heat shield. No sling swivels and plastic buttplate. Interested to hear what people think about it and if its a real deal military gun.

[StrangeRanger]

Wouldn't a genuine US issue trench gun have a Flaming Bomb?

[jim c 351]

Burns,

According to Canfields book on combat shotgun you have a Vietnam-era Riot/Trench shotgun.

The fact that its not drilled for a front bead and not notched for handguard I can't explain. Should have one of these features.

Jim C

[Bruce Canfield]

The genuine Vietnam era Model 37 trench guns are in the high 900,000 range with most clustered around the 989,000 range. While your gun is obviously in this range, there are a couple of anomalies. As Jim C pointed out, it does not have a front sight bead nor the three transverse grooves under the barrel for attachment of the handguard/bayonet adapter assembly. Also, there is not a sling swivel on the stock which would be present on a trench gun. I am not aware of any military contract Vietnam era riot guns in the trench gun range. The VN era military Model riot guns are in either the 50,000 - 71,999 or S1000 - S23000 serial number ranges.

Edited May 22, 2021 by Bruce Canfield

[Bruce Canfield]

Wouldn't a genuine US issue trench gun have a Flaming Bomb?

The post-WWII trench guns were not marked with flaming bomb insignias.

[StrangeRanger]

So possibly someone bought a civilian barrel cut it off and put it on a GI receiver?

Or started with a civilian gun, cut the barrel and counterfeited the U.S. stamp?

Did Ithaca ever make a cyl. choked barrel longer than 20"?

Edited May 22, 2021 by StrangeRanger

[Burns556]

Thanks Bruce its an honor to hear your wisdom. Ive got your book on combat shotguns around here somewhere but Im in the middle of a move. Also many thanks to everyone else for sharing your thoughts. Ive got a set of Ithaca sling swivels in the pile somewhere, she might get them and a front bead one of these days. Is the Ithaca plastic buttplate appropriate for this era or would it have been steel? Edited May 22, 2021 by Burns556

[Bruce Canfield]

Thanks Bruce its an honor to hear your wisdom. Ive got your book on combat shotguns around here somewhere but Im in the middle of a move. Also many thanks to everyone else for sharing your thoughts. Ive got a set of Ithaca sling swivels in the pile somewhere, she might get them and a front bead one of these days. Is the Ithaca plastic buttplate appropriate for this era or would it have been steel?

 

Thanks Bruce its an honor to hear your wisdom. Ive got your book on combat shotguns around here somewhere but Im in the middle of a move. Also many thanks to everyone else for sharing your thoughts. Ive got a set of Ithaca sling swivels in the pile somewhere, she might get them and a front bead one of these days. Is the Ithaca plastic buttplate appropriate for this era or would it have been steel?

Glad to help. It should have a black plastic buttplate marked "Ithaca Gun Co. Inc."

[Baltimoreed11754]

Mr Canfield, Recently purchased my own copy of your fine military shotgun book. Very well done and very thorough. I had borrowed one from my local library to research a Winchester M12 trenchgun built out of a field gun that I did back in 2017. Recently completed a M12 riot and have started on a Stevens 520-30 trench. The prices of the real deals are unfortunately out of reach but a reasonable facsimile will do just fine and I get the enjoyment of building it. Just shot my M12 riot build in a BAMM Saturday along with a bubba’ed 1903 Springfield that I had remilitarized years ago. Retirement is a good thing. Just wanted to says thanks for a great reference book.

[Bruce Canfield]

Mr Canfield, Recently purchased my own copy of your fine military shotgun book. Very well done and very thorough. I had borrowed one from my local library to research a Winchester M12 trenchgun built out of a field gun that I did back in 2017. Recently completed a M12 riot and have started on a Stevens 520-30 trench. The prices of the real deals are unfortunately out of reach but a reasonable facsimile will do just fine and I get the enjoyment of building it. Just shot my M12 riot build in a BAMM Saturday along with a bubba’ed 1903 Springfield that I had remilitarized years ago. Retirement is a good thing. Just wanted to says thanks for a great reference book.

Thanks so much for the kind words. I'm glad the book has been helpful.