Ithaca 37 info

rmill

Hi. I own two Ithaca pump guns (model 37's) and neither of them have a model number on them and neither of them say Featherlight on them. Just curious, when did Ithaca start stamping Featherlight on their pump guns and was there a year they started designating (marking) the model on the gun? They're both matching numbers guns made in the 40's... thanks for the info! Randy

charliemeyer007

I have my dad's 37. He had it in the early 60's I think, perhaps before me.

They have the dates with serial numbers from 1937, no production for 43-45.

http://ithacagunrepair.com/IGSN/IGSN.html

rmill

Thanks Charlie, but it didn't tell me what I was curious about. My 20 was made in 49 and my 12 made in 46. BUT, I had an Ithaca 37 a few years back that actually had the model # on it and Featherlight on it as well. Was trying to see if anyone knew what years that transpired. Thanks anyway! Randy

Ambrose

rmill: I have 8 Ithaca 37's. They were made in 1939, 1940, 1941, 1946, 1948, 1952, 1956, and 1982. They are all marked Model 37 on the barrel. A typical barrel marking is, "ITHACA GUN CO., INC., ITHACA, N.Y.-MODEL 37". But only the 1952 and the 1956 are marked, "FEATHERLIGHT". (My 20 ga. made in 1982 is marked, "ULTRAFEATHERLIGHT"). I have the book by Walter Snyder but I haven't found any reference to the start of the featherlight marking. To tell the truth, I hadn't noticed the lack of that designation on the early guns until you mentioned it.

EDIT: The Featherlight designation has the little circle with the "R" in it, so apparently sometime between 1948 and 1952, Ithaca registered Featherlight as a trademark even though they used Featherlight in their advertising before that.

rmill

Ambrose, you are right! Mine both have the model number on the barrel as well (I don't know WHAT I was trying to say in my earlier posts as I re-read them!) But, the Featherlight designation is my question. THANK YOU, that helps! At least I know that it started AT LEAST in 1952-ish...