The Case for a 20" Shotgun, No Side Saddle, Non-Flite Control Buck

[TCinVA]

Ithaca use to make a Model 37 Stakeout model. It had a pistol grip and no stock. The barrel was cut back to the front of the magazine. Because the barrel was short they added the loop on the fore end to prevent the hand from slipping forward.

I did some googling on that and I see what you are talking about. This one looks like the loops were tac welded on there. I can only assume because the stakeout model forend couldn't be sourced for it or something.

Those are nice guns TC.

That model 12 was a steal.

[DamonL]

I read the link to the Lightfighter thread. It looks like Pat was issued a 13.5" shotgun in a Robbery assignment. I am guessing the shotgun you have is a recreation of the gun he had with a legal length barrel.

[TCinVA]

I read the link to the Lightfighter thread. It looks like Pat was issued a 13.5" shotgun in a Robbery assignment. I am guessing the shotgun you have is a copy of the gun he had with a legal length barrel.

Pat had a shitload of guns, but among his veritable arsenal of firearms were a fair number of shotguns set up for defensive use. I also snagged a 20 gauge Wingmaster he had worked over.

This Ithaca, though, drew my attention because according to the person coordinating the sale (one of Pat's truest friends) it was set up like his Robbery gun by Pat's report.

The customizations on this one are subtle but clearly come from a lot of time behind one.

When I had the ability to look at a significant chunk of the arsenal as it was being catalogued and prepped, I don't recall seeing another Ithaca set up for defensive use in there.

[LtDave]

When I started with my PD in 1978 we had Ithaca 37’s, most with 18” barrels and rifle sights, plus some 20” guns with bead sights. I loved the shorter ones. Very light and fast. LASD and LAPD also used Ithacas. Pretty sure the LAPD ones had 18” barrels. LASD had 16.5” barrels on theirs. Both had rifle sights. NYPD had some even shorter, with barrels just longer than the mag tube and rifle sights (probably the 13.5” barrel referenced above).

By the time I retired, our shotguns were 870’s with 14” barrels, bead sights, Surefire Lights and sidesaddles. They worked fine, but were heavy pigs compared to the old Ithaca.

I think the fore arm strap was a feature on the short NYPD Ithaca guns.

Pic of short NYPD Ithaca with strap:



LASD Female Deputy with Ithaca:

[LtDave]

Some 16.5” LASD Ithacas in this one:



18” Ithacas, bead and rifle sights:



The bottom one in this picture is the same as the guns that my PD had with rifle sights. The rear sight is different between the NYPD guns and the guns we had in SoCal. Ours had a pedestal rear sight base, I believe so the guns would fit the shotgun racks in our cars, something that NYPD didn’t need.

[TCinVA]

TCinVA, that was hundreds of dollars worth of knowledge, wisdom, and experience in your post that you shared with us. One of many on here that make this the best gun forum in existence. It answered several questions I had about defensive shotgun use. Thank you very much for sharing. I really look forward to the day I get to do some shotgun training with you.

That's too kind, sir.

I'm just sharing what I've learned from people much smarter than me, what I've researched, and what I've observed since stepping out and starting to teach this stuff.

I'll never be a replacement for people like Tom Givens, Rob Haught, or Louis Awerbuck, but if I can get a little of the gospel into the hands of a few more folks I'm pretty happy with that.

When we founded Pistol-Forum with Todd it was always about creating a superior informational resource where people could get ready access to information and instructors that would serve them well. I can't replace Todd, either...but I can maybe carry a little bit of his mission forward in my own way.

As for class, I might be susceptible to doing a class out in Arizona some time...

[Balisong]

That's too kind, sir.

I'm just sharing what I've learned from people much smarter than me, what I've researched, and what I've observed since stepping out and starting to teach this stuff.

I'll never be a replacement for people like Tom Givens, Rob Haught, or Louis Awerbuck, but if I can get a little of the gospel into the hands of a few more folks I'm pretty happy with that.

When we founded Pistol-Forum with Todd it was always about creating a superior informational resource where people could get ready access to information and instructors that would serve them well. I can't replace Todd, either...but I can maybe carry a little bit of his mission forward in my own way.

As for class, I might be susceptible to doing a class out in Arizona some time...

I'm going to go ahead and speak for the other Arizonans on here and say that we'd be perfectly fine with that!

But I hope it's not until I have a shotgun to train with! My next gun purchase, most likely a Langdon 1301T. You know, another Arizonan.

[LtDave]

Here's an ex-LAPD Ithaca 37:





I'd bet that it has been refinished.

[OlongJohnson]

Here's an ex-LAPD Ithaca 37:

I'd bet that it has been refinished.

Likely. But it's still nice to see walnut like that on a working gun.

[okie john]

I know it's a re-enactment, but I love how these guys walk through downtown Manhattan with Doskocil long-gun cases at 1:50.


Okie John