That this shotgun survived World War II is a testament to the soundness of the design. With the depression dragging on and war looming on the horizon, it was possibly the worst time to introduce a sporting arm. After gearing for production of the Ithaca model 33, they discovered more Pedersen patents that would not expire until 1937 along with the introduction date, they changed the model designation from 33 to 37.
They settled on waiting for Remington Model 17 patents to expire. That gun would eventually be replaced in production by the Remington 870 which is still produced to this day.įollowing the First World War, the Ithaca Gun Company was searching for a pump-action shotgun to produce, primarily to compete with the Winchester Model 12. The Model 17 was a 20-gauge of trim proportions, later redesigned and refined into the popular Remington Model 31. This makes the gun popular with left-handed and right-handed shooters alike.ĭesigned by the famous firearms designers John Browning and John Pedersen, the gun was initially marketed as the Remington Model 17. Finally, since shells load and eject from the bottom, operation of the gun is equally convenient from either side of the gun. In addition, the outline of the gun is clean. Also known as the Featherlight, it utilizes a novel combination ejection/loading port on the bottom of the gun which leaves the sides closed to the elements. The Ithaca 37 is a pump-action shotgun made in large numbers for the civilian, military, and police markets.