Nicer than I thought it would be.Made 1966

Nice find, looks really clean.

Deerslayer - nice...

Nice looking Deerslayer. Excellent gun too! Post-855,000 s/n means you'll have an easier time finding additional barrels for it.

385 shipped.Other than 2 small flaws on stock-Like New!

I have one made in 1966 as well and love it.

I have an Ithaca 37 featherlight shotgun that came from the Buffalo NY Police Dept, also built in the 60's. They were bought new back then and apparently never issued. A few years back a guy at a PA gun show had a table full of them $250 each. came with the original Buffalo NY gun room card, showing it was never issued or signed out. I bought one, but should have bought as many as I could. Parkerized finish, no receiver engraving and very plain stock and forend. Great shotguns....you can also hold the trigger and it will fire as you pump.

Have a 37 Featherlight.. Beautiful engraving on side.. Smooth as butter action.. Love it!

Very nice... I have my eyes open for a 20 gauge.

very nice.  yea im always lookin for a 20 or a 16.

 

Nick

Very nice..always on the lookout for an older ithaca with the slamfire

That's a beautiful gun/\.

Wow. Inherited by default one of these a month ago.

Ithica model 37 Featherlight 12 ga. 2-3/4". Same engraving but no "DEERSLAYER" logo.

Nice looking gun, can't wait to try it out.

I've already had three offers to purchase.

Wow. Inherited by default one of these a month ago.

Ithica model 37 Featherlight 12 ga. 2-3/4". Same engraving but no "DEERSLAYER" logo.

Nice looking gun, can't wait to try it out.

 

Some history:

 

The engraving was always simple yet tasteful. The dog on the right-side receiver is an English Setter. William H. Baker, Ithaca's founder in the late 1800's, and an aficionado of English Setter's, saw to it that a Setter appeared somewhere on the sides of his S/S doubles and the M37. At the turn of the century, Setter's and pointer's were the premier gun dogs and dominated the field and trial circuits during that time period. Engraving a bird dog on the side of a shotgun gave it credence as a hunting gun.

 

Deerslayer models offered a specially-bored barrel optimized and choked for Foster slugs. The Deerslayer model was introduced in 1959, in 20" carbine and a longer 26" bbl. length in standard and deluxe models. The standard model had iron sights with a RayBar front sight, Deluxe Deerslayer's were fitted with bettwer wood and a rear peep sight. Most Deerslayer's could group Foster slugs into a 4"-6" group at 100 yards. At the time, that was considered pretty good. 

Some history:

 

The engraving was always simple yet tasteful. The dog on the right-side receiver is an English Setter. William H. Baker, Ithaca's founder in the late 1800's, and an aficionado of English Setter's, saw to it that a Setter appeared somewhere on the sides of his S/S doubles and the M37. At the turn of the century, Setter's and pointer's were the premier gun dogs and dominated the field and trial circuits during that time period. Engraving a bird dog on the side of a shotgun gave it credence as a hunting gun.

 

Deerslayer models offered a specially-bored barrel optimized and choked for Foster slugs. The Deerslayer model was introduced in 1959, in 20" carbine and a longer 26" bbl. length in standard and deluxe models. The standard model had iron sights with a RayBar front sight, Deluxe Deerslayer's were fitted with bettwer wood and a rear peep sight. Most Deerslayer's could group Foster slugs into a 4"-6" group at 100 yards. At the time, that was considered pretty good. 

If I'm not mistaken, the original DeerSlayer barrel was not rifled, nor was it fixed, where as the DS2 and DS3 are?

 

I've got an English Setter. They're wonderful dogs, and it's one more reason why an Ithaca is on my wishlist.

If I'm not mistaken, the original DeerSlayer barrel was not rifled, nor was it fixed, where as the DS2 and DS3 are?

 

I've got an English Setter. They're wonderful dogs, and it's one more reason why an Ithaca is on my wishlist.

 

The original Deerslayer was a smoothbore, with a bore optimized for Foster slugs. Due to the rigidity of how the barrel threaded into the receiver, that also contributed to the Deerslayer's accuracy. The DS3 & DS3 I believe are fixed, and free-floating as well.

 

As for English Setters engraved on shotguns, save your money and be on the lookout for some of these oldies, for they all had a Setter or two engraved on them. (Some obviously better than others, given the grade and make of the shotgun.) PS - I have an English Setter as well. They are great dogs.

 

Lefever B grade

 

 

Ithaca Flues grade

 

 

Parker DHE grade

 

 

Nice Parker, Thank You!

One more note: late model Deerslayer's had their rear-sight base grooved to accommodate scope rings for forward-mounted LER scopes. Redfield made a set of rings specifically for the Ithaca, but I've heard that Millett .22 rings will work as well.

 

Most don't mount the scope forward anymore and choose to drill and tap the receiver or opt for the DS2 or DS3 models which come drilled and tapped for normal scope mounting.