Ithaca Model 37 Deerslayer
Ithaca Gun Company · Shotgun · In Production · 1959
Also known as: Ithaca 37 Deerslayer, Model 37 Deerslayer
Overview
The Ithaca Model 37 Deerslayer is a pump-action shotgun and the first factory-built dedicated slug gun, introduced by the Ithaca Gun Company in 1959. Built on the bottom-ejecting Model 37 platform originally derived from a John M. Browning design and refined by Harry Howland, the Deerslayer pairs a shortened barrel with fitted rifle sights to deliver accurate slug performance for deer hunting. Early models used a specially bored smoothbore slug barrel; later Deerslayer II and Deerslayer III variants introduced fully rifled barrels for even greater accuracy.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3402 g (120.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1003 mm (39.49") |
| Barrel Length | 508 mm (20.00") |
| Action Type | Pump Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 4 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Tubular |
| Muzzle Velocity | 490 m/s (1608 fps) |
| Effective Range | 90 m (98 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 180 m (197 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Smoothbore |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 12 Gauge · primary — also known as 12GA, 12 Bore
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Tubular Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Cross Bolt Safety
- Features: Bottom Ejection, Rifle Sights, Dedicated Slug Barrel, Shortened Barrel
Variants
- Ithaca Model 37 Deerslayer II - Rifled Barrel
- Ithaca Model 37 Deerslayer III - Rifled Barrel
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Los Angeles Police Department
Production
Production years: 1959-present
Deerslayer line has been produced continuously since 1959, with the current Deerslayer III still offered by Ithaca Gun Company
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: John M. Browning, Harry Howland
Notes
The original Deerslayer used a hand-fitted smoothbore slug barrel; fully rifled Deerslayer II and III barrels arrived from 1988 onward. The Deerslayer was used by the LAPD for years as a service weapon.
Background
Ithaca marketed the Deerslayer as the first true factory slug gun, and its reputation for accuracy with rifled slugs made it a staple for shotgun-only deer hunting seasons in much of the American Midwest and Northeast.