Ithaca 37 & Other Bottom Ejecting Shotguns

[Anthony]

Hello Everyone,

I am shopping around for a 20-gauge shotgun for my lovely wife and am somewhat stuck and need some advice. She is a petite lady of 5'0" tall with small hands and terminally left handed.

What reliable models of pump and/or semiautomatic shotguns eject their spent shells casings from the bottom of the shotgun?

I know the Ithaca 37 does, but as I recall there were other models that ejected their shells in the same manner at some point in history.

Mind you I am not looking for anything fancy here, but a good new or used example of a reliable design that I can fix up if necessaryl

Thank you for the input.

- Anthony

 

[marineman]

Browning pump shotgun. I am not sure if it comes in 20gauge.

 

[Coronach]

My wife's shotgun is a Ithaca 37 in 16g. Just heavy enough to soak up recoil, points properly, light and handy. Oh, and reliable.

Mike

 

[Badger Arms]

The Remington Model 17 was the prototype 20ga bottom-spitter. I've got one and it's a fantastic gun.

My vote would be for the Ithaca 37 though. If you've got the time to search one out (just have your dealer call Ithaca), they are just like Butter.

One option you might not have considered is that there is no real need for a bottom-ejecting shotgun for a new shooter. Shells shoot out the side a good distance ahead of the face and they are not hot with a shotgun. It's also easier to examine the ejection port for a WRONG-handed person as well as easier to load with the weak hand.

 

[Bailey Boat]

Sounds to me like you need to look at the Browning pump (bottom loading and ejecting) in 28ga. They can be had with shorter stocks, are nice looking and handling guns and the 28ga won't kill her with recoil. With all of that said, the 28ga IS going to kill YOU at the register.... But they also come in 20 if you want to save your retirement fund....

 

[earlthegoat2]

The BPS is truly ambidextrious. It is noticably heavier than the Ithaca. If you can find some used one go that route because even though BPSs are not exactly cheap as far as pump shotguns go, the Ithacas will surely break you.

 

[Virginian]

The 37 is a good gun, as is the Browning BPS. I had several but did not like having to load through the magazine. Also, part of the 37's claim to fame is its light weight, and with any decent load it will kick. Better get a Limbsaver or Supercell pad for sure.
Remington makes left handed pumps and semi autos. A left handed Model 1100 LT20 with a youth length stock might be ideal, because nothing will soak up recoil like a gas semi auto. I don't know if Beretta or any others do as well.
Some people say shooting a right handed gun is no problem for a lefty. Well I am a righty and I have shot left handed guns, and those emptys crossing my vision did bother me. I would definitely pursue a bottom ejector or a left handed gun.

 

[Old Guard Dog]

I am left-handed and have no problem with the right ejection. It is easier to see in the ejection port. the main concern is with the safety. I like the tang safety on Mossbergs, as opposed to the cross-trigger type like in the Rem 870. Some of them can be replaced with a left-hand model, but the new lockable version on the 870's cannot. Plus the tang safety works easier with gloves, and a newbie can see and understand it better IMO.

Cheap 20 ga Mossberg 500s are available in good shape for under $200.00.

 

[chas08]

Left handed guns have the ejection ports on the left side for more than just the convienience of keeping the ejected hull out of your line of sight. SAFETY... the ejection port being on the same side as your face poses a threat in the event of a failure that may vent hot gasses and debris out of the port. I own a BPS 10 ga and an Ithaca 37 Ultrafeatherlight 20 ga, both have been dependable. The Ithaca, due to it's light weight does have substantial recoil for a 20ga. I'm with Virginian on this one, either go bottom ejection or buy a left handed firearm for her, it's safer.

 

[ArmedBear]

Ithaca 37 for field use, no question. It's about the only pump gun I can get excited about any more. Handles like a dream. The BPS looks like it's similar, but it's way too heavy to be in the same league as the fast-handling Ithaca.

For a HD shotgun, a BPS is a great choice. It's overweight for upland hunting (20 Gauge BPS weighs as much as or more than a 12 Gauge 28" Wingmaster). But for HD, that just means less recoil.

Everything else that's bottom ejecting is a collectible, really, really old, or both -- except for the Remington 105CTi II, a higher-end semiauto hunting gun.

 

[MCgunner]

BPS!!!!!!

Helluva great pump! I will buy one some day. I really wanted a BPS 10 when I went for a ten gauge last year, but I couldn't yet afford that, so I settled for a H&R for now. I think I'd rather get the BPS in 12, though, so I could use it more and on ducks more economically, although I do have this 10 gauge MEC I haven't gotten any shot for, yet. But, the 12 is lighter and would better keep up with those fast teal in the early mornings. I like the guns I have, though. The Mossberg is lighter than a BPS and swings on those teal a bit faster, ditto my Winchester auto. When I went 10, my goose hunting buddy that's a Browning fanatic and a little more well healed financially than I am had to get one. He got a BPS 10, awesome shotgun, and really throws the law down on geese.

I do love the Brownings even better than the old Ithaca that I used when I was a kid, 37 featherweight in 16 gauge. THAT was a fine handling shotgun! But, the Browning has a tang safety and being a south paw shooter, I like that. It's a completely ambidextrous pump and a high quality shotgun.

 

[Badger Arms]

Right-handed guns for wrong-handed shooters:

I think it's preferable for the left-handed shooter to buy right-handed guns whenever possible. Ergonomically, it's a little more cumbersome but if you learn how right-handed guns handle, you are not limited to only right-handed or ambidexterous guns. When shooting left-handed, I wrap the middle finger of my left hand around the trigger guard to disengage the safety just as when shooting correct-handed, I use the middle finger of my right hand to disengage the safety.

 

[John Peddie]

I have both-M 37 and BPS.

I like the top tang safety of the BPS. It's heavy enough (20 ga.) but not oppressively so.

The cross-bolt safety on the 37 might be awkward for a leftie, unless you could get it reversed. Don't know if that's possible.

Love 'em both.

 

[DaleCooper51]

I shoot lefty and have never been bothered by ejecting hulls. I tried a bps 20 and didn't care for the bottom loading. I switched to a 20 ga wingmaster and just swapped the safety to left handed. My ex was 5'2" and 105 lbs and also shot lefty. She really enjoyed the 1100 lt-20. It weighed in at 7lbs and was a light recoiling gun. I would get her to go to the gun shop with you and handle some guns. It would be even better if you could get her some trigger time. See what she likes, get it, and have it fitted to her then go shoot the heck out of it.

 

[Speedo66]

Yes, they make a left handed safety for the Ithaca 37, I did the conversion myself. Very easy mod.

 

[JimKirk]

BPS

BPS youth model 20 ga ...light ...just about the right stock for small people ...like me! I wish I had mine back!

Jimmy K

 

[MCgunner]

When shooting left-handed, I wrap the middle finger of my left hand around the trigger guard to disengage the safety just as when shooting correct-handed, I use the middle finger of my right hand to disengage the safety.

Yeah, that's how I have done it, too, but ya know, that teal just seems to know when you ain't got your hand near the trigger guard somehow. I don't know how they do it, but I can stand there in the marsh cradling the gun for an hour until my finger cramps, take a different hold on the gun and by GAWD there's a friggin bird out of the mist.

Even if you flip the safety around, the tang safety is much more natural for me. I have it on my right hand ejection Mossberg and my two side by sides and it's just the way to go, hands down, no contest. No, the ejection doesn't bother me at all. I've been shooting right hand guns since I was 8 years old and figured out why I couldn't hit anything was my right eye was nearly blind from birth. I'm right handed, just shoot long guns lefty. I even buy right handed bolt rifles cause I can't coordinate working a left handed bolt so well. I guess I'd get used to it, but I've owned right hand bolt guns all my life and I'm used to shooting and working the bolt with my right hand as I hold the gun up with my left on the grip. I have adapted.

But, even on my rifles, except for the SKSs which I put ambidextrous safeties on, the thumb deactivates the safety, either that or cocks the hammer. My single shot shotguns have hammers and my side by sides have tang safeties. My Mossy is a tang safety. The only gun I have with a crossbolt is my Winchester 1400 and I'm unsure if I could reverse it. Don't look like it just lookin'. I haven't taken it apart, but it don't look real possible. Inform me if it is and I'll try it. It irritates me that much.

 

[Badger Arms]

... teals make a good meals! In my experience, they like to slip throuh the pattern too often though. I'd imagine the same would hold true of the Mossberg too. You have to move your thumb out of position. Always hunted with Remingtons so I don't know for sure.

 

[DBR]

I recently bought a couple of 12ga Browning BPS pump guns for my wife and me for informal trap shooting. I think they are great guns. They come with backbored barrels, extended forcing cones and very good Invector Plus choke tubes. Patterns with full choke are excellent and not very fussy about ammo.

Bottom loading is a no brainer once you figure out how to do it. I eject the empty into my right hand with the stock under my arm and pocket the empty. I turn the gun upside down holding the receiver in my right hand (I'm right handed), push the forend forward about an inch with my right thumb and insert a new shell into the chamber.

When I am ready to fire again I simply close the action the rest of the way.

It sounds much more complicated than it actually is.

I also have an 870 Wingmaster with full choke 30" and 20" rifle sighted Remchoke barrel - about 1970 vintage. For me the BPS shoots trap better. I do like the 870 though as an all around gun.