LAPD Ithaca 37 Featherlight DS Police Special 12 GA 18″ Pump Shotgun 1984
SOLD FOR: $2,525.00
LSB#: LSB251113MP015
Make: Ithaca
Model: 37 Featherlight (D.S. Police Special), The receiver is marked “Los Angeles Police Department”
Serial Number: 84-113
Year of Manufacture: 1984
Caliber: 12 Gauge 2 3/4″ chamber
Action Type: Tube Fed Pump-Action Shotgun
Barrel Length: 18” Cut down from 20″
Choke: Cylinder, Fixed
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a brass bead.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece wood. The buttstock does not appear original to a DS Police Special. The fore-arm is ribbed, and the buttstock is checkered with a semi pistol grip and rubber recoil pad. The LOP measures 13 3/4″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stock has been refinished. The buttstock is slightly loose. There are scratches, handling wear and light compression dents throughout. The stocks rate in a Very Good overall condition for a refinish.
Also included is an original Motorcycle Officer/BCMC Choate polymer folding stock and forend.
Type of Finish: Matte Black Paint Finish
Finish Originality: Refinish
Bore Condition: The bore is bright. There is no erosion. There is minor fouling in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This shotgun retains about 85% of its metal finish. There are spots of paint wear scattered throughout, the most notable being on the top of the barrel in front of the receiver. The screw heads are light to moderately tooled. The markings are crisp. Overall, this shotgun rates in about Very Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this firearm. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Choate Tool polymer folding stock and forend.
Our Assessment: The Ithaca 37 Featherlight is one of the longest continuously produced pump-action shotguns in American history, known for its bottom-eject design and smooth operation. This example, marked “Los Angeles Police Department” on the receiver, is a DS Police Special configuration produced during in 1984. The Model 37’s bottom loading and ejection system made it particularly attractive for law enforcement use due to its ambidextrous operation and reduced debris entry into the action. This shotgun has been refinished and modified from its original configuration, including a barrel cut from 20 inches to its current 18 inch length.
Chambered in 12 gauge with a fixed cylinder choke, the 18 inch barrel retains a bright bore with no erosion and minor fouling, rating 9 out of 10. The metal surfaces are finished in matte black paint over refinish, retaining approximately 85 percent coverage with scattered paint wear, most notably on the top of the barrel forward of the receiver. Screw heads show light to moderate tooling, and markings remain crisp and legible. The two-piece wood stock set includes a ribbed forearm and a checkered semi-pistol grip buttstock fitted with a rubber recoil pad. The buttstock appears non-original to a DS Police Special and has been refinished, however an original Motorcycle Office/BCMC Choate polymer folding stock set is included, which would have been more suited to LAPD use, especially on a motorcycle
Mechanically, the pump action functions correctly. With its law enforcement heritage, bottom-eject Ithaca action, and 18 inch configuration, this Model 37 Featherlight DS Police Special represents a refinished but functional example of a classic American police shotgun platform. Please see our photos for a better understanding of condition and good luck with your bids! MF