How accurate were those old Model 37 Ithaca Deerslayers ?

[Mustangs Rule]

I have a chance to buy one. Anybody have experience with one with iron sights. What slugs were best, how well did they shoot and how was the deer slayer with buckshot,,,thinking the buckshot for self desense load

Thank you

 

[Dave N]

I had one years ago. Not a bad slug gun. Just used regular Foster type slugs in it. Killed my share of deer as a teenager. No idea about buckshot.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I had one years ago. Not a bad slug gun. Just used regular Foster type slugs in it. Killed my share of deer as a teenager. No idea about buckshot.

Were the barrels rifled or smooth with no choke? Were the foster slugs rifled themselves. How did they group at say 50, 75 or 100 yards with open sights.

 

[Dave N]

Were the barrels rifled or smooth with no choke? Were the foster slugs rifled themselves. How did they group at say 50, 75 or 100 yards with open sights.

Oh man, that was over 40 years ago! I want to say it was a smooth barrel with rifled sights. I more than likely used something like Remington Sluggers in it. As far as grouping, well, I was 15 when I killed my first deer with it in 1976. Wasn't really concerned at that time in my life with groups. As long as I could put a slug in a deer's chest I was a happy kid!

 

[Addicting]

My dad had one, I let it go in the auction after he passed. It was a 16 gauge and with 2 3/4 sluggers it kicked like a mule. It was good to 100 yards but that was it. I love that it was his but new I was never gonna shoot it. There are way better ways of killing a deer. I will say it sold like it was gold. I think it went for 1100 bucks with both barrels and a old weaver 4 power scope.

 

[Curvebow]

The Deerslayers were mostly smooth bore with rifle sights. They were designed for foster style slugs. Foster slugs had a "rifling" on the side of them, but it likely didn't impart any spin to the slugs as they deformed upon firing. The base was hollow to also aid in bore sealing.

There was a newer Deerslayer, perhaps a Deerslayer II. I recall that it was available in 2 barrel lengths and had a fully rifled barrel that was screwed into the receiver and was not user removable. A friend had one and he raved about its accuracy with sabot slugs of the day. I'm thinking this was in the late 80's or maybe early 90's.

For self defense, about any shotgun will suffice with buckshot. I would go with #4 buck, about 25 pellets (try finding that!). Short barrel is better for handling and getting around the house should you ever need it...

 

[wtbarefield]

I've got 2 old (1962 &1964) model 37's. One is a deerslayer long barrel the other is a standard cylinder barrel. With using Hornady, Winchester, or seller&ballot foster type 1 oz. slugs it will consistently put all 5 inside a paper plate @100yards. Most of the time if I'm steady enough I can get roughly a 7" group. However, I tried Remington slugs and they have NEVER patterned worth anything through that gun.
Couldn't say about bird shot though, I remember reading somewhere that Ithaca did not recommend to shoot shot through the deerslayer.

 

[wtbarefield]

Also, here is my deerslayer, a Remington wing master imp cylinder and a 37 cylinder bore with a seller&ballot slug just to give some scale on the bore differences.
The deerslayer is pretty tight, at the muzzle anyway.