Tag Archives: Ithaca 37

CMP Production Inventory status on M1903, M-1 Garand, and M1911s

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From the latest CMP Director’s annual report on Production. Keep in mind that the NDAA also included the provision to transfer milsurp pump-action shotguns, which will probably start in 2027. 

Drill Receiver Reclamation Project: The Drill Receiver Reclamation Project is a landmark initiative designed to restore tens of thousands of previously deactivated M1 Garand and 1903A3 drill rifles into safe, functional firearms. With original receiver inventory nearly exhausted (note: CMP continues to work with the US Government to identify options for the return of US-provided M1s from foreign countries), CMP identified this project as a critical way to sustain future rifle production and preserve important historical assets. Extensive testing, engineering oversight, and transparent communication have positioned this program as a model for responsible firearm reclamation and safety assurance.

    • Scope and Inventory: Began with ~75,000 serialized drill rifles (M1 Garand and 1903A3)
      • 10,000 M1s classified as ‘good’ (Category A)
      • 26,000 M1s classified as ‘medium (Category B)
      • 15,000 M1903/A3s in a condition supporting reclamation
      • 24,000 as ‘scrap’ (Category C – deferred due to cost and condition)
    • Partnerships: CMP partnered with Heritage Arms (manufacturing) and Prospector Training of Florida (ballistic testing and validation).
    • Testing: A rigorous validation program included destructive testing and proof loads exceeding 80,000 psi—demonstrating exceptional strength and safety.
    • Production: CMP placed an initial purchase order for ~20,000 receivers across the recoverable categories.
    • Identification: All reclaimed rifles and receivers carry an “RC” item number prefix to clearly differentiate them from legacy products.
    • Customer Reception: Initial market skepticism was overcome through education, transparent documentation, and in-person demonstrations at the 2025 National Matches.
    • Sales Strategy: CMP introduced stripped and barreled receiver sales at low margins to build customer trust and demonstrate quality firsthand.
    • Sustainability: Sales velocity has stabilized, providing a multi-year supply of reclaimed receivers for production and sales.
    • The project inventory will support nearly 2-3 years of sales.
       

CMP 1903A3 Expert Rifle Program: A key component of the Drill Receiver Reclamation initiative is the development of the CMP 1903A3 Expert Rifle, CMP’s first bolt-action rifle to carry the Expert Grade designation. The project utilizes reclaimed 1903A3 receivers from the drill inventory, each carefully inspected and refurbished to CMP’s Expert standards. This launch expands CMP’s product line and appeals to collectors and shooters seeking historically accurate bolt-action rifles.

      • All supply chain inventory has been acquired, and the Armory is staged to begin assembly.
      • Production Start: Scheduled to begin in November 2025, with initial inventory and public release expected in January 2026.
      • Configuration: Each rifle features a new Criterion barrel, new Minelli walnut stock, refinished metal parts, and authentic GI-style hardware.
      • Grading and Finish: Rifles will meet the same cosmetic and performance criteria as CMP’s M1 Expert Grade rifles.
      • Variants: Plans include a scoped 1903A4 model using Hi-Lux M82 optics and potential chambering in .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield.
      • Strategic Impact: This expansion diversifies CMP’s product offerings and ensures efficient use of reclaimed assets while appealing to both historical and modern shooters.
         

New CMP M1 Rifle Project: The New CMP M1 Rifle Project represents a return to U.S.-based production of forged, USGI-spec M1 Garand receivers. This is CMP’s first move into commercial firearms manufacturing.  

We have partnered to manufacture parts and components for several years, but never receivers. This program ensures the long-term viability of M1 rifle sales after the depletion of legacy and reclaimed receiver inventories while offering a quality product for those who do not wish to purchase a reclaimed offering.  

For those more interested in performance over collectability, the newly manufactured CMP M1 is the clear choice. It delivers a product that is both faithful to the original design and built to modern manufacturing tolerances and materials standards.

    • Purpose: Ensure long-term rifle production continuity through a newly manufactured, USGI-spec forged receiver
    • Partnership: Multi-year R&D collaboration with Heritage Arms covering 3D scanning, CAD modeling, prototype machining, and validation
    • Prototypes cleared for test batch “T Lot” production in early 2025
    • Testing: Over 100 serialized T-prefix test rifles produced, fired through 16,000+ rounds during developmental validation
    • Numerous iterations and improvements between small lots within the “T” series
    • T Lot proving conclude mid-summer, and preorders were opened for eager customers
    • Founder Series: We received 607 preorders placed in 2025 under the FNDR prefix (231 in .308 and 376 in .30-06), representing the first commercial batch
    • Production Status: Full production underway. Initial Founder Series shipments began in early November 2025.  Standard production units will begin shipping early in 2026.
    • Specifications: Forged USGI Spec receiver, Criterion or Faxon barrel, forged reproduction stainless steel gas cylinder, and new walnut stock. MSRP: $1,950 for either caliber (.30-06 or .308 Win)
    • Future Models: Planned expansion to include M1D, and “Tanker” variants, as well as alternative calibers. Development is also underway on several other exciting variants that will be announced as we roll into the new year.
    • Strategic Value: Ensures a sustainable, U.S.-based manufacturing capability that preserves authenticity while meeting modern expectations for quality and precision

M1911 Pistols: Our inventory and sales of M1911 pistols remain strong. The limit of four pistols per person per lifetime remains in effect for 2026. We do intend to bring in-person sales to the Talladega Marksmanship Park store in the March/April timeframe and to the Camp Perry store in the June timeframe, and before the National Matches. More information on this will be forthcoming after the new year.

Defense Bill Includes Selling Milsurp Shotguns Through CMP

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230214-N-NH267-1484 INDIAN OCEAN (Feb. 14, 2023) U.S. Navy Fire Controlman (Aegis) 2nd Class Cody McDonald, from Spring Creek, Nev., fires an M500 shotgun during a visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) gun shoot on the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Elliot Schaudt)

The military could soon begin passing on surplus pump-action shotguns to the public via the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

Both the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act defense policy spending bill for 2026, under Section 1062, call for the Army, Navy, and Air Force to transfer such scatterguns to the CMP.

The one-time transfer would cover guns that are “surplus to the requirements” of the respective service– including being surplus to military history and museum use. Further, they can’t be a shotgun that “is a modern ancillary addition to a service rifle” such as a “Masterkey” style gun that fits under an M16/M4. Also, guns that legally meet the definition of a “short-barreled shotgun” are barred from transfer.

The services would have to report to Congress, at least 60 days beforehand, the number of shotguns, including the make and model, that meet the surplus requirements and the number of which they intend to transfer to CMP.

Furthermore, the NDAA will modify the sale authority under U.S. law to permit the sale of surplus pump-action shotguns. Currently, the federally chartered non-profit, which is dedicated to promoting marksmanship nationwide, can only legally sell surplus rifles such as M1 Garands, M1903 Springfields, M1917 Enfields, M1 Carbines, and .22 trainers, as well as surplus M1911/1911A1 .45 pistols.

The U.S. military has been using pump-action breechloading shotguns for over 130 years, including the Winchester 1893, 1897, and M1912 Riot and “Trench” guns; as well as the Remington Models 10, 12, 31, and 870; the Stevens 520 and 620; the Ithaca 37, and the Mossberg 500/590– the latter of which are still under active contract.

“American M1897 Winchester Trench Shotgun, 12 gauge; American M1917 Enfield rifle; and M1903 Springfield rifle. General Headquarters, AEF Ordnance Department. Chaumont, Haute Marne, France, 4 January 1919.” Signal Corps photo 111-SC-154935. National Archives Identifier 313154926

Shotgun-armed Navy sentry on guard in port, August 1943. Navy Photograph. Courtesy of the Library of Congress PR-06-CN-215-5

Dec. 1942 Production. B-17 heavy bomber Army sentry Boeing's Seattle plant Winchester 12 shotgun riot gun

Dec. 1942 Production B-17 heavy bomber, Army sentry, Boeing’s Seattle plant, Winchester 12 shotgun, riot gun

“PFC. Art Burgess, a candidate in the Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP), 2nd Battalion, 75th Infantry (Ranger), fires a Winchester-built Model 12 combat shotgun during special weapons training at Range 31, 13 January 1982.” The gun has been modified with a heat shield over the barrel, a bayonet lug/sling swivel, an over-folding buttstock, and a pistol grip. DA-SN-83-09168 Via NARA

As to how many of the above are still on hand in armories, depots, and arsenals– and are considered surplus– is anybody’s guess. Still, U.S. martial shotguns of any type are extremely collectible, leading them to be often faked (always be careful on a “good deal” M97 Trench Gun), so the prospect of a vetted quantity of these veteran guns headed to market is exciting.

The Republican-backed bill would still need to make it to President Trump’s desk and earn his signature, which is likely.

Now, if we can just get Congress to transfer all of those millions of old M16s that are in storage to the CMP, even if it is just the uppers, we’d really be cooking.

Could you imagine…(Don’t get too excited, these are over at Bowman Arms, or will be in early 2026)

For those stakeouts…

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I ran across one of these at SHOT Show in January and it was under wraps at the time as it was still in the prototype stage but I thought it was kinda cool.

One of the newest companies to join the “not a shotgun” pistol grip firearm market, Ithaca now has their new model available in a choice of finishes and bore.

The bottom is what I think is billed as their “Patriotic” finish. I’d take the top although, with the lack of padded Shockwave grip, this bad boy is gonna smart to shoot on 3-inch 00 shells…

Offered in either 12 or 20 gauge, Ithaca says their new Stakeout II series is a Model 37 style action that pays tribute to the “classic trench guns of the past century,” but I think they should have gone with the whole stakeout gun angle as it was obvious.

At just 26.75-inches long overall, the new Ithaca features a 14-inch chrome moly barrel in a set-up pioneered by the popular Mossberg Shockwave and Remington TAC-14 in recent years.

Bad news? They want $750-$850 for it, which is about twice what the Mossy and Remmy cost, so there is that…

Anyways, more in my column at Guns.com

The M37 Trench gun is back..

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A 1942 vintage Ithaca M37 Trench gun Serial Number 578xx. Note the finish.

A 1942 vintage Ithaca M37 Trench gun Serial Number 578xx. Note the finish.

The original Ithaca Model 37 came out in 1937 (hence the designation) and was built on a design by John Browning. Now its Trench Gun version, used by the military in WWII is back on the market.

Inland Manufacturing and Ithaca Firearms are starting to make a Model 37 Trench Gun reproduction.

Ithaca Model 37 Trench Gun inland

The combat repro has lots of features that are similar to the WWII model with a 6-row/29-hole heat shield hand guard with bayonet lug, oiled walnut stock, bead sight, cylinder bore, military style sling. Overall length of 38.5 inches, it weighs 6.7 pounds and has a capacity of 4+1.

Ithaca Model 37 Trench Gun inland 2

One goof was the new gun comes with a military style and Parkerized finish while the real one had a finely blued steel finish as it was converted from commercial guns.

Ithaca Model 37 Trench Gun inland 3

Now for downside number one: This shotgun will retail for $1,239.

Downside number two: No slamfire.

Of course, you can get a regular Model 37 Defense in either 8 or 4-shot set up from Ithaca for much less (MSRP is $680~).

DefenseWood5Shot

Plus, you can pick up used Ithacas online for as low as $300 and convert them to the trench gun set up with aftermarket parts for about $200.

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This martial marked (but non-trench modded) Model 37 is on Gunbroker for $350 as was a Minnesota State Police marked gun from 1973 for $500– both able to slam fire and with some legit history to them. But I digress.