Back in the mid-1980's (maybe 1984?) my brother-in-law gifted me for Christmas a new Ithaca shotgun. I've kept it—unfired—all these years. Not only is it a classic example of a very popular gun from that area and time but also a representation of my family. Both my father and grandfather worked at Ithaca Gun.

From a 2016 article in NRA's American Rifleman, here are a few comments about the model.

The Model 37 is a manually operated, slide- or pump-action shotgun fed from a tubular magazine located beneath the barrel. Its most notable feature is that it is loaded and ejects through a common port located on the underside of the receiver.

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The Model 37 saw service in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, as well as some other relatively minor skirmishes. It has seen extensive use by the New York and Los Angeles police departments, as well as the L.A. Sheriff’s Department. Countless other smaller law enforcement agencies pressed the Model 37 into service, too.

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More than 2 million Model 37s have been built in this country. One particular variant—the Stakeout—featured a pistol grip sans buttstock and a 13" barrel designed for undercover policemen. It was made popular in the television series “Miami Vice” as the gun of choice for Detective Ricardo Stubbs played by Philip Michael Thomas, who, according to the firearms consultant for the program, had difficulty handling handguns.

Read the full article, A Look Back at the Ithaca Model 37 Shotgun.