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Joined: 25 Jan 2014 Posts: 229 Location: MN

For my 50th Birthday, my wife bought me an unfired King Ferry 37, 26" with choke tubes and recoil pad. I just weighed it, It weighs 6 lb, 11 oz.

She knew that I wanted a more modern 16ga for duck hunting.

I really like the gun. I have used it mostly for duck hunting with a mix of steel, bismuth hevishot and TM shells.

My model 37 will not eject Fiocchi Golden Pheasant or Fiocchi high velocity shells. Those shells must be higher pressure with thinner "brass". The fired Fiocchi "brass" expands into the extractor? slot and hangs up. The same Fiocchis work just fine in my Model 31 pumps.

I know nothing about BPS.

Joined: 17 Oct 2019 Posts: 455 Location: New Jersey

I’ve fished Cayuga a few times, she’s a gem. I can’t believe the 12 weighs the same as the 16. That’s amazing ! I never knew they made one in 12.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2346 Location: West MI

Joined: 24 Jul 2016 Posts: 548 Location: Ohio

The 37's crack in that area of the stock if the stock is not tightened properly or is not mated to the receiver right. I have several prewar 16's with excellent stocks. One of which is my everyday shooter. Polychoke gun as a matter of fact.

It's a bit of a digression, but "Kings" Ferry instead of King Ferry might be a sort of crossover thought from Kings Mills in Ohio, the home of the old Peters Cartridge Company, my nostalgic favorite, and a fine developer of performance ammo, especially shotshells (pioneering shot string research) -- best looking ammo boxes, calendar art and ammo box art ever, also, not to mention the best looking shotshells. The old factory still stands. Check it out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peters_Cartridge_Company

Joined: 17 Oct 2019 Posts: 455 Location: New Jersey

I believe one of my old wood ammo crates is a Peters.

Joined: 07 Mar 2010 Posts: 483 Location: South Eastern PA

Since the digression was made, I have to say, I agree.

Peters had the best box art and makes a great display.

The ONLY thing I like better about a BPS is the location of the safety, especially if in the blind and your hands are cold, otherwise the 37 every day all day!

Original Model 37’s with serial number 855,000 or higher can accommodate interchangeable barrels. I sold one with two barrels choked IC and Mod.

Joined: 25 Jan 2014 Posts: 229 Location: MN

More digression. WOW ROMAC's Peters display is impressive. My wife and I are downsizing. I have a single Peters 2 9/16" 16 ga box. 11/8 oz chilled 6s. $1.35 pencil written on the box. I will fold it flat and paper mail it free of charge to the first person to PM me.
Its not perfect, but it is still cool.

Joined: 25 Jan 2014 Posts: 229 Location: MN

Following up on my earlier posts.

I use my 16ga Model 37 mostly for duck hunting. But I need to clarify, I use it mostly for "early season" duck hunting and for jump shooting from a canoe or kayak. The birds are usually not fully feathered and the ranges are short to medium.

I use a 12 ga. for field hunting mallards and geese, and for diver hunting. I currently have several years worth of 12 ga. steel loads as I haven't done much field hunting or diver hunting recently. But I hope to do more in the near future.

Also someone has claimed the free Peters shell box.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2346 Location: West MI

Wow, go hunt for a few days and look what you miss, thanks for the great responses and colorful digression, fun stuff.

Fourtown, your use is about exactly what I intend on using this "new" gun (am using the 870) for. Yak, canoe and jump shooting, which for me usually resembles an upland hunt so a nimble carry weight gun is high on the list + a bene by-catch of a bunny or 2 will/should be less disastrous than w/a 10ga.

Found a reasonably priced used but not abused 37 that should be delivered soon. Looking forward to getting to know a "new" gun. Sure wish more BPS 16's were available. Browning guns always seem to fit me off the rack.

I'll keep ya'll posted how well the 37 fits my style, hope it works as well as yours have for all of you.....so many shotguns, so little time....again, thanks!

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2346 Location: West MI

The 37 showed up as described/pictured 28", Full, plain, used but not abused, honest dings and scrapes and bluing carry wear + original Ted Williams leather soft gun sleeve in almost new condition so kinda cool. Is a 400k series so 1951, hope to look and work this well when I'm that same vintage. LOP and comb will need some tweaking to fit. ~3/4+lb lighter than the 870 with similar dims.

Question; is it common for these to slam fire? This one does.

Joined: 17 Oct 2019 Posts: 455 Location: New Jersey

Yes they were known for it.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2346 Location: West MI

Thanks, interesting feature...

Anyone shooting steel #3 through their 37 fixed full barrel? yeah/neah?? I know the concerns/warnings regarding this practice but have also read #3 and smaller sized steel through fixed full isn't devastating, thus the inquiry.