If I don't have my history mixed up John Moses Browning invented the Winchester 97,
Now there's a pump...the rest were just cheap bumper jacks at best.
Maybe "cheap" as in inexpensive, but the earlier Winchester, Remington and Ithaca pumps were well-crafted and handfitted in steel and wood. The M12's milling, machining and handfitting procedures couldn't compete pricewise with the lower cost of the 870s castings and stampings. The simpler design and construction of the M37 has been in continuous production since 1937 except during a period in WWII when Ithaca shifted over to 1911A production. Not (m)any US doubles have a 75 year run. My (former) Ithaca 1911A was the subject of one of the dumbest gun trades in history. It is another story too painful to recount.
