Mr Browning wasn't involved in the 200. Trying to by-pass his patents was more likely the problem.
The TD system is certainly different. The knurled ring is an obvious path to the TD, but getting at it is the problem. The Sparrow solved this by supplying a spanner wrench with each shotgun.
The wrench is kept in the end of the magazine tube and looks like a simple end cap when in storage.
In use, the wrench is used to turn the lock ring 1/3 (one third)turn to unlock the bbl/forend assembly from the frame. The bbl assembly then pulls straight forward & off the frame.
Without the wrench, many of these guns have seen the use of a punch of some sort in the spanner groove(s) to get them apart. Most owners don't know that the wrench is even there in the end of the magazine tube. Some spanners are found with the tip broken off from a bit too much pressure on them.
I have more fun with things like this, a Meriden pump, Marlin hammerless pumps, the early Remingtons ect than the common Winchester M12s. I really can't even remember ever owning a M12.
Plenty of 97s though.
