True but back when you bought a side-by-side from WRA, they were made in England under contract. When you bought an Ithaca back then, they were made in Ithaca NY (home of Cornell, John M. Olin being an Alum from that college I believe. Ithaca was able to buy out the defunct LeFever operation about 1914, and survive during the Depression without selling out (WRA, A.H. Fox an Parker Bros.)--The basic difference, besides the cachet of the great M21, they are not a double operation fitted side-by-side. They are fitted after the 4140 steel has been heat treated- tricky indeed. The other great American doubles were double-fitted, first fitting in the white- final fitting after case hardening.A M21, like a M12, given reasonable care, will hold up forever- but so will a Fox, Parker, Ithaca, LeFever, L.C. Smith- assuming proper care and careful selection of proper loads for the gauge, chokes and chamber lengths of said shotgun(s)--
