dbadcraig,
Actually most of all I know comes from owning a half dozen of these guns and looking at another score or so. Then there is the article, apparently very well referenced, that I refered to. If we take that article to heart, and I suggest you read it, then the Meriden name came after Richard Sears left and after Biffar and Aubrey left, too. There are relationships with Savage and others mentioned in the article, but the gist of my synopsis seems ok. Now, not all big makers joined the "cartel" against sears, but several ammo companies and Winchester did as well as some hinted at other gun makers. These cartells eventually gave in, as Sears, who for example sold millions of .22 shells , came up with their own manufacturing sources and foreign sources. All sort of interesting, as when Richard Sears took ill and quit, his successor was not the "gun" man that Sears was. Your theory could very well douse the article I quoted if we had catalogs from Sears from 1905 thru 1908.
