Lowell....we don't think overly too much of them..........but FACTS ARE FACTS, and Annie Oakley out shot all the kings and queens and the Little Lord Fauntleroy's "noblemen" and "women" of the world with her OLD MARLIN LEVER .22-LC's-Marlin shotguns, year in and year out---during that time of which you speak !!! On the Continent and over here......farmer type guns don't you know !!!! Every and I mean every shooting match in the WORLD, they all tried and just couldn't beat her with their Purdies, Engraved Diddletwats and so on......FACTS ARE FACTS, LOOK AT THE HISTORY..............and yes, the old model 97's never saw the inside of a repair shop.......and they are still going.......

Different strokes for different folks I guess...and bye the way..all the engraving in the world, doesn't make a gun shoot any better...another fact, eh ???

Best Regards,

Doug