Don't think there was ever an all steel solidly built pump like the Model 25. No worries of this one shooting loose. I do have Model 12's. https://i.postimg.cc/T3wQhzxH/DSC03202.jpg

I inherited a M12 featherweight from my father. He bought it at the BX while stationed in Japan, around 1959. He shot the guns for years, as I have. It also has a full choke. I’ve used it for trap and on ducks. It’s really not great at either. Before I knew better, I put lots of hot steel through the full choke. Never had a problem. But, it kicks something fierce. In my opinion, it’s not a great shotgun for anything. But, I love it because it was my father’s.

I recently bought a M12 Featherweight. It is like new. 30" full. I have not shot it yet. I won't shoot steel in it. If I want to shoot it at ducks I'll buy bizmuth. The gun feels excellent. It is light and quick. Nice old shotgun.

I am unsure what era you are speaking of, but many years ago I attended the Remington Armorer's School in Illion. I wanted to see the Custom Shop as much as anything else. I was amazed at the beautiful work I saw there. I had purchased a 12 gauge Remington Special Field to hunt with and it had ugly wood. I wanted to upgrade the wood and told the guy in the Custom Shop wood room, Billy was his name, the type wood I was looking for. Our instructor, Bob Lescovar, had just started training students after working in another capacity in the plant. During a break, Bob brought a buttstock and forend over to ask if these pieces would be satisfactory. I told Bob to tell Billy they would be "very satisfactory". "D" grade buttstock and and "F" grade forend. At the time, it was the nicest wood I had ever seen. There was an engraver that was getting read to retire, and Bob had said he wanted the engraver to engrave a trigger guard for him before the engraver left. I do not remember the engravers name, but I watched him do some work while I was there and it was very nice.