Because two of my favorite early 20th Century characters on the shotgunning scene, Ansley H. Fox and Harold B. Money, shucked the Model 1897 for the Big W, I always wanted one. I'd been using Model 12 Skeet Guns and the Remington Model 31 for decades before I finally got a Model 97. Found it far less forgiving than the more modern pump guns I'd been using, and was very happy when the Model 97 got traded off on a Superposed. I'm much more a fan of the Winchester Model 12s, Remington Sportsman autoloaders & Model 31s of the 1930s and 40s.
Even though my Father railed against two things in American shotgunnery -- Winchester Model 24s and bottom dumper pump guns, here in my 70s I broke his admonitions and picked up a little improved cylinder, solid rib, Remington Model 17. $200 out the door at my local pawn shop. Been a good bit of fun and when I took it to the grain elevators for Eurasians I got three in my first four shots before my usual shooting kicked in!!
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