I've wanted a 12-guage Model '97 for more than a decade. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, just a shooter that I can cut down to 18-20" for use as a house gun or whatever. Those bastards have driven up the prices until I can't afford them anymore. I can't go to the gun shows anymore without remembering the time about five years ago that I went to a show and spotted a decent looking 12-guage Model '97 for $200. It was about 20" long, and it seems like most of them are goose guns that have had 10" lopped off the barrel. I picked it up and completely forgot the importance of keeping your "poker face" at the gun shows as I read the markings on the barrel out loud without thinking: "'cylinder'. Hmm. Must be an original riot gun.". The seller was a guy apparently past that point at which a man loses the ability to focus his eyes at short distances. He held it at arms length, squinting at the barrel markings, and then promptly doubled the price. I informed him that I thought that he had an unusually close relationship with his mother and moved on. I've been kicking myself ever since.

Don't blame us man, almost everyone I know who shoot CAS is shooting commie clones, most do not wish to modify or beat to death nice classics

And of course some of us prefer side by sides....  faster to reload

The Norincos are about $325. There wouldn't even be a market for the Norinco copy if it weren't for CAS. I can remember seeing them (real Winchesters) for under $100 before CAS, and there were a lot more of them, too.

Shouldda bought two or three waaay back when. I remember turning down a factory riot special (Duval Co. S. O. marked) in excellent condition (with heat shield) at $250 as being too expensive for me! Damn! Ha!

Back in '73 I bought a Rossi 12 gauge coach gun 18" barrels for $79.00 brand new. Need money to buy a hunting rifle and sold it a couple of years later for $150.00, good profit I thought. Now with CAS you can't find one for less then $500.00, if you even find one! MIKE.

A $500 Rossi? DAMN!