jaguar:

Thanks for the clarification. Yes, that is correct. The effect is the same as a "slam fire" and in fact in essence that is what happens from a practical standpoint, just like the 12's in that the gun can be fired by merely holding the trigger and racking the slide. A Winchester Model 12 also fires from a bolt-locked condition as well. As mentioned, if a gun fired otherwise {before bolt was completely locked} a catastrophic event would occur.

As Xausa says, most other pump shotguns have trigger disconnects that prevent trigger-held-down-slide-racking-fire {AKA "slamfiring"}.

I personally do not believe the Ithaca 37 was the reason for Remington's successful demonization of the single action bar. There were in the 1900-1950 period several other pumpguns that had single action bars that were not as reliable as the Ithaca. I have never seen a case of "binding" {I think that was the old Remington slick term for it} but I have seen Stevens 520's where the single action bar just plain came loose and essentially detached from the bolt carrier. I've never seen that in a Remington 870, Mossberg 500 or an Ithaca.

One thing an old Ithaca has all over the Remington is the lack of weight. Pick up and old 20 ga 2 3/4" Ithaca 37 and you will hardly believe you just picked it up!