The Winchester Model 1897 was designed by American firearms inventor John Moses Browning. The Model 1897 was first listed for sale in the November 1897 Winchester catalog as a 12 gauge solid frame.[6] The 12 gauge takedown model was added in October 1898, and the 16 gauge takedown model in February 1900.[7] Originally produced as a tougher, stronger and more improved version of the Winchester Model 1893, itself an improvement on the early Spencer 1882 pump-action shotgun, the 1897 was identical to its forerunner, except that the receiver was thicker and allowed for use of smokeless powder shells, which were not common at the time. The 1897 introduced a take down design, where the barrel and magazine tube could easily be separated from the receiver for cleaning or transportation, the ease of removal of the barrel becoming a standard in pump shotguns made today, like the Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 series. Over time, the model 97 became the most popular shotgun on the American market and established a standard of performance by which other kinds and makes of shotguns were judged, including the most expensive imported articles.[5] The Winchester Model 1897 was in production from 1897 until 1957. It was in this time frame that the modern hammerless designs became common, like the Winchester Model 1912, the Ithaca Model 1937, and the Remington 870. The Model 1897 was superseded by the Winchester Model 1912.[8] However, the gun can still be found today in regular use.