What type of action does the Winchester 97 shotgun operate on?

The Winchester 97 shotgun operates on a pump-action mechanism, which is characterized by a sliding fore-end that the shooter manually moves to chamber rounds and eject spent shells. This design allows for rapid cycling of cartridges, enabling faster follow-up shots compared to other mechanisms. Pump action shotguns, like the Winchester 97, require the shooter to physically manually engage the action to load and eject shells, making them a popular choice among many hunters and sport shooters for their reliability and ease of use.

This pump-action design ensures consistent and straightforward operation, with the shooter able to quickly adjust and maintain control while aiming. Other types of actions used in shotguns, such as lever action, break action, or gas-operated actions, have different mechanisms and operational characteristics that distinguish them from the pump action of the Winchester 97.