1914 would precede WWI. I think most of the orders came in late 1915 or early 1916. Most assumed the war would be over quickly and were underestimating how much of everything they would need. I know Remington was ramping up in 1916.
But maybe they, IGCo, saw some equipment they thought was a good deal at the price. Don’t see how $3,000 would buy too much. Union was the continuation of two or three previous companies. I’m sure they were operating on a shoe string. But maybe they had just bought a couple Bridgeports.
I always wonder why, when things happen. Was it for a design they wanted, or to eliminate a competing maker or design. Ithaca had no pump gun design at this time. Perhaps they thought Union had a design they could tweak or improve on. Union did not. Maybe the model 60 held some interest. Maybe they just found a couple milling machines that they thought were worth $3,000. Had Ithaca built the Union pump gun they would have regretted it. I shoot mine but only with great effort and by 1914 Winchester had perfected the Model 12 and Model 97 and everybody would spend the next 20-100 years catching up.
