I saved this one from a bubba wack job. I saved what barrel I could once muzzle was squared. I fitted a set of rifle sights to barrel radius. Took to Smith and he talked me into screw in chokes. I don’t regret that but gun was in very good condition. Blue is 95% + and wood and finish were excellent. I regret stripping original finish and going with glass finish poly.

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Finally pulled out a couple of photos of my 1897. The serial number is a little over 1,000,000 and according to Winchester Collector, it was made in 1952. It was easily a 95%+ gun when I got it for cowboy shooting.

Sorry, but I had a gunsmith shorten the 30" barrel to around 19" and install a bead. The bore is shiny and the action is tight. The bluing is pretty much intact except for the magazine tube, where it always gets a lot of wear.

The wood is in fabulous shape as well. I did install an original Winchester recoil pad. While that's not original to the gun, at least it's a Winchester product.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Borderboss View Post
Agreed. I don't recall seeing anything about Winchester stamping years on the guns.

There should be a two-digit date stamped towards the underside of the bbl. approx. 1 - 1 1/2" fwd. of the rcvr. A flashlight & mirror may be needed to view.

The Barrel Date is just that, the yr the barrel itself was made.
It's usually the same yr as the gun it's installed on was mfg'd,,but not always.
Parts like bbls and others were simply placed in bins. First in was generally first out when needed on the assembly line. But not always the case.
Also lesser popular caliber bbls on rifles may lay in storage bins for some time after being made before a 'run' in that caliber was done. So the 'bbl yr' may be some months or even yrs older than the ser# production of the assembled gun it's screwed on to indicates.

Dated bbl's also had a caliber marking along with it and some insp and steel type markings. It varies over the production yrs.
All this was done with individual hand stamps.

The bbl date thing was phased out sometime in the 50's IIRC. Maybe earlier(?). Collectors will know about that stuff.

I haven't been able to find a year mark, yet.
But, it looks like it must be 1930 or later, based on the 2 3/4" marking.
-Bill

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Veteran Paratrooper, '86-'90

Mine came from a large estate being handled by the LGS I was working for at the time. It's a M97, c.1935 in the 20" cyl' 'Police Model'.
Looks like it spent most of it's life in an indoors rack - very good shape and slick, as most are.

Really fun to take on a sporting clays course, and I've taken pen-raised Quail with it while helping a friend train his dog.

And, after first getting it, found that for some strange reason, it shoots standard Foster-style slugs like a daggone rifle - with just the bead front.
Slightly less than palm-sized groups at 75 yards.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

I guess this 32" barrel, if original, was special ordered. (?)



Interesting.
Thank you.
-Bill

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Veteran Paratrooper, '86-'90

I’ve owned a good many 1897s. When dealing in them first thing I do is check the hammer/ sear engagement. Put on half cock and put pressure on trigger. If hammer has movement you need to replace some parts.
The TD models that have been taken down a lot can get sloppy. I have owned several that were hard to get apart the first time I tried. Probably because they had never been apart. That goes for all take downs.
Finally beware of rookies who inherit grandpa’s 97. They can be an accident waiting to happen. Cycling first shell with finger on the trigger has caused more than one accident. I could never see slam fire as a plus for sporting weapon.

Hi folks,

Here's a 16 gauge '97 I picked up a few years ago. The front sight bead had been replaced, but other than that I believe it to be original. I'll probably go ahead and put a more appropriate brass bead up front sometime in the future.

When I first saw the move "Bullitt" with Steve McQueen, I was totally focused on the shotgun the bad guys used against him, in that famous car chase scene. I had to have one.

Best wishes everyone!

Roger AKA Mr. Wonderful

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