A small project I put together a year or so back. I liked the format and the general look, so one of these days I plan on doing a couple more. The S&W Model 10 is among those still on the to-do list.











And the gun I used as the base model. Before and after pictures from my late go-around with refinishing. This is what it looked like when I started. What you see here is the result of my first cold blue attempt with a long gun. Believe it or not, that finish proved pretty much impervious to rust for a number of years. Despite the fact, I thought it'd nice to have something a little more presentable.



This is the end result. Not showroom new by any stretch of the imagination, but a considerable improvement in my estimate. Because old guns need love, too.





And there you have it. One amateur refurb job on one well-traveled but still highly serviceable classic Winchester. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of when this particular gun was new to me, but it was flat-out hideous. The reciever was blued and the forward assembly appeared to have been finished with black Krylon. Given the condition and the overall appearance I'm assuming it was somebody's old farm or truck gun.



But we got that fixed, I think.

Well done!.....wealth of info here for anyone who has a Win 97. Thank you for this. gr

I purchased a 1897 Trench Gun from a gun shop called Strebe's in the MD. suburbs of Washington D.C about 1972. Paid $90.00 for it. It had all the U.S. Military markings and was in excellent shape. It had a solid frame, was not a takedown model. I sold it a few years later to a friend for $150.00. Thought I had made a killing. I have been kicking myself ever since. The money is long gone. I don't even remember what I used it for. One of my stupider gun trading moves. I hope to find another one some day. But it will cost me substantially more.

Nice! I like the graphics.
97's are a personal favorite and have had several. My one and only at the present looks alot like yours. A 30" Full originally, I had to cut it back to 26", recrown and put the bead back on because of a severly bent bbl. It's fired 1000's of rounds and other than an ejector, has not failed.
Winchester offered a 26" barreled M97 in cyl. choke as the 'Brush Gun' back somewhere in it's mfg'r.

It's a 1903 mfg., take down and 'C' series.
The Takedown feature for M97s was introduced in 1898.
The 16ga models in 1900 (in TD only).
Original 'Trench' guns were solid frame guns.

FWIW I've lengthed the chamber to 2 3/4 on quite a few old M97's. They measure out at 2 5/8" (remember to count the chamber ring in the receiver or you'll cut a 3" chamber!).
These are guns in the approx 1905 and earlier vintage,,this 1903 mfg M97 above included.

It's a small amount for sure and Winchester advertised that the guns were able to fire both the 2 5/8 and the 'new' 2 3/4" shell at the time.
But a modern gentle forcing cone in place of the abrupt short one found in the old short chambered barrels is a good idea IMHO.
Thick walled paper hulls were used then along with paper and card wads.
I don't know if it's just a few of the old production with the short chamber, and Winchester allowed that both shell lengths were safe in it at the time (later to change course).
Every other 97 I've checked over has a standard 2 3/4" chamber except for a few very early production.

The 97 was a redesign of the 93 due to the latters inability to handle the new smokless powder loads coming into use at the time.

Winchester even allowed a new M97 to be traded/given to owners in return for any M93 returned through an authorized Winchester dealer. They wanted the '93 off the market.

I've heard it repeated that Winchester destroyed those M93s returned to them but I don't know if that's really true.
Production wasn't high at around 30,000 of the Model 93 shotguns. If the first is true, maybe those 2 reasons combined is why you don't hardly ever see one.

I may know where that gun came from.
In the late 1960's my dad was in charge of the armory at the PD here in central NC. Mr. Strebe came down and bought all of the PD's old Model 97's because the PD was transitioning to newer shotguns.
All of the old 97's were given to the PD by the Home Guard after WWII and were military marked.
I was a young teenager and got to help Strebe box up and ship the shotguns. He regaled me with tales of his work as the armorer for the OSS during WWII. He talked about the "special" firearms they developed, and how OSS guys were the first into the Walther factory in Germany and rescued many prototype Walther pistols and other collectible stuff.

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John

Nice job John! I've owned a few including one of the brush guns. Prices for the old ones climbed with the advent of SASS. Only one I have left is this 1906 Trench which has been re-parked and re-barelled (Numrich had originals back then). The original bbl was horribly pitted. So it's a refurb, but it still gets stared at a lot at the range. Except for the bayo all the accoutrements in the pic are my grandfathers from WWl.

I really like the old 97's. I'm a SASS shooter and that is what my son and I both use. I like the solid frames best. I have one takedown, a 26" modified. I have 4 solid frame factory 20" riots and a solid frame 30" full.

Also have 2 IAC 97 copys, both are in the 20" riot configuration.

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Big Fred

I like 'em:

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Mr. Bell, I have one just like yours! I think the serial numbers might even be close! I'll have to go look.

Love the 97.

I love 'em. Had a 16 ga. 'snubbie' for SASS that was slicked up something wonderful....except I could never hit the fliers launched from a popper.

Did manage to do OK with it in Cowboy Trap.

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

Got one in similar condition (appearance) to your original. Old family gun that rattles like all get out so I'm afraid to shoot it much until I figure out how to check it for structural integrity. Or is it normal for the forend to shake and rattle alot? Neat old gun though.

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Jon