Winchester M1897 gurus?

[Stevie]

I have been looking for a serviceable/original M1897 12ga for a couple years. Most I've found have seen the ravages of time and abuse...with cut off stocks...shortened barrels...various damage from trying to get them apart, etc.

I saw one yesterday that wasn't priced too bad...had a decent looking barrel original length and original looking front bead...wood didn't appear shortened and wasn't all busted/cracked. Seemed to work ok too...although it was dry/dirty and appeared well used(like most are).

It was somewhat different than the few other M1897 shotguns I've looked at. From some internetz research I did this morning...what I had thought might be a forearm modification..I think is just an early model feature. This M1897 had three screws holding the forearm to the action bar. Seems to be an original feature of an early M1897(I thought it was modified)...had a metal buttplate...also this 1897 did not have the left and right shell-stop buttons. The serial # I did not memorize but was like 6 digit and matched receiver/barrel.

I may go back to that store next week and take a better look at this particular M1897 12ga. Beyond the obvious defects...just what do you look for in an ancient M1897 shotgun??

I already own a TTN/Norinco riot-gun and have never taken it apart....looks like there are dozens and dozens of parts in an 1897. If I buy the old M1897 at the store I imagine it will need a detail strip-down and cleaning/inspection. Are these as ugly to strip down as they appear??

Thanks Stevie

[Pete44ru]

'

Here's a take-apart video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEQRh1Imeoo

Wisner's has the missing parts @ $4, and this is the only pic I could find of an early M-1897 with a forend screw (IDK about there being 3 screws)

http://www.wisnersinc.com/model/12-1897-pump-action/




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[Stevie]

I don't think the one I looked at had any missing pieces...it had all the forearm screws and more or less intact...even the barrel/receiver take-down joint was snug.

It was lacking finish and dirty as sin tho...I can't decide if I need another 'project' gun or not.

[Wind]

Hey there Stevie -- This is a picture of a Winchester Model 1893 not an 1897.



The early models of the '97 were called "three screws" due to the three forend screws. The stocks could prove to be tender.

Winchester then improved it with the "18 groove corncob" front end that looked like this...



The frontend then morphed to a wider section and a flat bottom with no grooves.

Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

[piller]

Sorry, no help here. Those were an interesting gun. When I was a kid, an Uncle still had one which he had used a lot. After he died, one of the family inherited it and I have no idea where it is. It was the first pump action shotgun I ever saw.

[Stevie]

Thanx for all the info! There are a lot of parts inside a M1897.

I guess I had never seen an earlier version of the 1897 shotgun before. The I watched the take-down video posted above...and in the youtube menu there is an animation on how the M1897 works....pretty cool!