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Original M1897 Winchester Shotgun?


29thinfgeek
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29thinfgeek

I'm thinking of buying this M1897, but I've been warned that there are many fakes of the out there, and I was hoping someone could give some insight on this one. I've dealt with this dealer before, and have bought some nice rifles from them, but ofcourse, they too, could be fooled.

 

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everforward

Looks original to me...post-1935 non-military production with a takedown receiver. Pretty nice shape IMHO.

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29thinfgeek

Looks original to me...post-1935 non-military production with a takedown receiver. Pretty nice shape IMHO.

 

Thank you! Yes it's in very nice shape, which was one of the things that worried me.

 

Frederik

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Looks to be in "riot gun" configuration. The lettering, from this view looks to be too "sharp" to be a reblue. I don't know how much a Winchester letter is these days, but if you call the Cody museum in Cody WY, they can tell you, and may even be able to give you some info over the phone, Jack.

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A true military riot gun would have a CYL bore and have a flaming bomb on the barrel. Yours has a MOD barrel that appears to have been shortened. In my opinion, yours is not a military shotgun.

MVC-001S.JPG

MVC-003S.JPG

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Ok, I'm bad, missed the Mod bore! I do have a legitimate 97 Trench gun, not marked with the bomb. It is documented as having come from a local sheriff's dept. They received it from the Gov't through some type of puchase program in the 40's. Anybody out there aware of any thing like this? Jack

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29thinfgeek

A true military riot gun would have a CYL bore and have a flaming bomb on the barrel. Yours has a MOD barrel that appears to have been shortened. In my opinion, yours is not a military shotgun.

post-61-0-42412500-1365602994.jpg

post-61-0-80489100-1365603002.jpg

 

So in your opinion, this one was made for the civilian market?

 

Frederik

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Ok, I'm bad, missed the Mod bore! I do have a legitimate 97 Trench gun, not marked with the bomb. It is documented as having come from a local sheriff's dept. They received it from the Gov't through some type of puchase program in the 40's. Anybody out there aware of any thing like this? Jack

 

I missed that too. D'oh...!

 

I had a '97 Trench Gun years ago in about the same shape, a solid frame gun from late 1918-1919 that was all original.

 

I was told at the time that it was ex-Va. State Police, but it wasn't marked anywhere to indicate this...no markings whatsoever except the Winchester markings from the factory. It also had a factory M1917 Winchester bayonet, just like a military M1917 but not marked 'US'. These were actually featured as an accessory in the Winchester catalog of the day.

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29thinfgeek

So might the Army/Police have taken Shotguns like the one I'm looking to buy, and fitted them with the barrel/bayonet fitting, if they were in need of some? It won't make me not want to buy it if that's not the case, just wondering..

 

Frederik

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I would say a "true" Military '97 "would" be a Cyl bore, but, in my opinion not necessarily "flaming bomb" marked. Some did slip through, but most were during WWII. I have seen many shotguns, marked and unmarked, that were definetley used by the military during WWII. Due to the "shortage" of weapons at the beginning of the war, the gov't "bought" many guns "off the rack" for training purposes, Ithica Mo 37's, Win Mo 12's, etc. etc. Jack.

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Ok, I'm bad, missed the Mod bore! I do have a legitimate 97 Trench gun, not marked with the bomb. It is documented as having come from a local sheriff's dept. They received it from the Gov't through some type of puchase program in the 40's. Anybody out there aware of any thing like this? Jack

My department had 2 Thompsons and 5 Remington M31 riot guns from the Marine Corp.

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There's no evidence this one is military, but it's a nice M97 shotgun, and looks like decent condition. I'd buy it, if it were in my area and a reasonable price.

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I would say a "true" Military '97 "would" be a Cyl bore, but, in my opinion not necessarily "flaming bomb" marked. Some did slip through, but most were during WWII. I have seen many shotguns, marked and unmarked, that were definetley used by the military during WWII. Due to the "shortage" of weapons at the beginning of the war, the gov't "bought" many guns "off the rack" for training purposes, Ithica Mo 37's, Win Mo 12's, etc. etc. Jack.

 

I rememebr seeing an old riot shotgun at a military base during open house for the public and saw a riot gun with civillian hunting scenes ingraved on the receiver, but this was a later model than the 1897

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The Military purchased many different makes and models of shot guns, right "off the rack" for training purposes during WWII. Skeet and trap shooting was/is an excellant way to teach some one, aerial gunners, the basics of how to "lead" a target. Jack.

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