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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 680
Sidelock
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Originally Posted By: Stan
So, how about the receiver and bolting ......... just how strong was it?

SRH


Damn strong.

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I had an original that was cut off for cowboy action shooting. Made in 1905 I believe. I never did a thing to it. I fired it rapid fire nearly every time I loaded it and it ALWAYS went bang. I never had one miss feed, failure to fire, failed ejection, nothing. The only round of skeet I ever cleared was with that gun. Other than lowering the price of production I can't imagine an improvement could ever be made on the pump shotgun after that.

An old guy watching me shuck out skeet with it called me over after my round to tell me he used to carry one as a backwoods assistant deputy when he was younger. He said all it took to stop a bar fight was to walk in the door and rack the action on the '97 as loud as he could.
CHAZ



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Wouldn't it be fun to take one to Argentina where you could take the plug out and use lead, for ducks? We've been talking about another trip there, hmmm.

SRH


May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Actually the A was the Model 1893. There were B, C, D and E variations of the Model 1897/97. About the last 600000 were E variations.

I long wanted one as two of my great interests, Harold Money (De Shootinest Gent'man) and Ansley H. Fox, used them when they were Knights of the Trigger for the big W. Finally picked up a high condition, very late E version with serial number just over one million. Lots of moving parts, and if not pumped just right your done. No forgiveness. Can't get away with a double shuffle as one can with a Model 12/42 or Remington Model 31. Happy day when I traded it off on another Browning Superposed.

And, watch the position of your right thumb!! I've seen some serious bleeding at vintage pump gun events when the breechbolt of a Model 97 lances open a shooters thumb.

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Pick a little used late gun and you will save yourself the misery of a broken gun and no gunsmith. Steven says "97 parts". He is right on.

Joined: Jul 2002
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I have one in 16 gauge, and another in 12 gauge on longterm loan from my Dad. To add to the above, be extremely careful letting the hammer down with cold hand and gloves.

Last edited by postoak; 09/25/16 12:27 PM.

Mine's a tale that can't be told, my freedom I hold dear.


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I have a 12 Model 97 (a favorite of Shooting Sportsman editor Silvio Calabi- by the way- made in 1926 std. 30" full choke, reblued and refinished by the Model 12 guys in Harvester MO. before I bought it- all lettering is sharp and clean. I also have 2 pre-1949 Model 12 12 gauges with 30" full choked barrels- this 97 is way tighter, and has been a favorite turkey gun for as long as I have owned it. Have not used it for steel shot and waterfowling, have also shot some 16 yard Trap with it.

This is a takedown series, with the Winchester Model 1897 stamping on the action slide bar. Has a very crisp trigger, and if you like guns with an outside hammer (Model 71 and Model 1894 Winchesters come to mind) you'd like this one. $600.00 plus insured shpg. to your FFL, 3 day shooting inspection trial period after receipt day, 100% refund of the $600 if you don't like it. I can get you fotos if you wish- e-mail me at dsmorin @ hotmail.com if interested. Has a brown Uncle Mikes slip on buttpad, as I like a 14&1/4" LOP on my duck hunting pumpguns, and 14" is more common on the older Winchesters I enjoy. Drop is 1&1/2" at comb and 1&7/8" at heel- with slip on pad installed. Std. 18 ring corn-cob field style forearm.. One of John M. Browning's best designs ever--IMO-- RWTF

Last edited by Run With The Fox; 09/25/16 12:25 PM.

"The field is the touchstone of the man"..
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My old '93. Good bore but a gun that has seen a lot of use before I got it; not a vestige of original finish. Sometimes use it with Black Powder loads but being a non-takedown model it is a pig to clean afterwards. Note low serial number. Lagopus.....




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My 97 was orig a Mod choke but the bbl was seriously bent when I bought it. So I cut it to 26" and it's now a cyl/26" which was the 'Brush Gun' configuration once offered.

No reason any 97 can't be used for ducks with the right ammunition. Would the duck know any difference?
They are plenty strong with the milled/machined carrier lockup to the bolt. Some small internal changes between thru the years but eccentially all the same.
The TD is the same as the M12 as is the adj take up system. The solid frames are a bit more elusive on the market than the TD's.

The butt stocks attach w/a thru bolt like the M12. There is a tapered attachment section screwed to the rear of the frame that the thru bolt screws to. That taper can cause the wood to split if the fit becomes loose and the stock is then over tightened in attempts to bring everything together. MAny of the older ones have a cracked butt stock on the side(s).
Like the M12, the drop can be adj somewhat by bending that attachment section and then re-inletting the butt stock face to the frame.

The ejector somewhat frail and screwed to the outside left side of the frame. It's 90* angle points inside the frame and raceway and kicks the shell out of the gun,,but not with a lot of authority as stated.
The ejector spring as they call it can break it's point off inside and you'll get no ejection at all. But looking at the gun it'll appear that the ejector is still in place as the rest of it is still in place on the outside secured by that small screw. Check inside with the bolt to the rear.
Replacements (repros) are pretty easy to come by now as the popularity of the guns have increased a lot due to cowboy shooting. Inexpensive too compared to years back when only original parts were around.

Shell stops wear like any pump or auto, as do extractors.
The firing pin has a block in it that freezes it when the bolt is unlocked, but can be defeated due to wear. Any old(er) gun should be gone over well to check condition before use.
Half cock safety is the only safety. Slide release button on the side of the frame.

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You, sir are correct. Over 1 million, most in 12 gauge- and not including the previous open top breech model 1893 that WRA re-worked into the 1897 design. First series was a non-take-down, then the take-down option was offered and the solid frame model relegated to the brush gun- shorter magazine with 26" cyl, bore barrel. Jim Carmichael once wrote his uncle who used such a M1897 for quail- said it sounded like a chain saw as it shucked out 5 empty paper hulls and five dead quail hit the ground. Mama mia.


"The field is the touchstone of the man"..
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