Winchester 1897 97 M97 Black Diamond Trap 12 GA Pump Shotgun, MFD 1905 C&R
SOLD FOR: $4025
LSB#: 210303MG05
Make: Winchester
Model: 1897 Black Diamond Trap Gun
Serial Number: 272178
Year of Manufacture: 1905
Caliber: 12 Gauge, 2 3/4″ Shells
Action Type: Pump Action With Tubular Magazine
Markings: The side of the action bar is marked “MODEL 1897 / -WINCHESTER- / TRADE MARK”. The top of the barrel is marked “MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / NEW HAVEN, CONN. U.S.A. PAT. NOV. 25.90.DEC.6.92.JULY 21.96.FEB.22.98.JUNE 14.98.OCT.16.1900.” and “12”. The left rear of the barrel is marked “FULL”. The bottom of the barrel extension is marked “272178”, the bottom of the receiver at the front is marked “D / 272178”. The right side of the bolt is marked “TRAP GUN”.
Barrel Length: 30”
Choke: Fixed Full
Sights / Optics: There is a brass bead near the muzzle. The rear sight is a shallow “U” groove in the top of the receiver’s chamber ring, the groove and the top of the receiver have been finely matted to reduce glare.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece checkered walnut with straight grip, straight comb and a curved, checkered black hard rubber Winchester buttplate. There are black diamonds inlaid in each side of the wrist at the front. The stocks have some scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. There are no chips or cracks, but there are a few scratches in the left-front of the wrist which may appear like cracks in the photos. The checkering is well defined. The LOP measures 13 5/8” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has a few small losses on the right edge and some red paint at the top mounting screw. Otherwise, the buttplate shows minor wear with sharp checkering and lettering. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright. There is no erosion in the bore, but there is some stubborn fouling from melted wads, mostly near the muzzle.
Overall Condition: This shotgun retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There are some scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is some scattered minor surface oxidation with spots of erosion at the front edges of the receiver and barrel extension. There is a patch of finish loss on the left of the barrel in front of the magazine tube where some surface erosion was scrubbed out. There is still fairly strong fire-blue on the ejector, chamber flag and sear spring. The hammer retains generally strong case-color. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly disfigured with a useable slot. The markings are clear. Overall, this shotgun rates in about Very Good-plus condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this shotgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This shotgun comes with a Cody Firearms Records Office records search. The search found that this serial number was applied January 19, 1905 to a Trap grade 12 gauge takedown 1897 with a 30″ barrel. The gun was received in the warehouse January 28, 1905 and was shipped September 14, 1905.
Our Assessment: The Winchester Black Diamond Trap guns were the grand of dame of trapshooting – a special run of hand-made 97’s that were given special fitting and finishing by the plant’s best craftsman and specially marked with a “black diamond” on either side of the wrist. Per George Madis in “The Winchester Book”, Black Diamond guns were regarded by Winchester as the “top of the line”. Highly prized by trapshooters, they ruled the roost at the turn of the century. These guns were made with checkered fancy walnut stocks. This Black Diamond was made in 1905 and has a full choked 30” barrel. It appears to have seen a fairly gentle life, with wear that could be considered quite light for a 115 year-old gun which looks like it saw some use on the trap field. The shotgun is in about Very Good-plus condition with around 80% of its original finish remaining. The bore is mostly bright with some scattered stubborn wad fouling. The markings are clear. This shotgun would be a wonderful piece to add to one’s collection of historic Winchester or old west related arms. It should even still prove to be a wonderful trap gun. Please see our pictures, and good luck!