Winchester Model 97 1897 M97 Riot 20″ CYL Pump Action Shotgun, MFD 1942 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1326.99
LSB#: 211008SH01
Make: Winchester
Model: 97, “Riot”
Serial Number: 903476
Year of Manufacture: 1942
Gauge: 12 Gauge, 2 3/4″ Shells
Action Type: Pump Action shotgun, Tube Fed, Exposed Hammer
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “MODEL 97-WINCHESTER-12 GA. / -TRADE MARK-” and “2 3/4 CHAM. / CYL”. The right side of the barrel is marked “-MADE IN U.S.A. WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN.-” and with patent dates beneath. The top of the barrel is marked with a proof mark, as is the top of the frame which is off-set from the sighting groove. The bottom of the barrel extension is marked “903476”. The bottom of the receiver is marked “E / 903476”. The right-rear of the barrel is marked “0160”.
Barrel Length: 20 3/4” (uncut)
Choke: Cylinder Bore, Fixed
Sights / Optics: This shotgun is mounted with a silver colored bead at the muzzle and there is a sighting groove in the top-front of the frame.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece walnut with a flat-bottom grooved slide handle, flat-bottom semi-pistol grip, straight comb and checkered black hard rubber Winchester buttplate. The stocks have minor handling wear with a few light nicks and scraches, nearly all the buttstock behind the grip. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 3/4” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has light wear, mostly around the edges, with well defined checkering and lettering. The slide handle is a post-war style not original to the gun. The stocks rate in Fine overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is bright but in need for a more thorough cleaning. There is some light tool marking around the bead base where it was dressed to be flush with the bore. There is no erosion.
Overall Condition: This shotgun retains about 87% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. Most of the balance is in operational wear, primarily on the magazine tube and action bar. The left of the receiver has some surface erosion, the most notable patch at the top of the flat, and there is some discoloration around these patches of erosion. There are a few other spots of minor surface oxidation and some scattered minor marks. There is a small void in the finish on the top-right of the barrel over the forend and a couple of more notable nicks on the top-right of the barrel at the rear and the front edge of the barrel extension just behind it. There is some minor erosion under the finish on the magazine tube at the rear. There is some oxidation on the magazine tube threads and the corresponding threads of the receiver, but it does not interfere with takedown or assembly. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings range from clear to worn, but legible. Overall, this shotgun rates in about Very Good-plus condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions properly. We have not fired this shotgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: This is a CYL marked Winchester 1897 Riot gun, one of the most desirable of all the Winchester shotguns. Add a wartime manufacture date, and you quickly get a shotgun worthy of even advanced collections. This example has been refinished, so it looks great, having made it through 79 years better than most of us will! This is a nice Riot gun to add to a Winchester collection, but it could also still serve as a home defense gun or for use in Cowboy Action Shooting. Please see our photos and good luck!