Winchester Model 1897 97 M97 Trench Takedown 12 GA Pump Shotgun, C&R
SOLD FOR: $3,355.00
WOA#: WY240409WOA010
Make: Winchester
Model: 1897
Serial Number: 922110
Year of Manufacture: Ca. 1940-1943
Caliber: 12 Gauge, 2 3/4? Shells
Action Type: Pump Action Takedown Shotgun With Tubular Magazine
Markings: The left of the barrel is marked “MODEL 97 -WINCHESTER- 12 GA. / -TRADE MARK-” and “2 3/4 CHAM. / CYL”. The top of the barrel at the rear and the top of the receiver to the left of the sighting groove are each marked with an ovalled “WP” proof, there is a flaming bomb in front of the barrel’s proof. The bottom of the receiver and barrel extension are each marked with the serial number. The right side of the barrel is marked “-MADE IN U.S.A. WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HEAVEN, CONN.- / PAT. NOV. 25. 90 DEC. 6. 92. JULY. 21. 96. FEB. 22. 98. JUNE. 14. 98. OCT. 16. 1900. DEC. 25. 06. JULY. 5. 10”. The left receiver flat is marked “U.S.”.
Barrel Length: Nominal 20″, measures 20 7/8″.
Choke: Cylinder Bore, Fixed
Sights / Optics: There is a silver-colored bead at the front of the installed bayonet lug/heat shield assembly and the top-front of the receiver has a groove which serves as a sighting plane. The barrel has no provision for mounting a bead directly.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece wood with grooved slide handle, semi-pistol grip, straight comb, and checkered steel buttplate. The buttstock appears to be a replacement, there is an inlet sling plate in the belly and a sling swivel mounted to the bayonet lug assembly. The slide handle has some scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches with a small loss at the right-rear edge. The buttstock has some light nicks and scratches. There are no chips. The LOP measures 13 3/4? from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has some light wear and infrequent faint surface oxidation with well defined checkering. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition as, at least partially, not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 10 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This shotgun retains about 80% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is some scattered light oxidation and minor erosion, most notable on the barrel and heat-shield over the forend. There are tool marks on the magazine tube at the holes for the takedown cross-pin (not present on Trench models). There is polishing at the right-rear of the receiver. There is some finish wear on the trigger guard and some other scattered more minor wear. There are scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows light operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to disfigured with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this shotgun is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The trigger is crisp. This shotgun will slam-fire as designed. 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 the installed heat shield/bayonet lug assembly.
Our Assessment: The Winchester 1897 was designed by the famed John M. Browning and quickly became one of the most popular shotguns in the world, serving the United states military in both World Wars and popular with law enforcement agencies across the country. It should come as no surprise then, that it was also popular on the civilian market with many field guns produced. This example is a takedown model which is in the Trench Gun configuration.
The U.S. Government also took an interest in the innovative firearm. During WWI a militarized variant of the Model 1897 was accepted for service, known as the “Trench grade” variant, it had an attachment fixed to the barrel which features a bayonet lug and heatshield. There was also a “riot grade” version of the Winchester m/1912 and m/1897 shotguns which lacked the bayonet lug and heat shield attachment, that was adopted for use in WWI. The m/1897 trench guns were put to deadly use during WWI, their effectiveness prompted the German High Command to protest the use of shotguns in combat, the Germans claimed it was a violation of the 1907 Hague Convention on Land Warfare. The protest was likely prompted by the weapons effectiveness, rather than any actual moral scruples and was disregarded by the U.S. Government (this was the same German High Command who used poison gas in battle after all). Both the “riot” and “trench” grade shotguns continued to see use during the Interwar period and when WWII broke out the U.S. Government once again called upon Winchester to mass produce both riot and trench variations of not just the m/1897 but also the m/1912 for military service. They were used extensively in the Pacific Theater against the Japanese where hand to hand combat was all too common and to a lesser extent in Europe. Although its age was starting to show after WWII, the Models 1912 and 1897 would continue to see combat in both Korea and Vietnam. Both shotguns were expertly made and served the needs of American servicemen for nearly half a century.
This particular specimen has proper Ordnance marks on the receiver and barrel and is in the correct configuration for an early WWII trench gun, though the buttstock has been replaced. The Model 1897 “Trench” variant is a very desirable collector piece, so this example would be a nice addition to a Winchester or WWII collection. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
