Quoheleth
Member
My family has an old Winchester 1897 12 gauge - wondering if anyone is able to help me get some information on it.
The receiver is labeled on the bottom of the gun, between the loading area and magazine, with the capitol letter E and below it 456XXX. On the magazine is the number 455XXX.
On the top of the barrel there are a series of patents, the last of which reads "Dec 25 06" (not 1906). On the barrel, just fore of the receiver is a Capitol P on top of a W (if you know what the Christian Chi-Ro is, it looks like that except a W instead of X) surounded by a circle.
It's a full-length barrel, not trench length, with a regular brass bead front sight. The gun has been used a lot, most recently when I was in high school in the late 80s/early 90s when I used it for turkey.
I'm curious about ballpark DOB, why the different SNs, and if the gun is (theoretically) safe to fire. I'm at least the 3rd generation in my family to have it and use it.
Thanks in advance,
Q
The receiver is labeled on the bottom of the gun, between the loading area and magazine, with the capitol letter E and below it 456XXX. On the magazine is the number 455XXX.
On the top of the barrel there are a series of patents, the last of which reads "Dec 25 06" (not 1906). On the barrel, just fore of the receiver is a Capitol P on top of a W (if you know what the Christian Chi-Ro is, it looks like that except a W instead of X) surounded by a circle.
It's a full-length barrel, not trench length, with a regular brass bead front sight. The gun has been used a lot, most recently when I was in high school in the late 80s/early 90s when I used it for turkey.
I'm curious about ballpark DOB, why the different SNs, and if the gun is (theoretically) safe to fire. I'm at least the 3rd generation in my family to have it and use it.
Thanks in advance,
Q