1897

[TNT]

I picked up a Winchester 1897 a few weeks back and went to load it up for some grouse hunting but there must be a plug inside as I can only load two rounds into the magazine tube. I have the tube and barrel removed but how does one take out the inards of the magazine tube??:banghead:

It's probably something simple but I can't get it.

 

[TNT]

Ok, after looking everything over again I found the little release lever on the pin. It's a wood rod marked "M/01 - M797 - M/12 - 3 SHELL PLUG"

I'm guessing this must have been something that the previous owner installed??

 

[Sistema1927]

Most jurisdictions limit shotguns used for hunting to 3 rounds, one in the chamber and two in the magazine. You might not want to throw away that plug.

 

[TNT]

Around here about the only thing you need a plug for is duck hunting which I don't do and wouldn't do with this shotgun. I did shoot a couple of pigeons and a crow this past weekend to try it out...doesn't get any better than using the classics.

With the amount of gunk which included the plant parts that were around the magazine rings and tubes I don't think this 97 had been cleaned for many moons, except the action itself was pretty clean.

The shotgun is in pretty good condition considering it was made in 1918 and it's all original with matching numbers. Never been refinished and it has a 30" barrel with full choke.

 

[Father Knows Best]

The 1897 Winchester is one of my favorite guns. I've got a 1901 vintage takedown 12 gauge with a 32" full choke barrel. I had Tru-Choke tubes installed, and it's a great all-around gun now.

One comment -- these guns typically had very tight forcing cones, because they were made in an era before plastic shot cups/wads. The forcing cones were designed to keep tight patterns with the fiber wad columns then in use. If you're going to use it with modern shotshells, you might want to have the forcing cones lengthened. It will keep pressures down, and may save your gun. It may also improve your patterns with modern ammo, and some people report that lengthening the forcing cones also reduces felt recoil.