Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
I had planned to shoot some SC yesterday at the range, but all the golf carts were tied up, so I headed for the wobble range.
There, I started shooting a round with a few others, then another. On the second round, I noted the man next to me had an antique Model 97.
No blue left, worn look overall. Some discoloration on the receiver. He was proud of his old family gun. It had been his Grandad's.
You know me and old shotguns. When we changed stations I asked him if I could try a couple shots. He agreed, and I told the trapper I'd want a following pair after the round was complete.
Some backstory. Last time I recall shooting a 97 much was in Southeast Asia, in 1970. A well worn 97 was part of our crew equipment and was a real comfort on guard duty at night.
I took this one, loaded two of my light 7/8 oz reloads and mounted a couple of times getting used to the generous stock drop. I also made sure I gripped low on the wrist to avoid getting cut by those sharp edges on the bolt.
I called "Pull", chipped the first one and smashed the second.
More backstory. Cataract surgery left me with 20/20 vision at distance, but close up I need corrective lenses. I had left my readers in the truck.
As I handed the old shotgun back to its owner I finally got focused in enough to see that what had appeared to be discolorations on the barrel were swirls and twists in a regular pattern.
That's right, Damascus.......
For those coming in late, in the 19th century barrels were made by heating strips of iron and steel red hot, then banging them with hammers to weld them. After folding and banging several times, the strips were wound around cold steel mandrels and hammered some more, then filed and ground into shape. The barrels were often good when new, but a century can see lots of little voids in those welds and even when new some did not stand up to the higher pressures of smpkeless powder.
The technique was quite ancient. Roman Gladiuses were made thus.
So, I explained to the somewhat puzzled owner as we left the line that he had a gun most folks regarded as dangerous. I advised him to send the 97 to either Simmons or Nu Line for an evaluation, deep cleaning and some PM. From the shuck it could be determined that old lube had hardened and needed removal and replacement. Either company could also measure the chamber and tell if modern shells were OK.
They could also tell if this was a 97 or the older 93, which should NOT be used with modern ammo, period.
But, when I held that old shotgun and shot, for a fleeting moment I was once again young. That was worth a bit of risk.
The moral, of course, is to know what everyone is shooting. Safety is everyone's job.
Questions, comments, donations of old 97s?.....
There, I started shooting a round with a few others, then another. On the second round, I noted the man next to me had an antique Model 97.
No blue left, worn look overall. Some discoloration on the receiver. He was proud of his old family gun. It had been his Grandad's.
You know me and old shotguns. When we changed stations I asked him if I could try a couple shots. He agreed, and I told the trapper I'd want a following pair after the round was complete.
Some backstory. Last time I recall shooting a 97 much was in Southeast Asia, in 1970. A well worn 97 was part of our crew equipment and was a real comfort on guard duty at night.
I took this one, loaded two of my light 7/8 oz reloads and mounted a couple of times getting used to the generous stock drop. I also made sure I gripped low on the wrist to avoid getting cut by those sharp edges on the bolt.
I called "Pull", chipped the first one and smashed the second.
More backstory. Cataract surgery left me with 20/20 vision at distance, but close up I need corrective lenses. I had left my readers in the truck.
As I handed the old shotgun back to its owner I finally got focused in enough to see that what had appeared to be discolorations on the barrel were swirls and twists in a regular pattern.
That's right, Damascus.......
For those coming in late, in the 19th century barrels were made by heating strips of iron and steel red hot, then banging them with hammers to weld them. After folding and banging several times, the strips were wound around cold steel mandrels and hammered some more, then filed and ground into shape. The barrels were often good when new, but a century can see lots of little voids in those welds and even when new some did not stand up to the higher pressures of smpkeless powder.
The technique was quite ancient. Roman Gladiuses were made thus.
So, I explained to the somewhat puzzled owner as we left the line that he had a gun most folks regarded as dangerous. I advised him to send the 97 to either Simmons or Nu Line for an evaluation, deep cleaning and some PM. From the shuck it could be determined that old lube had hardened and needed removal and replacement. Either company could also measure the chamber and tell if modern shells were OK.
They could also tell if this was a 97 or the older 93, which should NOT be used with modern ammo, period.
But, when I held that old shotgun and shot, for a fleeting moment I was once again young. That was worth a bit of risk.
The moral, of course, is to know what everyone is shooting. Safety is everyone's job.
Questions, comments, donations of old 97s?.....
