Beat-up M97 family shotgun

[Zeke Menuar]

Just recieved one of the family shotguns. You know, the kind that gets bounced around from family member to family member. This one is a very well used Winchester Model 1897 take-down model with full choke. This particular example has been around the block. There is about 60% bluing left, and the wood is only fair. There is the remains of a red recoil pad. I cannot tell if the buttstock was altered to make the pad fit. The SN is 343XXX D indicating a 1906 or 1907 date of manufacture(thanks to http://www.marauder13.homestead.com/index.html). The action works so-so. There is a bind at the beginning of the stroke. In order to work the action the forearm must be jiggled ever so slightly or the action won't work. Need to find out why the bind is happening and see if I can fix it. I don't think there is any other major issues. I plan to go over it with steel wool and flitz to remove the surface rust( there is a little, not too bad) and get it shooting again. According to my Grandfather this gun belonged to my Great-Grandfather. Plan to research the ownership of this gun a bit more also.
If there are are any 1897 Winchester experts that can weigh in on the cycling problem I would appreciate the help. This project is part of my crusade to get fine old guns out of the gun cabinet and out in the field. This gun sat in the cabinet for at least 30 years that I know of.

Thanks
ZM

 

[Dave McCracken]

Zeke, good luck with that one. Can't help you with the glitch, but suggest you find a CAS BB and ask there. Most of the 97s being used today are used in CAS, and there's smiths out there used to working on these.

And, kudoes for resurrecting old family guns.

 

[kudu]

Be sure to check the chambers to make sure they are 2 3/4". The old ones might have had shorter shell designations. Good old gun, I call mine the "ol'e boat anchor".

 

[Traveler]

The M 97 action is not a simple one to fix. The timing is extremely complex by todays standards. IMHO if you are not a good gunsmith than you will need to find one.

Part of the problem is excessive wear and lack of maintenance. The need to jiggle the forearm indicates a lot of wear, as it should be held fairly straight in position. My guess is that the lug on the arm and/or the mateing are on the bolt are peened or worn. It can be fixed, but sometimes requires welding.

My suggestion is that you have the gun repaired to shooting condition, and then restore the finish on both the wood and metal. It will never be a collector's piece, but your family can enjoy the restored gun as much as the man who bought it new would. And, while the restoration will make it easier to use and maintain, it will also help to insure the gun is treated with greater care in the future.

 

[auschip]

Check Coyote Cap http://www.coyotecap.com/ I have heard tons of good stuff about him.

 

[TaxPhd]

It isn't a glitch. The foreend must be pressed forward prior to unlocking. Do not attempt to remove it. Any "gunsmith" who would remove it does not understand the '97.

You will never notice it when shooting. Never.

 

[Zeke Menuar]

I agree that is isn't a glitch. I took some brake cleaner and air-in-a-can, cleaned out the reciever real good, then applied some teflon lube (a real small amount) in most of the channels and slots in the reciever and low and behold things are working pretty good. The bore is actually in very good shape, very shiny in most places.
I now have to fit a buttplate and/or a recoil pad to it. I think that the buttstock was cut to fit the present pad(or what is left of it) and then was fitted for someone small of stature. This fits with the history of the gun. My Great-Grandfather was only 5'2" or so and this shotgun is supposed to be his. The date of manufacture is about the same timeframe that My Great-Grandfather would have been in his late teens. One of my Great-Uncles is 90 years old and he might be able to help me trace the history of this shotgun. According to my Grandfather this M97 was used almost every day to put food on the table while they went from logging camp to logging camp.
There will be a trip to a gunsmith to have it checked out then out to the range. In the meantime I am watching TV and doing the steel wool thing to get the real offensive surface rust off.

ZM

 

[mete]

One of the problems with old guns like the M97 is one of safety. Parts can wear in the trigger/sear/hammer area. Cock the gun ,put the safety on, the strike the gun butt against the floor. If the hammer drops the gun is not safe and the parts have to be replaced. Though you may want to use a family relic there comes a time when a gun that is well used and 100 years old should be retired.