OK, I have the 97s and some 12s. Where is lead shot shells available?
When you're shopping for ammo, don't buy anything marked steel, e.g. "Fasteel" (which is a Kent brand marketing device, other brands have similar variations.) You will
mostly only find steel in common duck hunting shot sizes, because lead is banned for duck hunting and steel has become the defacto replacement. Most of your upland game shot sizes (6 and higher) are still lead as well as all of your buckshot and slugs. (If it's not marked "steel," it probably isn't.)
If, for some reason, you wanted to legally hunt waterfowl with your 97, or any other vintage shotgun for that matter, you would need to find a "non steel, non-tox" ammo. It wil be very hard to find and very expensive (compared to steel). I've been very happy with Fiocchi Tundra, but ther eis also Bismuth (made by Kent) and Hevi-Shot's "Classic Doubles" (
not their Black Cloud or other varieties.) Graf & Sons has been my preferred provider, but I haven't bought any in a few years. It's so expensive that, for a season's worth of ammo, I can just go buy some POS modern shotgun and shoot steel. Pretty much makes guns like a 97 or Model 12 a safe queen.