Anyone ever see a Winchester Model 97 without a serial #? A local auction had a listing where the gun was advertised as without a serial # and had excellent pictures. It was old but clearly marked Winchester 97 with the very small forearm. The oldest I had ever owned was a solid frame "C" model 97 but even it had a serial #. Left me puzzled as there was no serial number on this shotgun? Winchester experts chime in please!
Winchester 97 Serial # ?
- Thread starter Bill B.
- Start date
entropy
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AFAIK, all Winchester shotguns had serial numbers, even the Model 37, their basic single shot. Could be either a prototype, or someone scrubbed the S/N, intentionally or not. (it's not impossible to do, polishing prep for bluing etc......
i looked at this old 97 personally and it did not have any serial number where it was found on all I have owned on bottom next to frame and mag tube. Finish appeared to be brown patina with no signs of a refinish. I think I have owned about 10 Model 97's in my life and never seen the missing serial # before. Totally agree it should have had a serial # and I never thought it collectable because it did not. The best Winchester 97 I ever owned was in the million serial range and had a forearm much like on a Model 12 Winchester from the 1950's. Thanks for the reply's!
I had a Winchester Model 37 16 gauge that myself and the Provost Marshal could not find a serial number anywhere on it. And we pretty much disassembled the gun looking. I had to stamp a number on it myself in order to register it on base. I inherited the shotgun from my grampa. I have no idea how long he had it though.
entropy
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The one I bought from the shop I work at, back when I was working there in 2007, had one, and all the ones I've worked on over the years did, but like Bill B.'s 97, it's entirely possible.
MacAR
Member
All Model 97's left the factory with serial numbers on the frame and barrel extension. The likelihood of it being worn off is pretty high; that it was filed/ground off is higher. My gut says that someone removed the numbers, whether accidentally or on purpose we can't know. There is a possibility that the gun was put together by a factory worker out of parts that he nicked out of bins and therefore there was no number assigned to it, but I find that to be the least likely of all of them.
I've looked at a whole bunch of model 37 single shots and not a single one of them ever had a serial number on it that I could find. That's why its so hard to date them. My grandad's 16 gauge has no numbers on it, and neither did the 20 gauge or the 410 I owned. However.... Winchester 37A and 370 shotguns all have serial numbers. Could that be what you're thinking of?
Mac
entropy
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Come to think of it, mine was a 37 A. The last one I worked was a Cooey- made one, so that would explain that. Hey, I learned something today! 
MacAR
Member
Yep, those and the Cooey's should all have serial numbers. The 37A/370 family of guns were not exactly common in my area, and those that were here had the reputation of being hard kicking.Come to think of it, mine was a 37 A. The last one I worked was a Cooey- made one, so that would explain that. Hey, I learned something today!
Interestingly enough, Cooey's model 64 automatic 22 was made under the Winchester name as well, then when the company folded in 1979, the machines and employees went to Lakeside Arms, which was acquired by Savage in 1995. So the current Savage model 64 is the same gun, though the earlier pre-Savage guns were known to be of better quality.
This has absolutely nothing to do with the OP, so my apologies for the thread derail!
Mac
