Downforce Posted May 25, 2021 Report Share Posted May 25, 2021 Looking for a classic old skool Winchester 1897 in good fully working condition (or at a really good price that reflects condition) Please PM me if you have your own gun for sale or if you know of one thats for sale Dont mind if its in civvie or military spec as long as its got a min 24" Prefer original rather than tarted up with lots of bells and whistles Also any owners or experts that are not looking to sell if you would like to PM me with any advice on buying that would be really appreciated, specifically interested in dating and serial numbers and hot to look for a known issues etc. when buying. Prefer Sect 2 but will consider a gun that just needs magazine restriction to convert S1 to S2 Happy to wait a while for the right gun but ready to buy if available D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddler Posted May 25, 2021 Report Share Posted May 25, 2021 None of the military spec. would be UK legal, aside from the version used to train aircrews in gunnery practice. Never seen any '97 that had been tarted up - as not really a lot you can do to one - next to no aftermarket accessories out there for the '97; the only thing I got for mine was the modified follower & spring which allows an extra cartridge in the magazine Very nice guns - had mine since the mid-90's - and mine is dated to 1898; the 30" take-down model. I also have a couple of different US Army manuals for it, plus WW1 period correct ammo bags, etc. Been working on feeding it reloads made with the brass CBC cases. Good fun guns....I also have a Win 12 to go with it & an Ithaca 37. All good Browning designs...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downforce Posted May 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2021 1 hour ago, saddler said: None of the military spec. would be UK legal, aside from the version used to train aircrews in gunnery practice. Never seen any '97 that had been tarted up - as not really a lot you can do to one - next to no aftermarket accessories out there for the '97; the only thing I got for mine was the modified follower & spring which allows an extra cartridge in the magazine Very nice guns - had mine since the mid-90's - and mine is dated to 1898; the 30" take-down model. I also have a couple of different US Army manuals for it, plus WW1 period correct ammo bags, etc. Been working on feeding it reloads made with the brass CBC cases. Good fun guns....I also have a Win 12 to go with it & an Ithaca 37. All good Browning designs...! Saddler - Thanks for the feedback I saw a few advertised in US that were what you might call "Frankenstein" guns that had been assmbled to look like a trench gun - but what i was getting at was that I'm looking for an original rather than "built up" gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted May 25, 2021 Report Share Posted May 25, 2021 (edited) Hello. Way back when before Thatcher's 1988 ban on self-loading rifles, pump action rifles and self-loading and pump action shotguns with under twenty-four inch barrels I had, on s1, a twenty-inch barrel ex Royal Irish Constabulary Winchester 1897. Not a Trench Gun but a twenty inch barrel otherwise standard non-takedown gun. What must be kept well in mind is that spares for these are virtually non-existent and you are buying a gun that is now a century plus old. And parts do wear. Yes they all have the "fun feature" of firing on lock up so that party trick of holding the trigger down and working the pump does indeed fire off the full contents of the magazine tube. The Model 1912 also does the same. And again spares for those are also virtually non existent. My own advice is a pessimistic single word...avoid. Edited May 25, 2021 by enfieldspares Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downforce Posted May 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2021 3 hours ago, enfieldspares said: Hello. Way back when before Thatcher's 1988 ban on self-loading rifles, pump action rifles and self-loading and pump action shotguns with under twenty-four inch barrels I had, on s1, a twenty-inch barrel ex Royal Irish Constabulary Winchester 1897. Not a Trench Gun but a twenty inch barrel otherwise standard non-takedown gun. What must be kept well in mind is that spares for these are virtually non-existent and you are buying a gun that is now a century plus old. And parts do wear. Yes they all have the "fun feature" of firing on lock up so that party trick of holding the trigger down and working the pump does indeed fire off the full contents of the magazine tube. The Model 1912 also does the same. And again spares for those are also virtually non existent. My own advice is a pessimistic single word...avoid. Hmmm ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted May 25, 2021 Report Share Posted May 25, 2021 (edited) The Ithaca 37 also slam fires. And bottom ejects. Edited May 25, 2021 by enfieldspares Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddler Posted May 25, 2021 Report Share Posted May 25, 2021 5 hours ago, Downforce said: Saddler - Thanks for the feedback I saw a few advertised in US that were what you might call "Frankenstein" guns that had been assmbled to look like a trench gun - but what i was getting at was that I'm looking for an original rather than "built up" gun. Possibly not originals = Norinco in China made a few Win 1897 copies a while back - both a 30" and a 20" Saw some of the latter in the UK, with extra tubing added to the barrel to comply with the UK min. barrel length rule One of my older reference books does show some contemporary pre-war modifications to the '97 guns, carried out by the gangster gunsmiths who supplied the criminal gangs in the US in the 20's & 30's....the main tweak seemed to be adding extra length to the magazine tube. Yes. These guns were last made in the late 50's, but they were made in HUGE numbers. Parts are out there....and they ARE being used in good numbers for cowboy action events in the US & elsewhere - so a new group of specialist fixers/restorers are now to be found online I could likely name a few guns made in the last 30 years that have a poor parts availability issue too If you want one, they are out there and they are good fun. One thing to check, they were not all made for the 2 3/4" cartridge, so check the actual chamber length - even the proof marks may be wrong here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downforce Posted May 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2021 Anyone looking to sell an 1897 ? Still looking. D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy91 Posted June 12, 2021 Report Share Posted June 12, 2021 @Downforcethere's one for sale on gunstar at the moment, not cheap though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddler Posted June 12, 2021 Report Share Posted June 12, 2021 8 hours ago, Farmboy91 said: @Downforcethere's one for sale on gunstar at the moment, not cheap though... I'd let mine go at that price 🤪 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy91 Posted June 12, 2021 Report Share Posted June 12, 2021 1 hour ago, saddler said: I'd let mine go at that price 🤪 It's definitely up there in price, there was a couple last year sub £1000. Don't think I'd part with it if I got one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddler Posted June 12, 2021 Report Share Posted June 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Farmboy91 said: It's definitely up there in price, there was a couple last year sub £1000. Don't think I'd part with it if I got one. I've seen them hover around the £1000-£1250 ball park before, rarely see then below £900, and I think that one was a long time back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downforce Posted June 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2021 On 12/06/2021 at 20:51, saddler said: I'd let mine go at that price 🤪 I've looked at the ones advertised and spoken to the sellers - Long Story Short so far we agreed on that to travel a long distance with such a premium cost might result in frustration - also the other one has got some pitting in the metal (I know they are a hundred years old but the price needs to reflect the condition). D I really dont mind waiting for the right gun/price and I accept it might be into four figures for the right gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downforce Posted June 24, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2021 Still looking for an 1897 - as per previous post I really dont mind waiting for the right gun/price and I accept it might be into four figures for the right gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d3ets Posted January 28, 2022 Report Share Posted January 28, 2022 What would be the going rate on a 1918, 24" in mechanically sound and non rusted but worn external condition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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