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January 5, 2016
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Today, I went to a pawn shop where I have found nice guns before, and they had a 97 that was one of the last ones made. It’s #E1009381. Takedown model in about 85-90% condition. Very tight, with attic or closet dust still caked in the crevices. I got it for 400$ “out the door”. Doesn’t appear to have seen much use, as it’s as tight as new. Plastic butt-plate seems a little undersized, though. Not sure if that’s original. [Image Can Not Be Found]
January 5, 2016
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Still trying to get familiar with the pic upload process here, so please excuse any errors. 
November 7, 2015
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Nice! Sounds like my kind of pawn shop!
June 5, 2015
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Pictures need more light but I do see some rust in the seams that needs some oil and 0000 steelwool. Nice find.
Vince
Southern Oregon
NRA member
Fraternal Order of Eagles
“There is but one answer to be made to the dynamite bomb and that can best be made by the Winchester rifle.”
Teddy Roosevelt
January 5, 2016
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Thanks for the replies! I will “touch it up” today.
April 15, 2005
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Richard,
The serial number makes it a 1953 production gun. What is the barrel length and choke marking? What is the barrel date?
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
March 9, 2005
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Nice find! All in this area get snatched up by CAS shooters. Congrats
44
January 5, 2016
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Bert H. said
Richard,The serial number makes it a 1953 production gun. What is the barrel length and choke marking? What is the barrel date?
Bert
Thanks, Bert! It’s a 28″ modified, but as for the barrel date, I’m not sure how to tell.
January 5, 2016
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TXGunNut said
Nice! Sounds like my kind of pawn shop!
Thanks! I got a 401 Self-Loader there about a year ago.
January 5, 2016
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Vince said
Pictures need more light but I do see some rust in the seams that needs some oil and 0000 steelwool. Nice find.
I used some oil-saturated 0000 on it, and it looks much better, but I don’t want to over-clean it.
January 5, 2016
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XLIV said
Nice find! All in this area get snatched up by CAS shooters. Congrats
44
Thanks! The shop also has a Trench 97 with bayonette and all the original stuff on pawn, but I haven’t seen it. He says it will be around 2500.00 if the guy doesn’t pick it up. That sounds pretty high to me, though.
January 5, 2016
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How many of y’all hunt with these old Winchesters? I think it would be fun to deer hunt with it, sitting in a tree stand.
April 15, 2005
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Richard Whitmore said
Thanks, Bert! It’s a 28″ modified, but as for the barrel date, I’m not sure how to tell.
You need an LED flashlight, and possibly a small inspection mirror to see it. The barrel date is stamped on the bottom of the barrel approximately 2-inches from the receiver frame. I can usually see it by holding the gun belly up and then tilting it away from me about 15-degrees from vertical.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
January 5, 2016
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Bert H. said
You need an LED flashlight, and possibly a small inspection mirror to see it. The barrel date is stamped on the bottom of the barrel approximately 2-inches from the receiver frame. I can usually see it by holding the gun belly up and then tilting it away from me about 15-degrees from vertical.
Bert
Thanks, Bert! It says “52”.
April 15, 2005
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Richard Whitmore said
Thanks, Bert! It says “52”.
You are welcome, and thank you for looking for it. All Model 97 shotguns manufactured from the mid 1920s through 1955 should have a barrel date on them. It is one of the many pieces of information I try to capture in my research survey. If you have any other Model 97s from that time period, I would like to add them to the survey.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 7, 2015
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Richard Whitmore said
How many of y’all hunt with these old Winchesters? I think it would be fun to deer hunt with it, sitting in a tree stand.
I’ll be hunting with a couple of 100+ year old Winchester rifles this year. Safe bet they’ve spent more time in the field than I have.
I’d like to take an old Winchester 1897 like yours to the club someday and shoot a round or two of trap just for grins.
January 5, 2016
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TXGunNut said
I’ll be hunting with a couple of 100+ year old Winchester rifles this year. Safe bet they’ve spent more time in the field than I have.
I’d like to take an old Winchester 1897 like yours to the club someday and shoot a round or two of trap just for grins.
That should be fun!
January 5, 2016
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Bert H. said
You are welcome, and thank you for looking for it. All Model 97 shotguns manufactured from the mid 1920s through 1955 should have a barrel date on them. It is one of the many pieces of information I try to capture in my research survey. If you have any other Model 97s from that time period, I would like to add them to the survey.
Bert
Thanks! I do have one more ’97 that I put on consignment at a local small gun shop. I got that one at an auction sale a couple years ago. Somebody had parkerized the entire gun, and I’m assuming it was an attempt to cover-up rust and pitting. It shoots, and the wood is good, but it’s rough. I didn’t pay but 100.00 for it at the sale. Hasn’t sold, so I’m going to go get it back, maybe tomorrow……..Rick
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