Hello Garandy,

I only needed to look at the first picture… No, it is definitely not a WW I Model 1897 Riot Gun.  Specifically, all of the WW I production Model 1897 Riot and Trench Guns were Solid frame only… no Take Downs.  The US ordnance marking and flaming bomb stamped on the receiver frame just forward of the ejection port are positively faked stamps.  Finally, the barrel assembly is a Post-1928 production piece part.  While it is not shown in the picture you posted, the barrel has a Type 8 roll marking with “MODEL 97” just like the attached picture.  If you inspect the bottom of the barrel, you will find a 2-digit year number stamped on it that will tell you when the barrel was manufactured.

It is readily apparent that somebody intentionally put that gun together and stamped fake ordnance markings on it to defraud a potential buyer.

Bert

Garandy said
Rock island sold one just like it 1 serial number away.

the hand stamped ordnance marks could have been added if in the blanket procurement in WW2, the barrel was replaced? I had a trenchgun E924846 takedown converted from commercial at the beginning of WW2

it was take down and Eric Archer and myself went over it he believed anything was being pressed into service as I had a single shot Model 37 Winchester shotgun fir aerial training 

  

You can theorize all you want to or believe what you want… but the simple fact is the gun you posted pictures of is a piece together “Frankenchester” that is a fakely marked gun.  

As I previously stated, there were NO U.S. Government contract Take Down Riot or Trench Guns procured for WW I.  The serial number on the gun puts the date of manufacture in October 1917.  The barrel is a late 1920s to early 1930s production part (based on the specific style of the factory roll marking).