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A few years ago I traded a friend of mine my Springfield M1A for a Model 1897 that was his father’s passed down to my friend. It is an “E” Series with s/n 927310. My friend also provided me was a sales receipt dated from 1976 when the Adjutant General of the State of Ohio sold it as “Excess Military Equipment.” It was supposedly on loan to the Ohio State Prison System. The barrel is 20″ long and is a cylinder bore. As you can see it is in beautiful condition!
April 15, 2005
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Per the Winchester factory records, your Model 97 Riot Gun was serialized in November of 1941, and was most likely fully assembled in December or January. The Model 1897 is a rugged and dependable gun, and one of my favorite Winchesters to collect.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
September 5, 2021
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Love the actual riot guns.
Mine’s an E series 461791 I think from 1911. Full length in 16 ga.
Corey
Winchester 1892 (1898)
Winchester 1894 (1956)
Winchester 1897 (1909)
Winchester 1911 (1911)
Browning A5 Sweet Sixteen (1959)
Browning Superposed (1962)
Browning Hi Power (1949 - 1954)
Browning 1910 (1910)
April 15, 2005
Online
Corey Freeman said
Love the actual riot guns.Mine’s an E series 461791 I think from 1911. Full length in 16 ga.
Your Model 1897 16-ga was manufactured in July 1909.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I also have a E Series Winchester shotgun E 702356 I took it to a weapon shop they said it was in good conditioned and it was probably only used to kill rabbits no real history behind it according to them he told me he would buy it for 150$
I have an E 698601, how can I figure out when it was made?
April 15, 2005
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Chet said
I have an E 698601, how can I figure out when it was made?
October 1918.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I just acquired a Winchester 1897 that was my grandfather’s it has a E above the serial number 462894 what year is it
April 15, 2005
Online
Chris Comer said
I just acquired a Winchester 1897 that was my grandfather’s it has a E above the serial number 462894 what year is it
August 1909.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I have a model 97 Winchester with the serial number of 568878 “E” what year is it?
April 15, 2005
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NickL said
I have a model 97 Winchester with the serial number of 568878 “E” what year is it?
October 1912.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Hi i just bought a Winchester Model 1897. and have no clue if it was a good find. I am wanting to refurbish the wood and re-Blue the metal. But i don’t know if it will ruin it’s value. The Serial number is “E” 448049.
April 15, 2005
Online
Justin Lamp said
Hi i just bought a Winchester Model 1897. and have no clue if it was a good find. I am wanting to refurbish the wood and re-Blue the metal. But i don’t know if it will ruin it’s value. The Serial number is “E” 448049.
Justin,
Yes, refinishing the wood and rebluing the steel will ruin any collector value that it may have.
Serial number 448049 is an early “E” series gun, manufactured in March 1909.
You did not mention which gauge that it is (12 or 16), the barrel length, the choke marking, or the specific variation (e.g. Field grade, Riot Gun, Brush Gun, etc.)
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
Justin Lamp said
Hi i just bought a Winchester Model 1897. and have no clue if it was a good find. I am wanting to refurbish the wood and re-Blue the metal. But i don’t know if it will ruin it’s value. The Serial number is “E” 448049.
Justin,
Yes, refinishing the wood and rebluing the steel will ruin any collector value that it may have.
Serial number 448049 is an early “E” series gun, manufactured in March 1909.
You did not mention which gauge that it is (12 or 16), the barrel length, the choke marking, or the specific variation (e.g. Field grade, Riot Gun, Brush Gun, etc.)
Bert
Oh sorry it’s a full length 30″ barrel, And is 12 Gauge.
I am not sure about the specific variant or the choke.
April 15, 2005
Online
Justin Lamp said
Bert H. said
Justin Lamp said
Hi i just bought a Winchester Model 1897. and have no clue if it was a good find. I am wanting to refurbish the wood and re-Blue the metal. But i don’t know if it will ruin it’s value. The Serial number is “E” 448049.
Justin,
Yes, refinishing the wood and rebluing the steel will ruin any collector value that it may have.
Serial number 448049 is an early “E” series gun, manufactured in March 1909.
You did not mention which gauge that it is (12 or 16), the barrel length, the choke marking, or the specific variation (e.g. Field grade, Riot Gun, Brush Gun, etc.)
Bert
Oh sorry it’s a full length 30″ barrel, And is 12 Gauge.
I am not sure about the specific variant or the choke.
The 30-inch barrel points towards it being a standard (Field) grade gun, and it most likely has a FULL choke marked barrel.
The attached picture shows a standard (Field) grade Model 1897 E-series gun with a 30-inch barrel. The second picture shows factory barrel marking and the choke marking is circled in red.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Hello. I inherited my Grandfather’s 1897 Winchester. I know he was military police in WW2. Serial # is 588246 E series. The stock has 4 notches in the top of it. “Erie” He never talked about what he did over there or saw hardly at all. He would cry thinking about it. I did not see the notches until I recieved it after his death, so no chance of finding out now. Could it have been used in combat?
Thanks for any help,
Elliott
April 15, 2005
Online
Elliott said
Hello. I inherited my Grandfather’s 1897 Winchester. I know he was military police in WW2. Serial # is 588246 E series. The stock has 4 notches in the top of it. “Erie” He never talked about what he did over there or saw hardly at all. He would cry thinking about it. I did not see the notches until I recieved it after his death, so no chance of finding out now. Could it have been used in combat?Thanks for any help,
Elliott
Winchester Model 1897 serial number 588246 was manufactured in the year 1913. Accordingly, the gun is way too old for it to have been used for combat in WW II, or even WW I for that matter.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
December 9, 2002
Offline
Bert,
I understand the shotgun was made in 1913, and from an onlookers view point reading this story, I wonder if maybe, just maybe, his grandfather came home on leave, and decided to take his old trusty model 1897 back with him, smuggling in his duffel bag. Makes for a great, war romantic story, if you let you’re mind wander. We will probably never know. 
Anthony
April 15, 2005
Online
Anthony said
Bert,I understand the shotgun was made in 1913, and from an onlookers view point reading this story, I wonder if maybe, just maybe, his grandfather came home on leave, and decided to take his old trusty model 1897 back with him, smuggling in his duffel bag. Makes for a great, war romantic story, if you let you’re mind wander. We will probably never know.
Anthony
The U.S. military (Army) positively did not allow anyone to bring their personal firearms with them when deploying across the globe during WW II. As an MP, Elliott’s grandfather would have been issued a Model 97 Riot Gun (in the 920000 – 955000 serial range).
I suspect that the gun in question is a standard Filed grade gun with a 30-inch barrel.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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