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Picked this up recently and thought I’d share as it seems rare.
1897 Win. 26″ Full choke. Bead is .50 from the muzzle. Bore measures .685 at muzzle.
Ser # 110937 1900 manufacture date. She’s a bit rough. The bore has some pitting. There’s no bluing left on the gun. Crack in the forend and stock, but nothing that can’t be fixed. It looks as though it hasn’t been cleaned since 1900. Internals are caked with what looks like carbon. Having a devil of a time getting this crud off.
Funny, the gun operated fine when I pulled it out of the box. Racked the action the next day and would only open half way. Tore it down and found a broken firing pin lock spring. Which I mentioned in another thread.
Steve,
It is a bit odd in that it has a Full choke 26-inch barrel. Most of the shorter barreled Model 1897s had a CYL or a MOD choke constriction.
Bert
WACA 6571L, Historian & Board of Director Member
Bert,
I assume it was special ordered from the factory 26″ full. The patina of the barrel matches the rest of the metal.
It is a odd combination. Especially circa 1900 when everything was 28 or 30″
Do you suppose it adds any value? Maybe to the right person I’d guess. It has to be one of a kind.
Got the few small cracks repaired and had a nos Pachmyr pad laying around so I fit it yesterday. The pad that was on it was petrified solid as rock.
Steve,
Because the stock was cut (shortened) to install an aftermarket recoil pad, the gun will not have much interest to a collector. Further, the overall condition of the gun does not help it any. I can only speak for myself (and I collect the Model 1897s), I would not be interested in it at any price.
As for it being a one of a kind, it most definitely is not. Winchester manufactured many thousands of Model 1897 shotguns with a 26″ barrel. The Brush Gun variation (introduced in 1897) was standard with a 26″ CYL bore barrel and it was offered with a MOD or FULL choke at no extra cost.
Bert
WACA 6571L, Historian & Board of Director Member
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