I bought my 12 gauge, model 1897 at an estate auction in 1988. Serial # 668273, is on both action and barrel. The barrel is marked CYL and came with a poly choke. I was considering getting into Cowboy action shooting at the time and had the poly choke removed and a front sight bead added by local gun smith. The barrel is now 19.75 inches long. I did not start Cowboy shooting and have only shot it less than 10 times. The gun is at least 75%.
My questions are. Did model 97’s come with poly chokes or was it added by owner later? What length barrels came with a cylinder choke? Did I make a major mistake in removing the poly choke?
In answer to yor question, No, Model 1897 shotguns were not factory equipped with a Poly Choke. Your Model 1897 was manufacture in October or the year 1917. The Poly Choke company did not exist until 1962.
The Model 1897 was offered with a 26-inch CYL bore barrel as standard on the Brush Gun variation, and with a 20-inch CYL bore barrel on the Riot Gun variation. All other variations could have been special ordered with a CYL bore barrel.
No, you did not make a mistake by removing the eyesore Poly Choke device.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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