Today on Weapon Trivia Wednesday, we bring you the legendary Winchester 1897 shotgun. Read up. Mad Duo
[Today’s post is made possible by JTF Awesome Team Member Grey Ghost Gear]
WTW: Winchester 1897 Shotgun
Mike the Mook
The Winchester Model 1897 was a pump action shotgun that came from the mind of firearms designer extraordinaire: John Moses Browning. It was the first shotgun to handle smokeless powder shells and was based on Browning’s earlier 1883 design. As a service weapon, the 1897 saw action in both World Wars and unofficially remained in US inventory as late as the Vietnam Conflict.
Unlike most modern pump-action shotguns, the Model 1897 features an external hammer and an open back receiver. The hammer sets in a half-cock notch as the shotguns only safety mechanism. As the action is cycled, the bolt travels rearward and through the rear of the action (more than one shooter has gone home with a black eye as a result). Another interesting feature is the lack of a disconnector, meaning that the shooter can hold down the trigger and continue to fire merely by working the pump.
Winchester manufactured these shotguns in 12 and 16 gauge, and in a variety of barrel lengths (20″ for the Riot Version, 26″ for the Brush version and 30″ for the Skeet, Competition and Pigeon Grades), grades of wood and finishes. Take-down versions were available for ease of transport and every riot version we have seen falls into this category too. Over one million Model 1897s were built between 1897 and 1957.
In World War 1, the Model 1897 was pressed into service as a “Trench Gun”. This version was similar to the Riot Version with a 20″ barrel and full length magazine tube, but sported a heat shield, bayonet lug and sling swivels. The Model 1897 was so effective in this role that Germany tried to have the weapon prohibited in combat. Apparently using mustard gas was okay with them, but shotguns were a no-no.
American dough boys were reportedly so good with the 97, they were able to shoot potato masher grenades out of the air like they were at a skeet tournament back home going for 500 straight!
Modern copies of the Model 1897 were manufactured by Norinco of China in both the Trench and Riot versions, but importation came to a halt in the late 1990s. With over one million of these scatter-guns out there, it is not hard to find an original for a decent price.
You may be scratching your head thinking, “Why would anyone want that when there are better modern guns out there?”
Chicks dig the historical factor!
Well, not really, but the guns are a hit with reenactors. The founders of the Single Action Shooting Society supposedly got their idea for holding Cowboy Action Shooting matches after a group of them had watched The Wild Bunch, were the Model 1897 is used with deadly efficiency throughout the film. As a result, they deemed it a “period piece”.
Despite ours being made in 1903, it tends to be our go-to shotgun when we need one. The 113 year old action is still slicker than snot on a doorknob, and any gun that made the Germans run their cryholes about barbarism during WWI is probably doing something right.
-Mike
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About the Author: Mike “the Mook” Searson is a veteran writer who began his career in firearms at the Camp Pendleton School for Destructive Boys at age 17. He has worked in the firearms industry his entire life, writing about guns and knives for numerous publications and consulting with the film industry on weapons while at the same time working as gunsmith and ballistician. Though seemingly a surly curmudgeon shy a few chromosomes at first meeting, Searson is actually far less of a dick and at least a little smarter than most of the Mad Duo’s minions. He is rightfully considered to be not just good company, but actually fit for polite company as well (though he has never forgotten his roots as a rifleman trained to kill people and break things, and if you look closely you’ll see his knuckles are still quite scabbed over from dragging the ground). You can learn more about him on his website or follow him on Twitter, @MikeSearson.
More about Grey Ghost Gear: This Pacific Northwest Powerhouse has been putting out badass gear from the word ‘Go’. Most companies would be more than satisfied with that–but no, no they didn’t stop there. They launched a lethal armament branch and named it Grey Ghost Precision. Some of the finest examples of both 5.56 and 7.62N AR’s can be found there, and they’re even bringing some new stuff into the mix (read more about our SHOT Shot adventures with them here). You can find Grey Ghost online here and on Facebook here. You can follow them on Instagram (@greyghostgear). And if you prefer Twitter, you can locate them here.
I have my great-grandfather’s 1897 with a 30″ barrel in 12 ga., and it still shoots and cycles like new. I grew up bustin’ ducks with this shotgun and wouldn’t get rid of it for anything.
I bought one not long ago at a gun show for $300 and sold it 4 hours later for $475. It was pretty cool but I wanted and got an old school SXS double barrel Ithica.