Winchester 1897 12 ga shotgun

cwo4comm

December 05, 2009 19:23

Winchester 1897, 12 ga Shotgun
Need info concerning year the damascus barrel was replaced with steel. Understand that the early 1897 were made with a damascus barrel. The reason need info is I have a first year gun but the barrel was replaced in 1905-1906. Was this the year????
Any info?????
regards
bob









dam

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  Bert H.

  December 05, 2009 20:05

  Hello Bob,
  
  The Model 1897 was from the very first day of production made with a rolled steel (fluid steel) barrel, and chambered for a 2-3/4" shell. Damascus barrels (both 3-blade and 4-blade) were special order items only, and they were rarely ever ordered. Winchester discontinued them in late 1913.
  
  If the barrel is a 1905-1906 vintage, it would be indistinguishable from a barrel made in 1897, as the markings were identical.
  
  As for your gun being a "first year", please be advised that the serial number versus DOM lists that were published by Madis (and copied by everyone else) are notoriously inaccurate. During my last research trip to the Cody Firearms Musuem, I obtained the year ending serial number for each year of production from the Polishing Room Serialization Records for the Models 1893 and 1897 (the Model 1897 was a continuation of the Model 1893, and it shared the same serial number sequence). I can confirm exactly what year your gun was made with the serial number. Additionally, being that it apparently is an early production gun, you can also obtain a factory letter for it from the Cody Firearms Museum (use the web link that follows my signature line).

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