Make: Winchester Repeating Arms Co.

Model: 1897

Serial Number: 647454

Year of Manufacture: 1918

Caliber: 12 Gauge

Action Type: Pump Action Magazine Fed Shotgun

Barrel Length: The barrel has been cut to 18 1/2".

Choke: Cylinder Bore, Fixed

Sights / Optics: There is a brass bead at the front of the barrel. The top of the receiver has a shallow groove for a sighting plane.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece walnut with grooved slide handle, semi-pistol grip, straight comb and checkered black hard rubber Winchester buttplate. The stocks have some scattered nicks and scratches with a more notable scratch in the left of the belly behind the grip. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 14" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate shows moderate-heavy wear with small losses at the toe. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright. There is no erosion in the bore. There are tool marks where the new bead was dressed. In this writer's opinion, this bore rates 9+ out of 10.

Overall Condition: This shotgun retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The most notable finish wear is on the magazine bracket, barrel extension and around the front of the receiver, these areas are going to a light patina. There are scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches with tool marks around some screw heads. There is some scattered very minor surface oxidation. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this shotgun is in Very Good condition as customized.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. This shotgun will slam-fire as designed. We have not fired this shotgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: The 1897 was perhaps the best and most prolific shotgun ever made. It followed the 1893, which was the shotgun that Browning wanted to design even before the lever actions. He preferred the slide action to the lever action, only producing the lever action 1887 at Winchester’s behest. The 1893 is often referred to as the “wellspring” of all pump shotguns, even those manufactured today. It lead to the 1897, which eventually lead to the Model 12, 1200, etc. Over 1,000,000 Winchester 1897’s were manufactured through 1958. If you learned to shoot a shotgun in the United States in the 1900s, it was probably an 1897. The 1897 saw several changes throughout production. According to Madis, during the first 12 years of production, Winchester made 37 major and 52 minor changes to the Model 1897. These changes culminated in the “E” guns, which had deeper 5/16th inch wide grooves on the receiver rings and a flat plug on the magazine tube cap. The “E” guns were the last iteration of the 1897’s and were the culmination in design.

This example has had the barrel cut back to 18 1/2" with a brass bead installed. The gun appears to have seen use over the last century, but retains strong mechanics and a surprisingly good bore. With its shorter barrel is would be suitable for self defense and is especially well configured for use in Cowboy Action Shooting. Please see our pictures and good luck!