I've Fallen in Love with an Older Lady...

[35 Whelen]

91 years young and still capable in the field, bringing down a limit of 15 dove!

35W

 

[Stony]

Those can sure bite and bark like a female, but I never knew they were gender specific.
Great old shotguns !

 

[red rick]

Nice shooting .

Your old girl shows some nice character . I am gland she still likes to work and you let her . Y'all did a very nice job .

How long has she been in your family ?

 

[Patocazador]

Those model 97's were used as "trench guns" in WWI. They were fitted with short barrels and bayonet lugs.

http://cheaperthandirt.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Winchester-1897.jpg

Your lady calmed down and started shooting doves instead of Germans in her old age.

 

[jmorris]

Not a lot of lady's that you could call "old Bessie" and get away with it...

 

[stoky]

Way classy looking SG there 35.
thanks for the pix

 

[buck460XVR]

Got one just like it......was my dad's shotgun. First gun he bought when he got back from the South Pacific in WWII. I shot a Tom Turkey with it a few years back. I also hunt pheasant with it once a year. Love the sound it makes when you rack the slide, so nice and solid. Wish I felt comfortable taking it out more.

 

[cpt-t]

35 Whelen: I feel the same way. I was raised on 16 Gauge Pump Shotguns. 16 Gauge Shotguns were very popular in my family, when I was growing up. And I always really liked a 37 Ithica`s, 870`s, and a Model 12`s. But nothing ever fit me like a ((( 1897 Win Pump Shotgun ))). MY Grandpa had a 16 gauge 1897 Win, and He was just magical with it, and He called the gun ((( Pretty Lady ))). And I got to use it quite often growing up, and I just had a full fledged love affair with that Old Gun. It was to be mine, but my Grandpa died while I was in Viet Nam, on my first tour, and when I came home it had been stolen. Or at least that is the Story I was told. I now have a 1897 of my own, and have had it for many years, but it is a 12 gauge. And I use it several times a year espically when I am hunting the big open fields for late season Pheasent`s, when they are flushing wide. That is when my old long barreled, full chocked 1897 really shines. And carrying the Old Gun sure bring`s back alot of wonderfull memiories. I bet You couldn`t guess , but I call my 97 Win ((( Pretty Lady ))) also, just like my Grandpa.
ken

 

[Choctaw]

Nice shotgun and great photograph.

 

[35 Whelen]

Thanks guys. I had a lot of fun with that old shotgun. I haven't hunted with a full choke shotgun in YEARS and had forgotten how far out they'll reach if the shooter does his part. The last shot of our last evening out I took a Hail Mary shot at a dove that was zipping across the pasture. To my amazement if folded like a sack of potatoes. It turned out to be a little over 50 looong paces. Of course, there was a little luck involved!

No, it wasn't in my family.

I have one on 16 gauge too that's three years from being 100 years old. It needs a little barrel work but I hope to have it out next season.

Thanks for your stories, guys.


35W