m1897 question

[Jolly Green]

I found a 1897 locally (in link below), and was wondering if a specific heat sheild (link also below) could fit it.

the Win. 1897
http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/product_details.php?itemID=33346

Replica 97 Trench Bayonet lug & heat shield
http://www.e-gunparts.com/DisplayAd.asp?chrProductSKU=813820&chrSuperSKU=&MC=&CatID=&mySort=

*More specifically I am also asking what this means and how to accomplish it:

"Standard barrels and riot barrels will require locating notches for the bayonet lug attachment screws."

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

This isn't going to be an immediate purchase (may be over a couple months). I'm just trying to get some advice.

Thanks

 

[Big Bill]

The 1897 is very popular Cowboy Action shotgun. If you mod it much, you'll detract a lot from the value. It would be a shame to ruin the gun modifying it with after market junk. Here's a story that was done on the outdoor channel's "Sighting In" program on Thursday:

D & B Metal Finishing Restores a Model ‘97



These are some of the guns that have been refinished by D & B Metal Finishing from Clinton Township, Michigan. They do some really stunning artwork in air brush designs. But what’s really amazing is how they are able to add graphics to their plating and bluing work, like the flames in the Glock slide. They won’t tell us how they do this, but it’s their specialty, along with restoring and re-plating or bluing anything that needs work.



That set up a challenge with a really awful example of a Winchester Model 97. Normally, you’d just say ick and walk right by, but I bought it for $200, and sent it off to D&B to see what they could do.



It first went to Master Gunsmith, Rick Stover, who’s an expert on Model 97s and a SASS life member. And it got a long list of new parts and work, including cutting the barrel to the historically accurate 22 inch riot gun length.



Then came the refinishing, with D&B using their technique to blue the traditional Winchester logo on the barrel. They also laser cut the Shooting USA challenge coin logo in the new stock. Internally, it has a new chromed bolt, new rails welded in and hand lapped, it’s been re-chambered for today’s 2-3/4 inch shells. The barrel has been honed, and Rick installed a screw in choke along with the new brass bead. Without question, it is now better than anything Winchester sent out of the factory back in the production days of the Model 97. And it’s a shooter, with an action as smooth as the new finish.



So, what did all this cost? With all the gunsmith rebuilding, and with the truly atrocious original finish, the price was $1,300 to create a family heirloom from a former wreck of a model 97.

The price to restore a model 97 in working shape would be about $800. So, if your model 97 is looking a little shabby, D & B are the folks to know.

D&B Metal Finishing Website

http://www.shootingusa.com/SIGHTING_IN_SHOWS/29-02__SASS_Women/29-02__sass_women.html

 

[ReloaderFred]

That's an awful lot of money for a solid frame 97 with a cracked stock. To me, it would be a $300.00 gun at most. I've paid as much as $400.00 for one, but that was a Black Diamond Trap. Most run in the $300.00 to $400.00 range in my area. The best one I've bought was made in 1952, and I paid $150.00 for it about 6 months ago. It's now my SASS competition gun.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Big Bill]

Fred - you really have to be on your game to notice that cracked stock.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Big Bill,

That's where most of the 97 stocks crack, so it's the first place I look. They kind of forgot to mention that crack in the description of the gun, didn't they?

With that gun being a solid frame, it's almost a sure bet to be short chambered, and very few gunsmiths are able to rechamber them without removing the barrel from the action. A few who specialize in Model 97's will grind down a chamber reamer to fit inside the action, so they don't have to remove the barrel.

If the gun is shot a lot with modern ammunition, there is a good possibility of the frame cracking. I've seen several with cracked frames. The original chambering was for 2 5/8" shells, with a roll crimp. Modern shotgun shells are 2 3/4", with a star crimp, which means the shell is longer when opened. This puts the mouth of the shell into the forcing cone when it's fired and raises pressures. You can tell shells shot in those old short chambered guns by the feathered case mouths, where the shot mashed them in the forcing cone.

Even at that, not all the chambers were the same. They were chambered by hand, and it depended on who did the chambering as to how long the forcing cone is. We've seen some with extremely short forcing cones, and some that were longer, and they all appeared to be original.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Gordon]

Big Bill , your project is over the top cool! Congrats on wisdom!

 

[rcmodel]

Standard barrels and riot barrels will require locating notches for the bayonet lug attachment screws.

*More specifically I am also asking what this means and how to accomplish it:

It means there are three screws that go through the bottom of the steel handguard to clamp it in place.
They are located so about 1/3 screw diameter intersects the underside of the barrel and provide "recoil lugs for the screws to bear against.
That keeps recoil from sliding the handguard off the end of the barrel every shot.

You can do it yourself by putting the handguard on and marking the hole locations on the barrel with a sharp scribe.
Once marked, remove the handguard.

Then with a round needle or small chain-saw file, cut shallow notches across the barrel to allow the screws to go through without hitting the barrel.

rc