"New" REPRO Win97 Shotguns for HD...Yea or Nay?

[Nalapombu]

Hey all,

Hear me out here for a second.

I have always LOVED the Winchester 97 shotguns. Just something about them. I guess it's all that "noise" you get when chambering a round.

I have looked at the imported 97 shotguns that are popular in Cowboy shooting matches many times and they look and feel great. I especially like the Trench model, but those seem to be harder to find and more expensive.

Ever since seeing those imports I have had the idea to get one and use it as an HD shotgun. I know, I know, there are much better choices for the task. I would have it smoothed up real nice by someone that worked on them and then hit the range and practice on some clays just for fun and to get it broken in.

I would like to know if there is anyone else that has the same idea as I do on this 97 shotgun? How well do you think it would stand up to repeated practice use and use with HD rounds? I don't want to leave the impression that I would be shooting hundreds of full power HD loads through it every weekend, I wouldn't. Like many, I would practice with the BULK rounds at Wally world and then practice with a few HD loads.

How would these modern repros hold up to a diet of that type? Would you trust your life to one with full power HD ammo? If you were going to do a project 97 like I am talking about, what mods or work would you have done to the stock 97 before you would sit it beside your bed?

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this 97 Project I am thinking of.

Thanks for your time and thoughts.

Nalajr

 

[451 Detonics]

I would avoid the imports and find a good used Winchester. Given the original trench guns are somewhat pricey you could put together a replica. Yes more expensive than the import...until you pay to have the import tuned up that is.

 

[DPris]

You're looking at emotional appeal instead of practical appeal.
The Chinese 97s have gotten a bit better, but I'd still consider them recreational in nature.
I tried one of the early ones, the gun had cycling problems. What shut it down completely was the fore-end coming off in my hand.

As I said, they've improved enough for the cowboy action shooters, but I would not bet my life on one.
Denis

 

[batmann]

Great shotguns in their day, but newer designs are much better for what you have in mind. Something about trusting my life to something I have to have 'tuned up' before using scares me.

 

[Nalapombu]

Thanks for the replies. I think I might go with a Remmy model 11 instead. I've always liked those too.

Nalajr

 

[fatcat4620]

I dont know about HD use. You might have to use it half asleep and end up cutting your thumb off pumping the action

 

[PokeyOkie]

You can usually pick up a used modern shotgun much cheaper than the reproduction model 97s but if your heart is set on one, go for it. Just spend lots of time getting very familiar with it especially in low light since that's probably where you'd use it for HD. 97s are a blast but even the Winchesters are prone to jamming occasionally.

Carl

 

[Snowdog]

My Norinco 1897 "Riot" shotgun is actually the shotgun I've kept loaded for defense. A quick search should bring up my range report regarding this shotgun. Mine seems to like Fiocchi 12HV4BK (nickel plated #4 buck) and it's what I use.

Granted, if there really were a dire situation and I were to reached for a long arm, it would likely be my M1 Carbine. However I truly think the IAC Norinco 1897 is plenty up to the task. I especially like the hammer, something not normally seen on shotguns.

My only complaints that I can think of off-hand is how stiff the action was when I received it and the whole slam-fire feature, but I understand is the nature of this particular beast. It did smooth out a bit and it's been 100% in reliability from the beginning (which I don't find surprising).

Before I made the purchase, I did quite a bit of research and found that the later generation Norinco 1897 clones were a safe bet. By the way, I wouldn't say the 1897 is the best shotgun for defense and will admit there are certainly better choices out there, but it can without a doubt dish out a good deal of damage if used in defense, just as it's done for over a century.

 

[Red Cent]

Get a Gen 4 Norinco ($300.00), pay a gunsmith $100.00 for an action job and enjoy. 'Course you gotta learn how to use it. The later Norincos will hang with an old Winchester any time.
Learn how to pin the trigger and pump that mother hard.
Learn how to feed it one at a time from the belt after the tube runs dry. Seriously, I have a 93/97 and love it. 'Course I used to have about seven Winchester 97s. Still have two solid frames.

 

[zhyla]

I try to keep my emotions out of HD purchases. Aren't these guns rather difficult to disassemble and clean? They're all pinned together, right? I'd rather have a modern design that strips easy. You don't want anything in the way of keeping your go-to shotgun well maintained.

 

[RX-178]

This is one of those cases where if you ALREADY have one, it'd probably be better to learn to use it for HD than spend more money on another shotgun.

The main problem I have with the design is, I personally think having a weapon mounted flashlight is a required feature for a pump shotgun (not an auto) for HD, since the weapon takes two hands to run. That's just my opinion and I'm not here to try and force it on you.

If you don't currently have a shotgun, but are looking for a weapon for HD, there's much better choices on the market than a repro '97. Much cheaper, much easier to clean, much easier to mount a light on.

My personal recommendation would probably be an NEF Pardner Pump, just because of how inexpensive they are (around $200 bucks). They take 870 parts, so if you get a flashlight mount that's meant for an 870, it'll fit the Pardner Pump.

And who knows, at that price, you might be able to get the Win97 Repro for fun too.

 

[Sav .250]

I see a fair amount of used ones at the Gun Shows I go too. In a far range of condition. Prices range as well. I`d go for a real Win 97 rather than a fake.
The fake doesn`t have all the bang,crash,slam, rattle, click and such as the real thing!

 

[jaysouth]

You would be better served with a Remington or Mossburg. My money is on Remington. If money is tight buy a used Wingmaster, if you buy new, get an Express with an 18 or 20 inch barrel, better yet get the combo with a 28 inch barrel with interechangable chokes AND a 20 inch IC barrel.

To be sure the 97 was a good gun, but it was a waypoint in the evolution of pumps. More modern guns are more durable and easier to maintain.

 

[JNewell]

Further, the 97 and the 12 both required (1) a large number of machine operations that are, by today's standards, very intricate and very time-consuming, as well as (2) a great deal of hand-fitting by skilled and experienced people.

If you think you're going to get either of those, forget both of those, in a shotgun from China at that price point, then go ahead...I figure that a defensive tool should be at the absolute top of its class in terms of reliability and durability...