Shot the Old Family Shotgun Today!

[Zeke Menuar]

The "Oregon Monsoon Season" let up long enough to try out Great-Grandads M1897 Winchester 12ga, full choke 1906 vintage.

My throughly unscientific patterning test consisting of using newspaper secured against an embankment and backing up until I got an idea of what the pattern is. I am using some el-cheapo 1 1/8 ounce #7 1/2 light loads. I backed up until I ran out of room( 20-25 yds?). The pattern looked good. Most if not all of the shot hit the center of the newspaper. No strays and the hole was in the middle right where I aimed. I compared the pattern from the M97 against my Western Field 550(Mossberg 500) and the pattterns were identical. Good news. The slight bulge in the M97's barrel didn't seem to matter.

Now for the fun. Just about the time I was done with the patterning, the wind kicked up. Really kicked up! There was only one thing to do. Toss out some aluminum bunny rabbits (empty pop cans). The wind(30-35mph) sent the cans flying across the landing and I proceeded to blast away at the moving cans. The M97 did very well. Chased several popcans all over the place. Ran about 50 rounds through it without a hitch. This gun is an accurate fast piece. I can see why the CAS guys like the action so much. This gun is a little faster than the Western Field. Heavier than the Western Field but the balance is better. Most fun I have had in a long time. It's great to get this neat old shotgun out of gun cabinet purgatory and back out in the field. Since it is a takedown model and easy to stow away in my small car, I think it will become my general purpose bumming around shotgun. Now to see if I can hit any clay pigeons with it.

ZM

 

[Sven]

Gotta love those heirlooms. Hope to pass many on myself, someday.

 

[Dave McCracken]

You made my morning Zeke, thanks very much. I love seeing old family guns get used.

Your GGF had good judgement. The 97 is a super good shotgun, and durable beyond belief.

 

[Zeke Menuar]

I was realy surprised by the handling of the M97. It is heavier then the Western Field but it is more svelte, less bulky and a little faster to get into action. Oh yeah, the action. Nothing like hand fitted parts and proper machined recievers and such. Puts todays castings and stamped(not to mention tupperware) to shame.
I really need to do something about the LOP. I need to add around 3/4" to an inch to make the gun fit better. It would cost more to add a proper recoil pad and spacers than to get a replacement buttstock and match the color to the forearm wood. Over the years the original wood has turned to a deep, almost maroon color and I would like to keep it. There is also a strong temptation to try to fit the pad and spacer myself. I am sure there is a "Stock Fitting For Dummies" out there somewhere.
I have really got do do something about this illness that causes me to want to rescue wallhangers and gun cabinet hostages. I rescued and partially restored my Grandfathers M99-R Savage. Matching serials numbers on the forearm, buttstock and even the buttplate. The gun was a surface rust nightmare. There was a major build-up of copper racing stripes in the barrel as well as some peppering in the barrel. It took some major effort to get the barrel in shape. I also figured out how to slick-up the action and clean-up the trigger. He liked it so much that he took it back so he could show it to his friends. I still take it out from time to time to shoot it.
As I stated in a previous post the Model 97 wil become my official bumming around shotgun. I am heading to Sportsman Warehouse to look for a guncase suitable for takedown rifles. I am also looking for more family guns that have suffered the indignity of gun cabinet purgatory.

ZM