Ohio National Guard/Department of Corrections 1897

[CWO4USCGRET]

I made a trade with a friend of mine in Ohio; my $900 Springfield M1A for his 1897 Winchester. His photos didn't do much justice; this gun is (considering it is a 1941 vintage) in excellent condition.

It was sold in 1976 by the Adjutant General's Office as surplus military equipment; my friend's father-in-law bought it; and until my friend received it, it was behind the master bedroom door, ready for action! There is a 4 digit number punched in the wrist of the stock; I suspect it may be a property or rack number. I think I got a fair deal considering what I had in the M1A and the condition of the shotgun...here are my pictures that don't do a lot of justice ever.

 

[CWO4USCGRET]

Other pictures

 

[GarandTd]

I don't know much about the old Winchester shotguns, but that's pretty cool. It looks to be in great shape and you have some documentation for its history.

Bored with the m1a?

 

[CWO4USCGRET]

bored with the M1A?

No but the trade was with a good friend; the way we look at gun ownership is that we are merely custodians of them and once in a while we change custody of them. I owed him a big debt of gratitude; when my wife and I moved from Michigan to Texas earlier this year he flew to MI and helped to load and drive the rental truck full of my guns and ammo...

 

[Ricklin]

Another fine shotgun, brought to you by....JMB.
Do watch your hand position when racking the gun. An 1897 can put the hurt on ya.
Nice condition man. Fun to blaze away with just like it's younger brother the Model 12. Disconnector....we don't need no stinkin disconnector.

If you didn't know if you hold the trigger back and rack the shotgun it will fire repeatedly and quickly.

 

[CWO4USCGRET]

Something I learned the other day...

that this is a take-down model. Winchester started making the take-down models in 1935:

 

[eastbank]

i think the model 97,s were made in the take down version way before 1935, madis has the year at 1904-1905. serial number at the start of the take down model was around 208,205. eastbank.