Winchester 1897 to cut or not to cut...............

[Sgt.Schwarzhund]

A gun that late in that shape, I would keep as is, or sell and find one already cut or as in not as nice shape to cut. Have one with no finish that I had cut down, had another near new that I left alone and eventually sold to someone that kept it as an example of an unmolested 97, he uses it as is.

[Buffalo Bill Mathewson, 37826]

Thanks Duece,

You made my decision to chop the 2 97s I have easier. Mine are nice but not that nice.

 

BBM

[Banjer Pickett]

If'n I ever get the chance to own one you can bet the farm i'm a gonna cut it and melt what's left of it with powder and lead! Cut and run Duece, cut and run!

[Attica Jack #23953]

Cut it................after the first stroke with the hacksaw, it doesn't matter......go for it.

[Lankyframe #44046]

I asked the same question on here a couple of years ago. I'll tell you the same thing you told me. "Cut it" I'm glad I did, it's a great shooter now.

Lanky

[Red Knee]

Hey Duece, You didn't happen to get that 97 from Drifter did ya?

[I. M. Crossdraw, SASS# 8321]

Deuce,

 

I think you already know what you want to do with it. So just do what you think you want to do to it. Does that makes sense to you?

 

Just sayin'.

 

I. M. Crossdraw

[Ventura Slim, SASS #35690]

A pipe cutter works too. Lots of blue on it but I would cut it to 18.25 inches anyway

[Mattel Sackett]

Cut it to fit your personal needs. There are plenty of gun rules, let's not impose more on our own guns.

[rustyfinger 22618]

Deuce

My friend cut it stop talking about just cut the darn thing after words will you let me shoot it.

Rusty

[Chuck Would, SASS # 53289]

Winchester made well over a million of them. Us SASS Shooters are cutting and shooting the heck out of just about every one we can find.

 

I got one from an old friend of mine when I started shooting SASS. Paid $250 for it. It sat in his gun safe for many years before I got it. He passed away back in 2004.

 

Take Down with a 30" barrel. I shot it that way for several years before I decided I wanted a shorter barrel.

 

Because it had more sentimental value to me than it likely ever did to my deceased friend I decided not to cut it. I found another '97 with 2 barrels and "stole the 20" riot barrel and had it fitted to my '97. I sold the other '97 to another Pard who was looking for a back up.

 

Cut it or not. You own it. It's up to you.

[Southpaw Gringo, SASS # 74217]

I kinda think its a reblue job myself. If it was a 32 inch barrel, I would say leave it alone. As it is, Chop Away!!

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Hey Deuce,

 

one of the piece of info to help guide you in the right direction.

 

Just ask yeowndangself..... "What would Santa Fe River Stan do?"

 

..........

 

There ya go!

 

 

..........Widder

[Deuce Stevens SASS#55996]

I kindoa think its a reblue job myself. If it was a 32 inch barrel, I would say leave it alone. As it is, Chop Away!!

I'll have to disagree with you on that as all the signs that usually tell you a guns been reblued are not there. After a full tear down I can say that this gun is as nice as it looks. Having bought and sold quite a few collector grade guns for what used to be a cool retailer for seven years I know what this is and what it isn't. It's a takedown 30" 97' that happens to be in really nice shape. But judging from what other cowboyed 97's go for I believe this will be worth just as much as a cowboy shooter as anything else. I've cut down dozens of SKB's that I paid more for and they didn't make a million of those. If I break it I'll fix it. So I think it will have a appointment with the saw this week. I am going to take the wood off and swap it for a checkered corncob forend and thinner wrist stock and keep the wood nice in case I end up selling it. Thanks folks, been a fun discussion.

[Cowboy Junky]

If it weren't for us cowboy shooter's there would be 97's all over the us in low dollar pawn shops for $250 collecting dust.......just like before SASS. We raised them for the dead......and John Browning is smiling on us. I'll hold it fer' ya' Deuce while you cut it.

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

Cowboy Junky has it ezzactly right.

If there was no sass those 97s would all be hundred dollar wall flowers.

The really nice ones would be $110.

Best

CR

[Hoot Hamilton]

If I wulda read this thread yesterdy, I'd be sayin TOLD YASO!!

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

Howdy,

Cowboy Junky has it ezzactly right.

If there was no sass those 97s would all be hundred dollar wall flowers.

The really nice ones would be $110.

Best

CR

That's a shoulda, coulda, woulda statement.

 

Fact is that there IS SASS...

 

and how many 97's in the condition of Duece's have you seen lately?

 

And it's for this reason that I wouldn't cut it...I'd use one of the many no-so nice 97's that I have and can get for cowboy.

 

Funny how so many seem to not give a crap about perserving a little history.

 

Phantom

[Dewey Cheatem, SASS #75620]

You and Straightarrow gonna cut it

[Buffalo Dick, SASS #12880]

I have a nice 30" 97 (two actually) that I save for cowboy trap side matches, the "trap games" event that Mike Fink and Moe Gunns (sp?) put on at the Michigan state match is one of my favorites, and we plan on having something similar at the Ohio state match next year. Guns of August also has a trap side event for cowboy shotguns.

 

There is a use for long barreled guns and I can always cut them later if I need another short barreled 97.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

I am gonna offer a alternate opinion. Assuming that the dent int he barrel does not make it dangerous to shoot, then DON'T cut it. Once it is cut, you can't ever go back. Someday, you might have a desire to have a long barreled 97, and with everyone cutting them, you might not be able to find one for a reasonalbe price. Also, don't think that you can't compete with the barrel in a long configuration.

 

I have 4 97's, 2 orginal, and 2 reproductions. Three of them have short barrels and one has a long barrel. For various reasons, I wanted to have a long barrel version, and when I finally found it, I grabbed it. (28") Just for fun, I decided to try it at a regular SASS match instead of the 20" one I'd been using since starting the game. Well, danged if I didn't stop missing the shotgun targets, and I was not any slower for the longer barrel. Maybe that's just me, but the longer barrel actually helped to improve my times. Maybe the same will happen to you. The long barreled 97 is now my main, main match shotgun.

 

By the same token, even if you don't want to use it as a main match gun in its current configuration, as is it would be a great gun to use for Cowboy trap, or other events that have longer range shotgun target, or flyers that go away from you instead of straight up. Such things DO exist, even of they are rare, and it would be nice to have a gun tailored to them. To have had one, and then rendered it no longer good for those events and then need one would be a shame.

 

Of course, of that dent in the barrel makes it unsafe to shoot, then cut the barrel to a safe length. But have a gunsmith do it.

[Cypress Sam, SASS #10915]

Deuce, Since you're arguably the fastest cowboy on the planet, just take it out and shoot it in matches. When you smoke everyone, there will be a stampede to find uncut '97's. Prices will skyrocket and you can make a fortune on resale!

[C0ckr0ach, SASS #26100]

Before CAS, a 1897 shotgun could be had for $100 to $150. Sometimes less !

 

Now, with CAS the value is $500 to $700.

 

So it has no real value other than CAS.

 

So the more CAS useable it is, the more value.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

Before CAS, a 1897 shotgun could be had for $100 to $150. Sometimes less !

 

Now, with CAS the value is $500 to $700.

 

So it has no real value other than CAS.

 

So the more CAS useable it is, the more value.

I think you logic is flawed.

 

You're assuming that the only consumers interested in the gun are CAS participants. And that they are the only drivers of 97 values.

 

What would be the reasoning behind a $12 Arsenal rebuilt 1911 back in 1961 being worth in excess of $1000 today? What would be your analysis of a Universal M1 Carbine going for over $400 today? How's about a good old Mosin-Nagant 91/30 going for $150 when only a few years ago they were going for half of that?

 

I could go on...but anyone that thinks the value of a 97 in excellent condition is nothing more then a shotgun worthy of being chopped and beat to crap is in my opinion...misguided...

 

Phantom

[VICIOUS, SASS#8014]

Hi Deuce, I have a NEW 97 just like yours. I have only shot it at the Range war clay shoot, then back to the safe. Show it to you on Labour day 2015. I keep my cowboy 97s long. The wild bunch 97 is a older E that got chopped to 20 inch. The new 97 came from a wise old guy who bought Winchester s back in the day as a retirement investment.

[TN Mongo, SASS #61450]

I also have a very nice 1957 E model (not quite as nice as yours) that I bought two years ago. I cleaned and oiled it well and its sits in the back of one of the gun safes. I did take it out and look at it the other day. I guess I will eventually cut the 30" barrel and send to off to have it slicked up, but right now I have two other originals D models and two Chinese race guns that are running just fine.

 

It was just too nice of a gun to walk away from at the gun show and the price was right. If I needed right now, I would cut it and use it, but, since I don't need it, I think I'm just going to leave it and let it increase in value. I could always flip it later for a nice profit or use it as a bargaining chip for something that I find later that "I have to have".

[Buffalo Bill Mathewson, 37826]

I kinda think its a reblue job myself. If it was a 32 inch barrel, I would say leave it alone. As it is, Chop Away!!

Why would a 32" barrel make a difference?

[Southpaw Gringo, SASS # 74217]

Why would a 32" barrel make a difference?

Because its my understanding that a 32in barrel was a special order length. Lengths from 32 to 36 inches were available for special order only. No it probably doesnt add much value but there is a "cool" factor involved. I got one with a 32 inch tube and it works great for Cowboy trap and looks cool towering in my gun cart.

[Southpaw Gringo, SASS # 74217]

I'll have to disagree with you on that as all the signs that usually tell you a guns been reblued are not there. After a full tear down I can say that this gun is as nice as it looks. Having bought and sold quite a few collector grade guns for what used to be a cool retailer for seven years I know what this is and what it isn't. It's a takedown 30" 97' that happens to be in really nice shape. But judging from what other cowboyed 97's go for I believe this will be worth just as much as a cowboy shooter as anything else. I've cut down dozens of SKB's that I paid more for and they didn't make a million of those. If I break it I'll fix it. So I think it will have a appointment with the saw this week. I am going to take the wood off and swap it for a checkered corncob forend and thinner wrist stock and keep the wood nice in case I end up selling it. Thanks folks, been a fun discussion.

I hear ya Deuce. You should know because its in your hands but I guess im tricked into thinking otherwise because I never seen one so prestine unless they were refinished. Nice find!

[Nasty Newt # 7365]

If it was mine I wouldn't cut it. It's damn near a museum piece.

[Curly McCrae]

I have a '97 that was made in 1911. It still has the original length barrel on it. I've thought about cutting it down, but I can't come up with a valid reason to do so. It would look more like the 97s used in the movie, but I doubt I would shoot any faster. I pheasant hunt, so I'm used to a long barreled gun (28" 870), so it doesn't feel unwieldy to me. It's your gun to do with as you please, but once you've cut it, you'll have a 97 just like almost every other one you'll see at a wild bunch shoot.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

I have a '97 that was made in 1911. It still has the original length barrel on it. I've thought about cutting it down, but I can't come up with a valid reason to do so. It would look more like the 97s used in the movie, but I doubt I would shoot any faster. I pheasant hunt, so I'm used to a long barreled gun (28" 870), so it doesn't feel unwieldy to me. It's your gun to do with as you please, but once you've cut it, you'll have a 97 just like almost every other one you'll see at a wild bunch shoot.

And to think that I only shoot a 97...but don't shoot WB.

 

[Noz]

1956 model?

I have socks older than that.

Cut it!

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

1956 model?

I have socks older than that.

Cut it!

It's still the same whether it's as old or older then you.

 

Tell me, how many 97's have you seen lately in the condition that Duece's is in?

 

Phantom

[Oklahomabound]

...'97 huh??? ...is there really a question??? ...if the gun is going to be used in CAS then there never was a real question; just some stalling; leading up to the cut here ....