Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Two Barrell model 97 Winchester


Recommended Posts

I have  Winchester model 1897 trap gun with two matching barrel,s to the receiver. The receiver and both barrel,s have the same serial #s one is 30 inch full the other is 20 inch cylinder. Has any one see one like this and how many were made like this ? Value? The gun is about 85% condition. SASS Member

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are right I went by Rooster Colt at that time. I lost my father two years ago he went by Indy Jack. That was a hard time at Tin Star I could of made it the best place to go in the USA. That was 20 years ago. I am doing good and may start shooting again. Good to hear from you. I miss Texas and may come back some day.

Thank you

Dennis Kavanaugh now Sheriff Kavanaugh of Clinton County Iowa 1986

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, Dennis Kavanaugh said:

Is Hanabass still with us? A good friend and Toot Barkley?

I shot and had lunch with L.W.Hanabass yesterday at Texican Rangers! Still the most authentic looking and shooting of all of us!  I do not recall Toot, sorry.

 

edit: I take that back, I do recall the alias, but not for many years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've only seen one of these guns.  It was a C model with screws in the forend wood.  It was in great condition.  I had the chance to buy it for $700.  That was 10 years ago and I thought it was too much.  I told my cowboy gunsmith about it and he informed me that I was an idiot for not snapping it up.  Today, good original 97 parts are very hard to acquire.  Having a second barrel assembly, serial numbered to your gun, is very valuable.

 

You sir have a "unicorn".  IMHO, you most certainly should demand a much higher price, if you choose to sell it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, TN Mongo, SASS #61450 said:

I've only seen one of these guns.  It was a C model with screws in the forend wood.  It was in great condition.  I had the chance to buy it for $700.  That was 10 years ago and I thought it was too much.  I told my cowboy gunsmith about it and he informed me that I was an idiot for not snapping it up.  Today, good original 97 parts are very hard to acquire.  Having a second barrel assembly, serial numbered to your gun, is very valuable.

 

You sir have a "unicorn".  IMHO, you most certainly should demand a much higher price, if you choose to sell it.

10 Years ago...that wasn't a bad price if the gun was in about 50% condition.

 

Not all that rare though...definitely not a "Unicorn". Although the short barrel is a little more rare. Usually the "short" barrel is a 26".

 

Phantom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rooster, the important information needed here is the serial number that is on the receiver and the two barrel assemblies.  If they match or are very close, then I would get a letter from the Cody Museum about this gun.  The $65 letter authenticates how the gun originally shipped from Winchester, and if it shipped  with two barrels, the value could be high.   If the numbers are far apart, then some shooter just matched a second barrel assembly.  Still a good find.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Tom Bullweed said:

Rooster, the important information needed here is the serial number that is on the receiver and the two barrel assemblies.  If they match or are very close, then I would get a letter from the Cody Museum about this gun.  The $65 letter authenticates how the gun originally shipped from Winchester, and if it shipped  with two barrels, the value could be high.   If the numbers are far apart, then some shooter just matched a second barrel assembly.  Still a good find.

Uhhh...the OP states that the Serial Numbers matched...this is NOT a terribly uncommon thing as Winchester manufactured these with some regularity.

 

Having two barrels that do not match is meaningless...even "Very Close" is meaningless.

 

Phantom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I want to thank Rooster for starting this thread. I've been shooting a C model 97 off and on since 99, I bought it in LGS for under $350. It came with 2 barrels a 26" cyl

and a 30" full. Even with the short 26" barrel, I felt I would better with a 18" or 20." Didn't want to chop either one of the barrels I had, all the serial# matched didn't

really think it odd someone bought a shotgun with matching barrels. I fitted another barrel  picked up on ebay cut it to 18.5". The gun has an honest "patina" it has been used, I didn't treat it anyways special. I just filled out the form from the Cody Museum to get it's history.

JW Nish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Prof James Weed Nish said:

I want to thank Rooster for starting this thread. I've been shooting a C model 97 off and on since 99, I bought it in LGS for under $350. It came with 2 barrels a 26" cyl

and a 30" full. Even with the short 26" barrel, I felt I would better with a 18" or 20." Didn't want to chop either one of the barrels I had, all the serial# matched didn't

really think it odd someone bought a shotgun with matching barrels. I fitted another barrel  picked up on ebay cut it to 18.5". The gun has an honest "patina" it has been used, I didn't treat it anyways special. I just filled out the form from the Cody Museum to get it's history.

JW Nish.

 

Have you ever shot a match with the 30" barrel?  I recommend you try it, just once.   I started this with 20" 97 and was perfectly happy with it.   But I also wanted to have one with a long barrel, just to have one, and maybe use for Cowboy trap now and again.  Found a 30" full choked one.   Tried it once.  It instantly became me regular main match shotgun.   While I am not perfect with it, I find that much more rarely miss the the shotgun targets or fail to knock them down like I did with the shorter tube.   That, and using the long barrel gets a lot of funny looks and good natured chuckles.   You do need to learn to be careful moving around windows and doors and such, but it's actually pretty easy to figure that out.   And it's especially useful for the occasional popper target.

Give it a try.   If you don't like it, go back to short tube, but you may be surprised at what you find when you try it.

BTW, I also have an 30" F/F Parker.   I like it much better than my I8" one.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.