Winchester 1897 Questions.

[Rube Burrows]

So today I was at the post office and a guy I know from the gun shop came in and as we were talking he said for me ride by that he had something I’d like. 
 

When I got there he said I could have this old Winchester 97. 

I ended up getting Springfield Model 15 .22 rifle, box of 22 shorts, 2,000 large pistol primers and the Winchester 97 for 150.00. Great deal. 
 

Here’s the kicker though. The 97 has a few problems. First off there is a screw with a wire/spring running into the hole in the receiver. My other 97 don’t have that and it looks to Jerry rigged. (see pics) 

 

The bolt is loose in the receiver and it don’t cycle correctly. I’m hopeful I can figure it out and fix it. My biggest question is what could the screw and wire/spring be for ? 
 

the photos wouldn’t add in the order I want but hopefully you can see what I’m talking about. 

[Yul Lose]

Looks like a homemade ejector.. VTI, and others will have the correct ejector. 

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982]

7 minutes ago, Rube Burrows said:

So today I was at the post office and a guy I know from the gun shop came in and as we were talking he said for me ride by that he had something I’d like. 
 

When I got there he said I could have this old Winchester 97. 

I ended up getting Springfield Model 15 .22 rifle, box of 22 shorts, 2,000 large pistol primers and the Winchester 97 for 150.00. Great deal. 
 

Here’s the kicker though. The 97 has a few problems. First off there is a screw with a wire/spring running into the hole in the receiver. My other 97 don’t have that and it looks to Jerry rigged. (see pics) 

 

The bolt is loose in the receiver and it don’t cycle correctly. I’m hopeful I can figure it out and fix it. My biggest question is what could the screw and wire/spring be for ? 
 

the photos wouldn’t add in the order I want but hopefully you can see what I’m talking about. 

Homemade ejector spring?

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

The wire ejector spring is a recently APPROVED MODIFICATION for 1897 shotguns.

[Snake-eye, SASS#45097]

I’ve seen that type of ejector spring for the 97 elsewhere for sale. Wonder if anyone has any experience with the new design.

[Rube Burrows]

It don’t appear to catch anything but it could be that the bolt or something is out of time or out of line because it’s not functioning as of now. I haven’t got to take it apart yet. 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

I'm glad PWB chimed in about the wire ejector spring because I knew they were legal.   And rumor is that those wire ejector springs are

performing better and longer than the original flat metal ejector.

 

..........Widder

 

[Rube Burrows]

17 minutes ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

The wire ejector spring is a recently APPROVED MODIFICATION for 1897 shotguns.

Thanks. That is exactly what it appears to be. 

[Yul Lose]

The wood on the 97 looks in very good condition.

[Burn Through]

i have a wire spring in mine and it sure works well .... Thanks to Sgt Eli ...saved my but ha ha

[Rube Burrows]

43 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

The wood on the 97 looks in very good condition.

The gun overall is in good condition. Looks like someone re blued it at some point in its life. Wood is in really good shape. 

[Rube Burrows]

Who’s a good 97 guy? Both of my other 97s have long barrels. This one would be a good candidate for a cowboy action job and barrel chop. 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

20 minutes ago, Rube Burrows said:

Who’s a good 97 guy? Both of my other 97s have long barrels. This one would be a good candidate for a cowboy action job and barrel chop. 

 

Ack!   No!  Please don't cut the barrel!   First of all, a long barreled 97 works just fine in our game.  I've shot a coupla clean matches with one.   Second, uncut 97's are getting harder and harder to find because so many people have cut theirs, and once you do that, you can't go back.

Really, assuming that everything else is working properly, you can probably sell the gun with the long barrel for more than the cost of one with an already shortened barrel.

Just sayin...

[Rube Burrows]

21 minutes ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

 

Ack!   No!  Please don't cut the barrel!   First of all, a long barreled 97 works just fine in our game.  I've shot a coupla clean matches with one.   Second, uncut 97's are getting harder and harder to find because so many people have cut theirs, and once you do that, you can't go back.

Really, assuming that everything else is working properly, you can probably sell the gun with the long barrel for more than the cost of one with an already shortened barrel.

Just sayin...

points well taken. My other two 97s are long barreled still. They are in excellent condition with no plans to chop. 
 

 

[Outlaw Gambler]

If you want a short barrel for CAS and don't want to cut your long one there are lots of short barrels available that you can fit to your receiver. Contact me and I will offer an explaination of the process, options, and an estimate. outlawgamber@gmail.com

[Rough 'N Ready Rob]

Looking at the pic. of the barrel and mag. tube, looks like the barrel band has moved forward, the mag. tube and action rod shouldn't come out of the barrel adapter like that. Other possibility,  the stop ring on the mag. tube has come unsoldered & it will need to be repaired.

  Rob

["Big Boston"]

10 hours ago, Rube Burrows said:

Who’s a good 97 guy? Both of my other 97s have long barrels. This one would be a good candidate for a cowboy action job and barrel chop. 

 

I've chopped the barrel on my share of shotguns, and I've come across a pretty decent method that works for me. I'm like most gun guys, I fix my own if I can and have at least average mechanical skills. Although not fool proof, it seems to work without too much muss and fuss. 

 

I used to use a hacksaw, but the challenge of that is getting a square cut, or making the cut square afterwards. The real way is to use a cutoff tool in a lathe. Those are tools of the above average DIY'r. What I do now is use a tubing cutter, just a medium duty hardware store cutter. It's made for copper pipe, but if you go slow, it will do several barrels. The advantage is a square cut. the downside is that there is a real nasty burr to deal with. I use a round ball stone in my drill to get the inside done, and a file to get the outside nice. Finish off with 320 > 400 emery, polish up with 800 > 1000. 

 

An alternative would be to cut half way with the tubing cutter and finish with a hacksaw, les clean-up of the inside of the barrel. 

 

I wrap about 2 layers of green masking for the wheels of the cutter to ride on. By going slow, the masking tape survives. 

 

But before you start, there are a few very important things to do. First: determine where the cut should be. In Canada 18" is the minimum length for a "sawed off" if not a semi-auto. A semi needs to be 18.5". 

 

A 1897 riot came with a 20" barrel. A bit longer will tighten the pattern slightly. I chose 20" on my last one. I then marked the cut line. With that decided, it's time for step two; to mark and center punch the location of the bead. Doing this with the original bead in place is a timesaver later. It beats trying to locate "center and inline" on a barrel with no reference. I have a small drill press and a drill vice where I drill and tap the hole, beats doing by hand.. I also use a large bead with 6-48 threads, for two reasons, the 6-48 thread is less tiddly and I like a large bead. 

 

 

 

 

 

Handy kit, c/w 6-48 tap, a #31 drill and a couple of beads. If you think you'll be doing more than a couple buy a refill package of beads. They used to come in 10 packs, I'm on my second pack. An original Winchester bead is not a ball, it is a round brass peg, app 0.1" in dia. and sits about 0.08" proud of the barrel. The large bead is 0.175" in dia. and it sits about 0.150 proud of the barrel. 

 

 

I use some fishing line, doubled up that I run from the front bead to the center of the notch on top of the receiver. I use Fireline as it pulls straight, is easy to see and doesn't stretch. I use a pin punch to mark the hole. I usually stay 1/2" back of the muzzle. 

 

 

That's what left after the "chop". 

 

 

That's what needs to be cleaned up.

 

 

And that is the finished job. 

 

I didn't take pictures along the way, as I didn't know that a tutorial was in my future. For you sharp eyed cowboys, YES, the intact barrel is a 16 ga, and "NO", it did not get "chopped". 

 

BB

[Col Del Rio]

I'd like to get a wire spring. Who sells them? Or are these home made?

 

[Rube Burrows]

8 hours ago, "Big Boston" said:

 

I've chopped the barrel on my share of shotguns, and I've come across a pretty decent method that works for me. I'm like most gun guys, I fix my own if I can and have at least average mechanical skills. Although not fool proof, it seems to work without too much muss and fuss. 

 

I used to use a hacksaw, but the challenge of that is getting a square cut, or making the cut square afterwards. The real way is to use a cutoff tool in a lathe. Those are tools of the above average DIY'r. What I do now is use a tubing cutter, just a medium duty hardware store cutter. It's made for copper pipe, but if you go slow, it will do several barrels. The advantage is a square cut. the downside is that there is a real nasty burr to deal with. I use a round ball stone in my drill to get the inside done, and a file to get the outside nice. Finish off with 320 > 400 emery, polish up with 800 > 1000. 

 

An alternative would be to cut half way with the tubing cutter and finish with a hacksaw, les clean-up of the inside of the barrel. 

 

I wrap about 2 layers of green masking for the wheels of the cutter to ride on. By going slow, the masking tape survives. 

 

But before you start, there are a few very important things to do. First: determine where the cut should be. In Canada 18" is the minimum length for a "sawed off" if not a semi-auto. A semi needs to be 18.5". 

 

A 1897 riot came with a 20" barrel. A bit longer will tighten the pattern slightly. I chose 20" on my last one. I then marked the cut line. With that decided, it's time for step two; to mark and center punch the location of the bead. Doing this with the original bead in place is a timesaver later. It beats trying to locate "center and inline" on a barrel with no reference. I have a small drill press and a drill vice where I drill and tap the hole, beats doing by hand.. I also use a large bead with 6-48 threads, for two reasons, the 6-48 thread is less tiddly and I like a large bead. 

 

 

 

 

 

Handy kit, c/w 6-48 tap, a #31 drill and a couple of beads. If you think you'll be doing more than a couple buy a refill package of beads. They used to come in 10 packs, I'm on my second pack. An original Winchester bead is not a ball, it is a round brass peg, app 0.1" in dia. and sits about 0.08" proud of the barrel. The large bead is 0.175" in dia. and it sits about 0.150 proud of the barrel. 

 

 

I use some fishing line, doubled up that I run from the front bead to the center of the notch on top of the receiver. I use Fireline as it pulls straight, is easy to see and doesn't stretch. I use a pin punch to mark the hole. I usually stay 1/2" back of the muzzle. 

 

 

That's what left after the "chop". 

 

 

That's what needs to be cleaned up.

 

 

And that is the finished job. 

 

I didn't take pictures along the way, as I didn't know that a tutorial was in my future. For you sharp eyed cowboys, YES, the intact barrel is a 16 ga, and "NO", it did not get "chopped". 

 

BB

Thanks for all the great info. Excellent post.