Stumptown Galute Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 A friend just gave me a Winchester '97 in 16 ga with a 24" barrel. Made in 1906 according to the serial number. Marked D above the number 366XXX. In very good condition. Bore is bright a shiny, action locks up tight.. I'm thinking of selling it. What would be a good price to ask? Thanks, Galute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 Impossible to tell without photos and a better description. One man's very good condition is another man's grey gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kloehr Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 For that caliber and barrel length, I am no help. For a 12GA shooter ready for this sport but not particularly valuable... I would say $500 +/-50. Just to give some reference. I also recommend looking at GunBroker for comps given your particular specs. And I 2nd posting pics here; for those more in the know, they may get you better opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumptown Galute Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 I know what you mean. I did take pictures with my I-phone, but don't know how to move them to my computer. Dang! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kloehr Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Just now, Stumptown Galute said: I know what you mean. I did take pictures with my I-phone, but don't know how to move them to my computer. Dang! Can you email them to yourself? Can you log in to this forum on your phone and skip the computer entirely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumptown Galute Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 I'll see what I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Maybe @Yul Lose will chime in, he has bought a bunch of those 16 Ga guns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumptown Galute Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 OK, I guess I did it! Hope these help. BTW, all the numbers match up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 (edited) Well I can’t tell a lot from your pictures but let me give you a price range that I’ve paid for 1897 16 gauge shotguns, $75.00-$650.00. I’ve got a dozen or so of them and about 3 that I use in matches. I’m not in the market for anymore, but they do have a tendency to spawn in the gun safe so you never know. Now according to Jim Bowie with the Cowboys and Indians Store one of my 16 gauge 1897’s is worth more than a million dollars to the right guy. I was up at the Western Regional at Choro Valley last August and had trouble with 2 of them on the first couple of stages. I took them to him at his gun shop trailer there and he repaired them overnight. The next morning when I picked them up he told me that one of them was worth that kind of money because it had a palindrome serial number and he said that in all the years he’s been working on 1897 SG’s that’s the only one he’s ever seen with one of those serial numbers (see the pictures). Whether it’s true or not, I don’t know, but that’s what he said. I’ve got a brand new factory barrel and magazine tube I’d throw in to the deal to make the million happen, by the way. Edited February 8 by Yul Lose 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumptown Galute Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 Thanks. I'll try to get some better pictures up tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 16ga also limits your market a bit - economy demands you load your own and not everyone wants that ga these days 12 is very popular and the prices can be very low , i bought both of mine for under $200 , i did know the gunsmith i got them from very well , but we both were happy , pretty much looked like what you show , one day down the road these will be rare but not right now , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumptown Galute Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 Here are some more pics. Like I stated before, the bore is bright and shiny. Untitled attachment 00278.txt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geronimo Jim SASS # 21775 Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 (edited) Just list it here for a high number and cut the price $25 per day until sold. Let the market determine. Edited February 8 by Geronimo Jim SASS # 21775 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badlands Bob #61228 Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 You've got to remember that before Cowboy shooting drove the price up, those 12 gauge 97's were dumped in the $99 barrel at the gun store. You're going to want to find a Cowboy shooter that really wants to shoot 16 gauge. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philosopher Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Is the barrel marked with the choke of the gun? Curious about the 24" barrel, wondering if it's been cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
July Smith Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 (edited) If you really want to sell it Gunbroker is the place to list it IMHO. You might try listing here, but the SASS wire forum is a fairly low trafficked website. I have had items listed here for weeks with no luck and a lot of tire thumping. I then listed the same item on GB and had the item bid up well above the initial asking price here. Oh and to answer your original question regarding value. A quick search of recent GB auctions for 1897s in 16ga that sold showed a price range off $450-650. Edited February 8 by July Smith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Based on the pics, it looks to be in slightly better shape than my own 12 gauge 30" full choke that I paid $400 for about 10 years ago. I don't know if 16 gauge adds or detracts from its value. Is that 24" barrel the original length, and what is its choke? For ME, if it's cut, that lessens the value. For others, it makes no difference or might even enhance it. IF I was interested in 16 gauge, and IF that's the original barrel length, I'd be interested in this gun. Prolly willing to pay $600 or so. If the barrel has been cut, I'd not go more than $400, and would be more inclined to pass. But, I am in the small minority of people who prefer long barrels on their shotguns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumptown Galute Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 Thanks for all the comments and questions. The barrel is stamped 16ga., but not stamped for choke. I will mic the inside of the barrel and post it. I don't know if the barrel has been cut or not. How does one tell? -Galute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumptown Galute Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 New picture of end of barrel and choke update. Barrel is marked CYL. Does that stand for cylinder choke? As far as the barrel being cut, here is a pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Cyl would indeed stand for Cylinder, or basically, no choke. That's fine. Based on your pic, I'd say that's not a cut barrel. Or if it was cut, whoever did so did a great job. Only way to know for sure would be to get a factory letter. But, I would guess it's probably uncut. 24" seems to be an odd length to trim to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 a 24 in bbl , will balance. better in hand than a 30 IMO , and is pretty handy for hunting in brush CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 You could order custom length barrels from Winchester. Maybe someone saw a need and ordered it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 I have a 12 Ga that was cut to 24". Only reason I know it was cut is the guy who sold it to me told me so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumptown Galute Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 Allright, thanks a heap for everyone's help. I now have a sense of it's value. I will take it out to the range soon and make sure everything is functioning properly. I may even try it out in the next match, even though I have always shot a double. Looking online, it seems that 16ga ammo doesn't cost that much more than 12ga or 20ga. Would a person need to stick to low power shells in this gun? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Sir have the chamber length checked , given the year of Mfg. , it could be a 2 5/8 chamber lenght off hand I do not recall what year , it was increased to 2 3/4 CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 1 hour ago, Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 said: Sir have the chamber length checked , given the year of Mfg. , it could be a 2 5/8 chamber lenght off hand I do not recall what year , it was increased to 2 3/4 CB And have it checked even if the barrel says 2-3/4. They apparently measured things differently back then, and a chamber marked 2-3/4" might actually be 2-5/8" I know that proved true for my 12 gauge 97's. Which is why I just run 2-1/2" shells in anything made during or prior to WWII. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumptown Galute Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 Thanks for the heads-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooden Nickel Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Well I’m gonna follow this thread, I had considered selling my 1897 in 16 ga made in 1903. But I kinda do better at buying and trading guns than selling guns. If I keep mine it would be happy to have a pardner. Wooden Nickel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumptown Galute Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 I took the shotgun out to the range yesterday and it performed great. Cycled smooth and easy. Shot the 2 3/4" shells with no problem. Thanks again for all the help in figuring out the value and workings of this gun. At this point, I am inclined to keep the gun and shoot it myself in the next match, however if I decide to sell it, I will let you guys know before I post it in the classifieds. Galute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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