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LOOKING FOR VALUE OF A '97


Stumptown Galute

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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

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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.

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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?

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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.:D

 

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.

 

C547E671-2693-4A01-BB22-763E7427BEB4.jpeg

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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 , 

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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. 

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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.   

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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.

 

 

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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.

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You could order custom length barrels from Winchester. Maybe someone saw a need and ordered it that way.

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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?

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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.

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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 

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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

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