IAC 93/97 cycling issue

[Sedalia Dave]

@Trenchgun831 Where in the Great Republic of Texas are you located?

[Trenchgun831]

29 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

@Trenchgun831 Where in the Great Republic of Texas are you located?

I’m in San Antonio 👍🏼

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

2 hours ago, Trenchgun831 said:

No it wasn’t, it was fired in another gun. The shell slides into the chamber easily. I’ll have to try it with an unfired shell, I was just afraid to do that. 

Just do it in the back yard. 

Fired shell from another gun is not the best way to test.

If you reload SG ammo, just resize the fired case.

I don't recall,  have you fired this SG yet?

Edited July 16, 2025 by The Original Lumpy Gritz

[Trenchgun831]

57 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Just do it in the back yard. 

Fired shell from another gun is not the best way to test.

If you reload SG ammo, just resize the fired case.

I don't recall,  have you fired this SG yet?

No I have not fired it yet, I will soon though. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Trenchgun831 said:

No I have not fired it yet, I will soon though. 

Live fire it with factory trap loads and post results.

[MBFields]

This may sound dumb. My IAC 97 which had a very few rounds through it when acquired it suddenly would lock up and could not get it to move. Started  checking and on the left side of the bolt there is a tiny screw that had worked out and would not let it slide. Might not be related but who knows.

[Trenchgun831]

1 hour ago, MBFields said:

This may sound dumb. My IAC 97 which had a very few rounds through it when acquired it suddenly would lock up and could not get it to move. Started  checking and on the left side of the bolt there is a tiny screw that had worked out and would not let it slide. Might not be related but who knows.

Mine only locks up when the guns hammer is uncocked

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Yep, I have had that bolt screw back out, but it only stopped forward motion of the bolt.  Put a drop of blue locktite on the threads to retain it.  That is a medium strength retaining fluid and can be disassembled with normal tools when needed.

 

OP - Realize that all the screws in this gun are special - metric sizes and many are small and have odd shapes - such that buying something to fill a missing screw hole and work properly -  is a real PAIN.  

 

good luck, GJ

[Trenchgun831]

I’m at the point now where I’m just going to have to send this off to someone. I don’t understand why the action is locked on an uncocked hammer and my bolt doesn’t go all the way back enough to eject a shell unless I pull it myself. It racks rather easily when the hammer is cocked and the release is pressed. 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Almost sounds like the previous owner may have tried to reassemble the gun and gotten something wrong.  Could be why it was sold after only a few number of rounds fired.   Shame on the seller (a gun shop?) for selling the gun when it won't cycle, if that is how this situation turns out.

 

Nate Kiowa Jones is a good cowboy gun smith  who may be close to you in East Texas.  I've been very pleased with his work, but do ask about how long before he can get to it.

Nate Kiowa Jones, Steve Young, Steve's Gunz, Lampasas, TX (512) 564-1015

 

Boomstick Jay is also a very great hand with cowboy guns - 

Well, don't need this again,  Nate Kiowa Jones, Steve Young, Steve's Gunz, Lampasas, TX (512) 564-1015

How about: Boomstick Jay, Jason Widmer, Boomstick Arms Co LLC, Leonard, TX 254-368-4540

 

good luck, GJ

Edited July 17, 2025 by Garrison Joe, SASS #60708
fix Boomstick's contact info

[Trenchgun831]

39 minutes ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

Almost sounds like the previous own may have tried to reassemble the gun and gotten something wrong.  Could be why it was sold after only a few number of rounds fired.   Shame on the seller (a gun shop?) for selling the gun when it won't cycle, if that is how this situation turns out.

 

Nate Kiowa Jones is a good cowboy gun smith  who may be close to you in East Texas.  I've been very pleased with his work, but do ask about how long before he can get to it.

Nate Kiowa Jones, Steve Young, Steve's Gunz, Lampasas, TX (512) 564-1015

 

Boomstick Jay is also a very great hand with cowboy guns - 

Nate Kiowa Jones, Steve Young, Steve's Gunz, Lampasas, TX (512) 564-1015

 

good luck, GJ

Thank you very much for the info sir!!

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

1 hour ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

Almost sounds like the previous own may have tried to reassemble the gun and gotten something wrong.  Could be why it was sold after only a few number of rounds fired.   Shame on the seller (a gun shop?) for selling the gun when it won't cycle, if that is how this situation turns out.

 

Nate Kiowa Jones is a good cowboy gun smith  who may be close to you in East Texas.  I've been very pleased with his work, but do ask about how long before he can get to it.

Nate Kiowa Jones, Steve Young, Steve's Gunz, Lampasas, TX (512) 564-1015

 

Boomstick Jay is also a very great hand with cowboy guns - 

Nate Kiowa Jones, Steve Young, Steve's Gunz, Lampasas, TX (512) 564-1015

 

good luck, GJ

GJ

You listed the contact info for Nate twice instead of info for Boomstick Jay

Scout

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

It's always nice if you don't have to ship a gun.  Boomstick is great but a little further away.  Nate Kiowa Jones isn't in East Texas, when he moved to Lampasas area (I think between Lampasas and Burnet) that's more like central Texas.  And it is not a far drive from San Antone.  But Nate was having health problems a while back and I haven't heard whether he's back at it or not.  Easy enough to call and find out.  @Newt Ritter is near San Antonio, he's not a 'smith but knows his way around '97's.  He may see this and respond.

[Abe E.S. Corpus SASS #87667]

On 7/16/2025 at 8:59 AM, Sedalia Dave said:

Not legal for SASS but it is legal for Wild Bunch. 

No change, then.

 

I could have sworn the SHB contained a specific reference to the 93/97 but I must be mistaken.

[Trenchgun831]

 

I think I have found the issue, the slide hook seems to be broken. (See video)

[SGT. ELI 35882 GUNFIGHTER]

18 minutes ago, Trenchgun831 said:

 

IMG_5307.MOV 21.54 MB · 0 downloads  

I think I have found the issue, the slide hook seems to be broken. (See video)

Bingo!

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

26 minutes ago, Trenchgun831 said:

 

IMG_5307.MOV 21.54 MB · 2 downloads  

I think I have found the issue, the slide hook seems to be broken. (See video)

That's it, good find! 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

When you order a slide hook, also find a high-strength tool steel slide hook screw.     If the factory screw breaks below the threads, it often requires drilling the action from the outside, blind, to get to the tip of the screw and remove it before you can get past the slide hook part of the disassembly.

 

Here's a great one, and I use them in all my 97s

 

https://the-online-outpost-licensing-corporation.myshopify.com/collections/shotgun/products/copy-of-1897-winchester-norinco-iac-shotgun-action-slide-hook-screw-by-the-smith-shop-97

 

good luck, GJ

[Trenchgun831]

2 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

When you order a slide hook, also find a high-strength tool steel slide hook screw.     If the factory screw breaks below the threads, it often requires drilling the action from the outside, blind, to get to the tip of the screw and remove it before you can get past the slide hook part of the disassembly.

 

Here's a great one, and I use them in all my 97s

 

https://the-online-outpost-licensing-corporation.myshopify.com/collections/shotgun/products/copy-of-1897-winchester-norinco-iac-shotgun-action-slide-hook-screw-by-the-smith-shop-97

 

good luck, GJ

Wow!! Thank you very much for this! I’m glad you sent this before I ordered one. 
i just ordered an action hook from outlaw gambler and I will purchase this screw for sure over the stock one.  

[Sedalia Dave]

On the 97's I built from a box of parts I discovered one that would consistently break the screw.  Close inspection revealed that the fit between the slide hook and bolt was rather sloppy. I had 3 other slide hooks and one hook/bolt combination fit together with very little slop. Once back together it never broke another screw.