The short version is, I've inherited most of an 1897. It was a pile of parts that an old gunsmith in New Mexico had, and gave to my father some time in the early 70's. He told my father that the parts to get it up and running no longer could be found, and that gunsmiths knowledgeable in working on them had mostly all died out. Probably, that was somewhat true at the time. My father expressed some interest and the gunsmith said he could have it, and they put together what he had on hand. I don't know how long it's been since it was a whole shotgun and in working condition, but it's been at least fifty years and probably a few decades on top of that.

All my life, this thing sat in a corner of my father's garage or in the closet. I was always told it would never work again and would only ever be a wall hanger at best. It may not be financially worthwhile to do it, but I've decided I want to get it running again out of sheer sentiment and not a little bit of "you were wrong, old man."

Serial puts the receiver at 1909. Barrel is marked "Full" but I'm about 99% sure it's cut down. Stock has signs of being lovingly rebuilt up to a point - repaired cracks and what looks to be a repaired toe and what are surely concealed pins or dowels up by the grip. Corn cob pump is in the raw. No trigger, action arm, and a lot of pins missing. Receiver was badly pitted at some point and then badly re-blued.

I've had a few people tell me I should make a trench gun out of it. Not sure I have any interest in going that route, but I could be talked into it. I think I want to just get it apart, find out what it's missing, and piece it back together and get it running right. Any input or help with that would be most welcome and appreciated, otherwise I'll just start at YouTube, Google, and start hitting up Sarco, Numrich, and Ebay to start piecing together what's missing. I do intend to post updates and progress pics. If I get it running, then eventually probably a video.

Well, first this is FANTASTIC!

Next, since the best help I can give is just this:

Butt plate

I have . . . limited skill as a gunsmith, but a brown belt in Google fu.

Thanks, Lowsmith!

After a little attention with a brass bristle brush, a t-shirt rag and some Rem-Oil, I’m feeling pretty optimistic. There’s at least a few springs in there doing what they’re supposed to. Action drops and lifts, hammer returns itself to the lowered position, and while dirty, nothing seems to be rusted in place. Bolt moves, firing pin slides back and forth. Some mild surface rust started to go to work on it in a few places, but I feel like I’ve at halted that for now, at least.

Numrich gun Parts

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/g.../shotguns-win/97-win

That's awesome, I love stuff like this! That gun looks like a pretty solid candidate for a restoration, too...not too far gone to be saved.

I know nothing about 1897s, except that a friend had one that would sometimes drop the hammer when you racked it. Has a hole in the floor/ceiling between the basement and first floor to prove it. Make sure you function check everything good after you get it together!

I need to sit down and really study some videos and diagrams to make a complete list, but it seems to be more complete internally, and in better shape than I first thought. Aside from the obvious stuff like the trigger, action arm, and the barrel clamp (I remember seeing it in a pile of parts somewhere in the garage when I was up there), I think I'm basically down to a bunch of small springs, pins, and screws. It's kind of hard to capture in pictures, but compared to a lot of the parts I'm seeing for sale online, what I have here is in much nicer shape overall.

Got the carrier and bolt out of it and went over it with the brass brush and Rem-Oil. Everything is cleaning up nicely. May actually try and get everything apart and then run it in the ultrasonic. I've been thinking about buying a five gallon jug of low viscosity mineral oil, so a full degrease and clean and then another ultrasonic cycle in some jars of oil ought to bring everything to a nice clean, oiled shine. I'm going to have to get the stock off the receiver and run it in the ultrasonic, there's some crud and rust when I can't easily get a nylon or brass brush at it.

I have a friend who's been trying to talk me into turning it into a trench gun clone for years now. In my searching today, I'm finding that I have the first version fore end and early stock. The trench gun repros require a 20 5/8" or so barrel anyway, and this one is cut to 18.5". I think I'm just going to clean it up as best I can, stop the rust where it has started, fill in the missing pieces, and finish the wood parts to match each other as best I can and call it done. Whoever started this thing was trying to build up an early configuration, may as well honor that. I kind of like how that looks anyways.

Get a hold of Squibber @ SQUIBBER'S OLD WESTREN GUN REPAIR 97's Are My Huckleberry.
shop- 520-568-2852
email - oldwestrepair97@gmail.com

He is probably one of the best on 97's. He builds and repairs the "race guns" that we use in SASS and Wild Bunch.

quote:

Originally posted by am94pm:
Get a hold of Squibber.

Thank you very much! Sent the gent an email.


I have been picking at it on and off throughout the day. I have most of the carrier apart and plan to finish it up and get the bolt apart tonight. Taking one of these apart and getting it back together, I have a feeling, will make taking apart a classic P series Sig and putting it back together look like total child's play in comparison. Sweet mercy. The fact that they were building these on steam powered machinery just blows my mind. An absolute marvel of engineering, this.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

quote:

Originally posted by am94pm:
Get a hold of Squibber.

Thank you very much! Sent the gent an email.


I have been picking at it on and off throughout the day. I have most of the carrier apart and plan to finish it up and get the bolt apart tonight. Taking one of these apart and getting it back together, I have a feeling, will make taking apart a classic P series Sig and putting it back together look like total child's play in comparison. Sweet mercy. The fact that they were building these on steam powered machinery just blows my mind. An absolute marvel of engineering, this.

You're welcome. You mentioned youtube videos, did you see the one Mark Novak did a couple of months a go on a 97?

It has always amazed me at the pieces of art the gun manufacturers made back then. The 97 have always intrigued me. Good luck with your project.

quote:

Originally posted by am94pm:
You mentioned youtube videos, did you see the one Mark Novak did a couple of months a go on a 97?

I hadn't, no. Just watched it and really enjoyed it, learned a lot. Embedded for others following along:


I've mostly been working off this video (embedding disabled):
https://youtu.be/MlpoJ6uvoAo?si=Q6O5U9iq4TMq82Le

It's total potato camera resolution, but it's been enough to get me by so far.

quote:

Originally posted by am94pm:
It has always amazed me at the pieces of art the gun manufacturers made back then. The 97 have always intrigued me.

It really is something else. It'll be a proud point in the collection when I'm finished with it.

quote:

Originally posted by am94pm:
Good luck with your project.

Thanks! So far, I've got a list of eighteen different parts I need - most of what's missing are pieces of the breech bolt. Some of these are just a couple bucks, but some of these are gonna be spendy. Found a site selling the correct action slide for my forearm for $140. Takes three screws and I don't see those in the part diagrams, all of which so far are for the takedown model, which came later than mine. The correct steel buttplate with the teardrop that fits the recess cut in my stock, I'm seeing a couple of them around, and the cheapest is $80. Numrich has new repros for $60. This one being an early model, some of the correct parts are going to be a little trickier to source. I'm going to take my time with this one and sourcing all the parts.

I'm going to oil everything and bag it up for now and just go hardcore into learning mode.

In my stupid opinion, I think keeping it "as it is" is way better than converting it to a trench gun. Not that I don't think trench guns aren't super cool, it's just this is a different kind of cool that can exist and be great without being what it wasn't intended to be.

Anyway, for what it's worth.

^^ point of order!!! Point of order!!

Sir. If you can put a bayonet on something, DO IT

The only shotgun I actually love.

When I tore mine down to clean a hundred years out of it, I used World of Guns: Disassembly (app or online) if that helps. It shows not only where everything is but also directions and order of assembly and subassemblies that have to move or be in a specific position.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
^^ point of order!!! Point of order!!

Sir. If you can put a bayonet on something, DO IT

I concur, if you're going to dive into this money pit rebuilding this shotgun, you might as well go all the way and make a trench gun clone out of it. Heck, it's got a solid frame which is even better. New production heat shields may not be easy to track down but they do exist.

If not, honestly I'd say just part it out and move on. This is a project of love and you'll never financially recover.

I know it's going to cost a lot to restore it, but that's part of the labor of love you mention. It'll also take time, and I have that. I've been enamored with this thing since I could first walk, I'm not going to simply part it out. I didn't inherit any money, just some old guns and neglected tools. It's not worth much money, but it's worth a lot to me, and more in working order. After I build it up, I have no intention of selling it, it'll be mine until I crap out and then it'll be my son's problem to figure out. I'll make sure he knows the story on it before that happens.

I am also not going to build it into a trench gun. First of all, those require 20-21" barrels from what I'm seeing and this one has been cut to 18.5", so that's a barrel to source, a different stock, and a different fore end and action arm type to add to the cost of getting it right along with a repro heat shield. I also have zero interest in one. I've got a good chunk of my safe eaten up with USGI milsurps that never get shot or have bayonets mounted, including a Faux3A4 I still haven't finished up in the last couple years since I traded into it. Norinco makes a pretty legit 1897 clone, I have no need to turn one of the surviving solid frame pre-war 1897's into another trench gun clone. No sir, I'll have my cowboy shotgun, thank you.

I'm totally with you on this one Smudge. Make it into what you want it to be...something you'll use, appreciate and enjoy. I have an old break-barrel 12ga shotgun that belonged to my Grandpa that I restored. It's not worth anything and isn't even anywhere near as interesting mechanically as an 1897, but it's one of the last guns I'd ever sell because it means a lot to me. Not everything has to be about practicality or investment value.

I just lucked into one of my grail guns last week at the LGS. A Marlin 39A Mountie. It's really rough, and I had to open it up and do a few things to get it running right after I bought it, but the price was right and it's all there. I have a tank on the way from amazon that is long enough to blue the barreled action, and after I take it out and shoot it today to confirm function it's going to get broken down and prepped for a refinish. No, it'll never be a collector piece, but I'm going to enjoy it anyway.

Very cool project. Love these 97’s. I look forward to the updates.