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Has anyone come across the Winchester M.97 Trench gun? I came across one today.

I saw one a long time back, belonged to the gunsmith at Chubbs of Edgeware.
He was trying to aquire the grenade launcher for it at the time.
I think he said the US used it for a long time.
If you kept the trigger squeezed it would fire as you pumped it.
Sadly I never got to shoot it.

ovenpaa wrote:Has anyone come across the Winchester M.97 Trench gun? I came across one today.

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A dealer at the Phoenix at Bisley brought a few into the UK

He has ONE left - but UK spec so the bbl is 24" not the issued 20"

The FIRST US Issue Pump action, the Win 1897, was initially brought into use to counter the drugged up Moro tribesmen in the Philippines Insurrection in 1902. (The poor performance of the then issued .38 revolver also lead to the demand for a better pistol - and the eventual adoption of the M1911 a few years later) The first issue 1897's were plain barreled with no heatshield/bayonet lug. My own '97 is within 2 serial no.digits of the ones issued back then (mine dates to 1898)
When loaded with buckshot they were found to effectively end the problem, as were the hastily re-issued 45 single action revolvers: some problems just need MORE lead...

Does anyone have a view on the value of such a thing? It is a six shot and appears to have a 21" barrel (55,0cms)

ovenpaa wrote:Does anyone have a view on the value of such a thing? It is a six shot and appears to have a 21" barrel (55,0cms)

Most 100% positive of what it is worth - FIVE YEARS IN JAIL (unless it is a deact)

Prior to the 1997 gun ban - such shotguns with sub-24" barrels would have been a S.1 gun
Post-'97 - such shotguns were made Section 5 & previously S.2 multi-shot shotguns were made S.1 & a new S.2 category was introduced with only 2 shots in the magazine & the mag.tube being restricted as such

The correct 1897 guns have a 20" bbl = Section 5

I thought it was a Section 1 as it is an original complete with bayonet.

For its rarity in this country +the bayo I reckon you would be looking at £800.00
Just make sure its the real deal and not a faked copy .

Dave

As Saddler says section 5 if barrel is less than 24" for Pump/semi.

ovenpaa wrote:I thought it was a Section 1 as it is an original complete with bayonet.

SECTION 5

Don't know why you think otherwise?

My Win 97 is 114 years old and IS a Section 1 gun - as the bbl is 30"
IF I chopped the bbl to 20" = illegal gun: do not pass go, do not collect £200

...if you think otherwise though...

There WERE a few around pre-97 ban. Looks like this is one that has slipped through the net as it IS a S.5 item

Dave 101 wrote:For its rarity in this country +the bayo I reckon you would be looking at £800.00
Just make sure its the real deal and not a faked copy .

Dave

If it's not the REAL deal does the owner end up in a fake jail instead of a real one?

There is ONE easy way to make it legal....add a 4" extension to the bbl
BUT
That's a job ONLY a S.5 dealer can do!!

Aside from the legality - £800 is cheap for a std Win 97 of that era...

A trench gun - in the UK as modified into S1 or S2 = name your price - £2k+ easy