Winchester 1897 Trench Gun

[BigMatt]

To everyone that is wondering, I got it and the USPS smashed it. I was able to bend it back in shape, but that is disappointing.

I currently have it on a M12 trench gun barrel, and I am trying to decide if I should try to blue it or leave it as is. Maybe I should take the heat shield off and rivet it to my original bayonet lug.

It will never be original, but I will also probably never find an original one anyway.

What do you guys think?

 

[Dog1]

I'm so pissed off that they managed to smash that up after I wrapped it up and boxed it so that they couldn't or at least I thought they couldn't.

Really sorry that it got mangled...

 

[BigMatt]

Man, it isn't your fault. I could tell it was packaged well.

Luckily it was metal and I could bent it back in shape.

 

[Mongo59]

I always tell people I couldn't work for the USPS because I don't have a pet elephant to sit on all the packages...

 

[Dog1]

I always tell people I couldn't work for the USPS because I don't have a pet elephant to sit on all the packages...

They could break an anvil

 

[Mongo59]

They could break an anvil

...with a rubber mallet

 

[Ozark1897]

Have I mentioned lately how awesome the INGO folks are?

I know this is a very old thread, but agreed!!

 

[BigMatt]

OK, I know it's been a long time, but I have been working on this gun and I finally have it finished. I was able to take the repro heat shield/bayonet lug that Dog1 gave me and trade it for an actual OEM heat shield only. I took that, rust blued it and riveted it to the bayonet lug I already had. I hope that isn't frowned upon, but the guy I was dealing with wanted the full monty and I wasn't willing to trade him my OG bayonet lug.

Here are my pics.

 

[Mij]

D*** cool.

 

[BigMoose]

Well that looks good. Now to find the front sling swivel

 

[Ozark1897]

OK, I know it's been a long time, but I have been working on this gun and I finally have it finished. I was able to take the repro heat shield/bayonet lug that Dog1 gave me and trade it for an actual OEM heat shield only. I took that, rust blued it and riveted it to the bayonet lug I already had. I hope that isn't frowned upon, but the guy I was dealing with wanted the full monty and I wasn't willing to trade him my OG bayonet lug.

Here are my pics.

Very nice!!

 

[Ozark1897]

Very nice!!

Just picked this one up. The Riot Gun 20”… big fan. You may already be a member of the Winchester Collectors Association, but if not there is an overwhelming amount of info on their forum.

 

[BigMatt]

Well that looks good. Now to find the front sling swivel

I got it last week. I just need to find time to blue it and put it on.

 

[BigMoose]

I got it last week. I just need to find time to blue it and put it on.

Well then, all you will need after that is the correct sling (easy enough found)

 

[DadSmith]

Is anyone making a replica of these nowadays? That function the same way?

 

[BigMoose]

Is anyone making a replica of these nowadays? That function the same way?

Now and again..

Norinco made one

​

And for a while Ithaca made some modern 37s in same trench configuration


(There were 8 or 9 different shotguns uncle sam bought in trench gun configuration)

And there are a lot of trench guns out there people have converted from sporting guns. Sometimes not even models that were bought by uncle sam (I once saw a Savage Model 1921 someone had trenched out, and another one made from a department store shotgun)

 

[Ozark1897]

Now and again..

Norinco made one

View attachment 328463​

And for a while Ithaca made some modern 37s in same trench configuration


(There were 8 or 9 different shotguns uncle sam bought in trench gun configuration)

And there are a lot of trench guns out there people have converted from sporting guns. Sometimes not even models that were bought by uncle sam (I once saw a Savage Model 1921 someone had trenched out, and another one made from a department store shotgun)

Great resource on all things Trench…

 

[pitbulld45]

Anyone know of a company that still manufactures the kits to turn a sporting gun into a trench gun?

I have a Winchester and a Stevens that I would love to convert over.

 

[BigMatt]

Bull Creek Arms does conversions. The heat shields are becoming more available by the day.

If you have a model 97, the conversion process isn't hard. It depends on how correct you want it to look.

I just got done with a Model 12 clone and it was involved, and expensive to make it right.

 

[BigMatt]