1897 Manufacturers

[ashlyngr]

   We are starting Wild Bunch at my local range and I need info on an 1897 Pump Shot Gun. Who are the Manufacturers? And what replica Manufacturers woul you recommend? With or without Tune-Up?

Thanks in Advance,
Old Overholt Rye

[Pancho Peacemaker]

  We are starting Wild Bunch at my local range and I need info on an 1897 Pump Shot Gun. Who are the Manufacturers? And what replica Manufacturers woul you recommend? With or without Tune-Up?

Thanks in Advance,
Old Overholt Rye

All of the current 97 replicas are Chinese imports.  Quality reports out-of-the-box vary.  The best replica I've handled is the 97 Coyote Cap was selling.  He has gotten the Chinese imports and "fixed them up" (cut the barrel, ad chokes, slick the action, etc...)  I own one and it runs faster than I can.  Unfortunately, I don't think he's currently offering them since his semi-retirement.  You can find them used from time to time.  Here's Cap's web site:  http://www.coyotecap.com/mod__'97_wcse2.html

There are other CAS gunsmiths that offer tuning jobs on the Chinese replicas.  I don't have any experience with them.  You might ask around the SASS Wire as well.

Since the '97 was produced by Winchester until 1957, you can still find very nice, inexpensive original guns all the time.  Many WB shooters are using originals.

[Camille Eonich]

Pancho is dead on again.  I have, uh oh I can't remember now, 3 or 4 maybe 4 originals.  There's a local guy here that does a great job on slicking them up and getting them ready for CAS.  If you want more info about him send me a PM.

[Dalton Masterson]

I have used a replica once, and still prefer my original Winchesters over the Chinese ones. There are still deals out there for the originals.
But, the price for a worn out original being brought back from the dead, will probably outweigh a new Chinese one, until you have to have it slicked up too.
DM

[Marshall John Joseph]

I have an original and it shoots great after some TLC.  Gallery of Guns (Davidson's) had a sale a couple of months ago on the IAC 97W "correct" model (less than $300); could not resist.  What a great buy and nice right out of the box.   Nice walnut stock and tight, smooth action.  Will save that over 100 year old original for special occassions. 

MJJ

[Grizzly Adams]

   We are starting Wild Bunch at my local range and I need info on an 1897 Pump Shot Gun. Who are the Manufacturers? And what replica Manufacturers woul you recommend? With or without Tune-Up?

Thanks in Advance,
Old Overholt Rye

IAC is importing the best copy of the 1897.  The guns coming in now are good to go out of the box.  The last one I bought was the 97 trench gun, that I wanted for Wild Bunch, and I don't see any need for tune-up work.  Cap does good work, and Evil Roy sells one "ready to go" - just to mention a couple.

I would stay clear of the TTN or any gun marked CAI.  The used market will have a lot of Norinco guns, and the older ones are good.  Stay clear of the ones with the Chinese mystery wood stocks that are finished like old AK47s!  

Oh, one other thing:  There is a great little gun called the 93/97, that was developed by Cap.  Excellent version of the 97, but NOT SASS legal - not sure about NCOWS.  Lots of fellas have bought them, only to find they can't use them in a SASS event.

[Pancho Peacemaker]

There is a great little gun called the 93/97, that was developed by Cap.  Excellent version of the 97, but NOT SASS legal - not sure about NCOWS.  Lots of fellas have bought them, only to find they can't use them in a SASS event.

The 97/93 replica is NCOWS legal.  I know a fella who is currently buying one from Cap.  He has them in stock.

VERY nice guns.

[Montana Slim]

I'll bet the repro 93s are made better, now that they have figured out the manufacturing bugs via the 97s.

On the subject of 1897s, one area of weakness in the Norinco production are the fit of the cartridge stops and the springs that operate them. Any weakness of the spring, combined with slight binding of the stop can result in one (or more) of your magazine conents endingup on the ground.

This can be compliated by a common CAS modification that reduces the spring tension and/or eliminates the stops altogether. These mods are useful for "speeding" the gun up for either the "2-shot loader" or the "single-loader" shooter.

Regards,
Slim

[Grizzly Adams]

I'll bet the repro 93s are made better, now that they have figured out the manufacturing bugs via the 97s.

On the subject of 1897s, one area of weakness in the Norinco production are the fit of the cartridge stops and the springs that operate them. Any weakness of the spring, combined with slight binding of the stop can result in one (or more) of your magazine conents endingup on the ground.

This can be compliated by a common CAS modification that reduces the spring tension and/or eliminates the stops altogether. These mods are useful for "speeding" the gun up for either the "2-shot loader" or the "single-loader" shooter.

Regards,
Slim

+1   In addition, those mods will totally ruin your day if your planning on using that gun for Wild Bunch where loading the magazine to capacity is the norm!

[garrisonjoe]

IAC is importing the best copy of the 1897.  The guns coming in now are good to go out of the box.  The last one I bought was the 97 trench gun, that I wanted for Wild Bunch, and I don't see any need for tune-up work. 

Ditto the recommendation for the new production (09 serial number series) from IAC.     Not quite perfect out of the box, but should slick up fast and easy.   Got one of the "historically correct" versions (no shell release buttons on sides of frame), has nice American walnut with an oil finish.  Runs well. 

Good luck, GJ

[Marshall John Joseph]

Davidson's/Gallery of Guns still has 64 on sale IAC '97 "Historically Correct", low bid in my area (Fredericksburg, VA) is $297.  And with a Davidson's Lifetime Warranty.

Go for it.  You deserve it! 

MJJ

[R. Flux]

I recently got an IAC 97 (historically correct) via Davidson's.  Nice wood, fit and polish.  Took it apart, cleaned it, broke a few sharp edges and put it back together.  I've run several boxes through it; Win AA featherlight, Rem Trap and Rem Dove/Quail loads.  It is very good. I'm not fast (yet) but after a couple of hundred rounds I'll evaluate whether it needs to be slicked up.  I highly recommend it.

~R. Flux

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