Spare Parts kit for Winchester 97 Shotgun?

[Wolf Killer]

Hello Lads,
I have been lucky to buy two model 97's from the original owner, in good plus condition. I had my gunsmith shorten them to 20 inch barrels and install a kick killer pad, plus clean and tune them. They shoot like hell against renegade water bottles and bushwhacking pop cans..
I like to plan for the future, and keep a spare parts kit for all my guns. My question is, is there a recommended spare parts kit that should be kept on hand?
I want to put one together now, as parts seem to be drying up at some stores due to all the Cowboy shooter discovering this fine old lady.
That plus the price of 97's just seems to go up and up.

Thanks,

wolf Killer AKA Donald Bowman

[Bugscuffle]

A spare parts purchase will save you a ton of trouble. Since i bought a whole passel of Stevens 311 parts from Paladin UK, I haven't had a bit of trouble with my side by side. I just got fiished refinishing a 97 with some parts from outlawgambler@gmail.com . He was fast accomodating and very reasonably priced. You may want to Email him and ask that question. He has a ton of parts and seems very knowledgeable on these shotguns. Mine is a takedown model and I can say for sure that a spanner wrench for removing the forearm (slide) is an absolute must. Brownels has them for cheap. Get an additional magazine follower as well. You can cut it down to about 3/4" and then roll the cut edge over a bit so that it wont just fall all the way through the magazine tube and then you can load six rounds into it. You have to putz with it a little to get everything to fit and you may have to cut three or four coils off of the spring and then stretch it back out, but it isn't all that hard to do, especially if you have a Dremel tool. having a six round magazine is very handy for W. B.

[Wolf Killer]

Bugscuffle,
Thanks for the reply, one more question, do you or anyone know of a period style front sling swivel for the barrel of the 97?
I have looked at a bunch, but none that will put the swivel under the barrel or that has a vintage look to it.

I paused Wild Bunch, as the 97 carried had slings, but they are trench guns with the heat shield removed. and they use the swivel on the bayonet mount.

Thanks,
DB

[Bugscuffle]

The originals are scarcer than lips on a chicken, but you may want to try Numrich or Brownels. There are any number of aftermarket barrel mount sling swivels on the market. I wouldn't worry too much about which brand of shotgun they are made for, most shotgun barrels are all pretty close to the same diameter, in a range of about 0.875 to 0.845. Thats not too much to be accomodated by a simple turn of the mounting screw. The mounting screw and the Dremel tool should fix it if its a little too big or small. My 97 measure 0.845.