Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors How come this Model 1897 is not selling

Got no bidders at $660 and no bidders yet at $645

model 1897

I'd want to see some photos showing the fine cracks starting at the wrist. Also, the firearm is a curio and relic, if you specify you will take a C&R license you might pull in some potential bidders. Many seller's specify in the auction title, "C&R eligible."

BTW
This is not my auction
I was interested but got spooked as there are no bidders

because smart buyers wait til the last minute to bid?

The previous auction closed with no bidders at $660

Maybe they are smart.

i paid 200 for mine.. not as nice but in good working order.

$200 seems like one heck of a bargain!

In my neck of the woods that 97 is too high priced. That is a $400 shotgun.

Way too much for a gun marked like that with such a short barrel etc.

You forgot to mention the original condition. That's a real downer.

the old 97's have never been real hot commodities.

1.appears to have been a gun shop made police gun the CYL on the barrell is not a winchester stamp.

2. no picture of the serial # on the take down showing if they matched..

3. the barrel appears to have been buffed as the wording is weak.

4. Don't look right on first time I saw it. I have learned that the first 10 seconds are really important in my opnion of a gun. if I keep going back and looking at them then I can convience myself it ain't so bad.

Here's one to compare the stampings to - this one was probably used in a riot judging from the blood splatter damage -


Condition would be great if it wasn't for the blood damage - paid $35 for it ........ but that was over 35 years ago......

A good 97 should look like this, in my opinion.

Good to see a healthy amount of traffic on the Winchester forum . I have at least three '97's at the moment and have owned several over the years - including 16 gauge. When I think of the M1897, I think of a gun that saw a production of over a million and was made until 1957. So, scarcity is not it's strong suit. I find it low in the aesthetic and grace department. For this particular gun, the police department markings are not factory and in general, guns that were modified after they left the factory do not have their value enhanced as a result.

I saw, about 6 months ago, an 1897 that had been fully refurbished by Winchester in 1970 with letter of authenticity. It was gorgeous & on the used rack in the highest priced gun store in Houston and they only wanted $500 for it.