So, I've been on a shotgun kick here lately and found a 12 gauge 1897 in a local shop. S/N shows it was made in 1906. What can yall tell me about them?

I don't think I've ever even seen one of these before, but I really liked it. A lot. Not sure why, but it seemed very classy.

I found a new place to dove hunt this year that I'll probably have to canoe in to get to. And I would love to spend an afternoon canoeing to a secluded spot and shooting doves with a 100 year old shotgun...

The 97 was designed for Winchester by John Browning. Maybe one of the last he sold to Winchester. So the 97 is a well design gun with a lot of machined parts. The exposed small hammer was it's downfall. To easy to let fall with cold fingers or gloves on. Chances are it is a full choke. It could be used for these western shoots they have now days.

I have my Dads 1897. and have owned several others during my lifetime. One precaution to be very careful with. DO not have your finger on the trigger when you operate the slide for it will fire when the action closes , you pull forward on the slide and it jerks the gun forward and the weight of your finger will fire it. but it is one heck of a turkey gun you won't need any magnums..

Thanks for the help guys. Would it be safe to fire modern plastic hulls through it?

It should have no problem with plastic hulls. Because it might have a tight full choke, I would not shoot steel shot in it. Nothing dangerous is going to happen if you do.

I have one in 16 gauge that is my hands down fav for hunting turkeys.
They're very smooth to operate and generally have a crisp, rifle like trigger to them. Mine was made in 1900, is a full choke and a lot more user friendly to tote and shoot than most 12 gauge shotguns.

And yes, they will most certainly fire if the action is worked and the trigger held back. That's one of the things that the Cowboy Action Shooters like about that gun.

what pump action shotguns don't do this??????Kinda like saying if you toss something up in air it will fall back down

Newer designs with trigger disconnects like Remington 870, Winchester 1200, Mossberg. Winchester 1897 and 1912 and no doubt some others that I am not aware of will fire as soon as the action closes if you keep the trigger held back. On the newer designs you have to release the trigger for each shot.

I hunted with the Win 97 when i was growing up and have owned a bunch of them and have never spent any amount of time without one. The one i have now is 12 almost brand new and has had only about 50 rounds down the tube. When i purchased it a few years back it had only been fired a couple of round. I trade my 16 GA to my Doctor Friend last year, should have kept it . The 97 is one of my favorite pump shotgun for small game .

Thanks for the help guys...Now I need to find something to sell pretty quick.

If I'm able to get it I'll post some pics.

Looking forward to the photos. I will take a photo of my present 97 and post it when the rain stops

The 1897 actually was an improvement over Browning's 1893 and from the info I can find the changes were the work of factory designers. From the 1885 single shot until the 1900 single shot bolt action all Winchesters were designed by Browning and I do not think any other company got any of his designs during that time, Winchester bought all of his designs but did not produce a lot of them. As well as Winchester and Browning did together it did not seem to hurt either when they parted. I believe Browning got a much higher percentage of his work actually put into production after.

The Winchester 97 is a masterpiece in the shotgun world and one of favorite pump guns.

You guys are killing me...I've got to pay for CO tags this week and just don't think I'm gonna be able to get it.