I'm halfheartedly trying to buy an 1897 Winchester. Halfheartedly because I already bought enough guns this year and I'm trying to push it off for the new year. But my word, I recently bid $200 for an 1897 on GB and it sold for $205! They're so cheap right now even with me fooling around I'm almost bringing them home.
The 1897 should be more valuable than common as dirt Model 12 field grade shotgun. Fewer were made and they see use in SASS. These is really kool shotguns especially if of "ball n shot type" ie long barrel 1/4 choke. These should be more valuable as "two ball shot" loads are now available.
You can't hardly give pump shotguns away to the younger generation of today, especially one with a hammer. Most are more interested in buying semis or some cheap Turkish O/U.
As far as 97's go, dimensions are far from modern and almost all have so much drop you have to shoot them off your chin, along with balance being sup-par. Many early Model 12’s have the same stock dimension issues. Not so much with later examples.
