1897 Winchester 16 ga.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

I have a 1897 Winchester 16 ga. that I have been thinking of selling. Serial # 4623-- it's in descent shape. I used to hunt rabbits and pheasant with it and have taken a deer with it. I am trying to get some funds up to get my wife a descent .38 revolver for her to use at the range. I have a SP-101 that she shoots but I'd like to get a little heavier gun for her to practice with. How does a guy figure out the price of a shotgun like that? It's over 100 years old. If I go to a neighboring gun store, the guy can tell me anything and I wouldn't know any better. Both serial numbers match so it's the original barrel marked MOD

[runfiverun]

my gun traders guide [thats a few years old] say's it's worth 475 bucks.
no grade given. [guessing they only made one]
they were made from 1898 through the 1950's.
the 97 trench gun is worth about 3 times that.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Thanks. That gives me an idea of what to look for.

[cdet69]

Just out of curiosity but I thought I read somewhere that the older Winchester 16 guage shotguns used 2 1/2" inch shells. Not the modern 2 3/4" shells.

[MT Chambers]

97s are pretty popular with the Cowboy Action Shooters.

[runfiverun]

a lot of the old 12 ga's used 2-1/2" shells too.
at one time there were 10 ga shells in 3".
but we live in america and everything got bigger and better :lol:

the wad columns back then were stacked felt,cork and carboard so you could get the shot in the shorter cases easy nuff by adding or leaving out a filler card.
and the roll crimps normally in use used up less case length too.

[Blacksmith]

Charlie
Here is a link and if you scroll to the bottom of the page there are links to other similar guns.
http://www.gunvaluesboard.com/approx-value-of-winchester-model-1897-16-ga-1909-3178826.html

[onceabull]

That old a '97 in 16g will almost certainly have the 2 9/16s chamber unless it has been lengthed somewhere along the way...Proper length ammo is still available from some specialty loaders,and last I know Remington still loaded it in Mexico... Onceabull

[Charlie Two Tracks]

I just looked up the serial number again and it was built in 1910.

[Duckiller]

Have someone measure the length of the chamber. My father had a pre WWII model 12, 16 ga that was labeled 2 9/16" chamber. Post korean war when he took it to a smith to have the chamber lengthened it measured 2 3/4". Winchester may have cut a long chamber. Also check what is stamped on the barrel. What length shells have you been shooting?

[thebigmac]

I have a1897 also, in 12 ga. Haven't run the serial # yet.
My problem with it is that it has a Damascus barrel. I used to
shoot trap with it with no problems. That's with 2-34" ammo. It has a 30" barrel, with a full choke..Quite a show piece at the club trap shoots.. bigmac