DOM Win 1897 #285451

Henry0Reilly

28" barrel marked "Full"

Wolf.

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Your gun was probably made mid-year in 1905.

The barrel, if original, started life at 30" or 32". In fact, the barrel still may be 30", depending on where you measured from. The Winchester Model 1897 shotguns' standard barrel options were 30", 32" or a 26" "brush gun" barrel. I'm not sure exactly when the 26" barrel was introduced, however it became available at some point after the 30" and 32" lengths were made standard options. I have a Model 1897 produced in 1906 with a 26" tube. I've seen more full choke barrels than modified chokes, so I believe full choke was the more common. If your gun barrel is original and has seen a lot of use however, the barrel is most likely shot out and will measure out to be a cylinder bore by now.

Your gun is probably one of the "C" series guns (the letter above the serial number on the forward underside of the receiver). These earlier guns do not have the spring-loaded cartridge stops that allow the magazine to be dumped in 1/2 second by squeezing the steel buttons on either side of the receiver. I believe the letter markings are there designating what Winchester considered marked design changes, but...... For instance, I believe only the "E" designation guns have the spring-activated magazine dump feature.

Bert can confirm or correct this information and fill in the blanks.

Henry0Reilly

There are pictures of it here:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=90575418

I didn't notice any letter. The barrel might be 26" I took the word of the guy that sold it to me.

Old-Colts

Looking at your auction photos there is a "D" just above the serial number on the receiver, which is correct for a Model 97 in this serial number range.

Bert H.

Just as a reference point, the following DOM information is provided;

289088 - shipped 12-14-1905
291428 - shipped 7-5-1905 (Pigeon grade)
298088 - shipped 10-14-05

As mentioned, a 30" barrel was standard on the Model 1897, with a 32" barrel listed as an available optional length. "FULL" choke was standard, with an optional "MOD" choke, or a "CYL" bore. The "Brush Gun" (introduced in November of 1897) was made with a 26" CYL bore barrel only.

With all of that said, a 28" barrel could be special ordered, and that appears to be the case with your gun. The Cody Firearms Muesum has the original records for your gun, and can be used to verify the barrel length.