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winchester model 97 extra long barrel?
Doeroller1
Member Posts: 1 ✭
a friend has asked me to appraise and repair this model 1897 made in 1909. According to all sites i have visited there is no mention of barrel length for this "standard 97" to exceed 30". however my tape measure reads 39 1/2 in. with no bead and no stamp on the barrel. Is this a special order? or Is this a bad modification?
Comments
Turkey shoot gun. Look close you could see where it has been extended.
any holes in the top of the receiver?
With no stamp, I would guess it is a modification. I have seen several older shotguns that had aftermarket, extra long barrels. Some were for waterfowlers trying to get more performance out of the ammunition available at the time. Turkey shoot competitors did it to get a longer sight radius, but his not even having a front bead might rule that out. For a while there were some handicapped trap shooters that had barrels up to 60" long to rest on a bracket on their wheelchair. If it is quality work a good gunsmith could shorten it, install chokes and a front bead and make it a little more user friendly. Bob
The standard for 16ga was 28", and 30" for the 12ga. A 32" was available, and I've heard there was a special order option for a 36"? I know Winchester did some one off special orders, but I've never seen or heard of a factory barrel that long. Maybe Bert can enlighten us, but I suspect as Butchdog posted, someone made a Turkey Shoot barrel.
Any you folks seen the turkey shoot guns with the "bridge" suspension looking devices on them?
4 cables attached at 4 different points running the length of the barrel.
Must be designed to apply tension as a way to control shot direction.