Another 1897 thread....

[ssapach]

I did a few searches on the site, and didn't exactly come up with the answers I was hoping for. My first question should be a fairly straight forward and easy one to answer, so here it goes.

Anyone have any replacement stock and fore stock suggestions for an old Winchester 1897? I did a google search and a few companies came up. First to stand out was Boyds. Anyone have any experience with their stocks and is it worth ordering from there? Is it a major pain to fit one to this old shotgun or would it be a bit of light sanding and carving to get the new pieces to fit properly?

My gun won't last much longer before the fore stock splits into a few pieces.

Next, does anyone know of sling studs that would mount on the tube mag of the 1897? Or possibly another option for allowing me to have a sling?

 

[straightshooter]

Western Gun Parts in Edmonton has replacement stocks for 1897s. Most times, they have both finished and unfinished stocks in stock. These aftermarket stocks are incredibly well inlet and will require very little final fitting, unless your 1897 is a rare long-tanged version, or other rare configuration.

My recommendation would be that you get an unfinished piece. This recommendation depends on your personal stock finishing skills, but is based on the fact that some minor fitting will probably be required. If this minor final fitting affects the finish in any way, finish repairs and blending will be inevitable. Repairing an existing finish can be more daunting for some folks than applying a fresh finish.

When replacing the fore end, I would further recommend you obtain a fore end wrench. They're a simple tool, inexpensive, but worth every penny for the ease with which they'll remove a fore end that has been seized over the decades. They're also handy for tightly securing the new fore end.

Lastly, I would not recommend modifying an 1897 with sling studs. This will do nothing to enhance the value of your '97, but will almost certainly reduce it's value to future purchasers. The mag tube was never intended to handle the weight of the whole gun. If a sling is integral to your carry style, a temporary sling might be a better choice.

 

[ssapach]

Thanks for the response, I honestly keep forgetting about Western Gun Parts. I will definitely give them a call this week and make sure they will have some so I don't drive to the city for nothing!

As for the sling, I can truly live without it. I'm not concerned with resale value of the gun exactly, but I am concerned about damaging the tube mag. So I'll just leave it as is rather than risk the chance of ruining it.

 

[struff55]

In reference to the sling and value unless the guns metal condition is 95%+ which I doubt judging by the description of the wood the value well not be degraded besides non original wood devalues it . A shooter grade 97 is $200- $400

 

[ssapach]

Unless the year of manufacture (1903) adds drastically to the resale value, it's a shooter grade.

Still handles and functions nicely, including the locking mechanism for the take-down feature, but I wouldn't consider it any sort of special collectible condition.

 

[ssapach]

Got my new bits for my old gun.

This is the old:

And the new:

Had to do a bit of fitting to get everything just nice, but it's not perfect. I wish the forestock came without any holes drilled, as they didn't all line up properly to the metal collar/link for the pump action.

So with a bit of filing, sanding and some use of the die grinder bits in a drill, I made it all work. A few coats of linseed oil to finish it off and now I have woodwork that isn't cracked!