I'm setting my wife up for C.A.S. and recently bought her a win 97 .I am having the stock and barrel shortened to fit her better. My question is will the shot pattern be ok once the barrel is shortened or will she be better off having a choke tube installed?........Thanks ..Tom
Cowboy winchester 97
- Thread starter hawkentom
- Start date
Unless the club(s) where you will be shooting use smaller shotgun plates/targets than most, I'd say it should be just fine for CAS as a "cylinder bore", which it presumably will be once shortened ... shotgun targets tend to be relatively big - and close!
My compliments on getting a gun setup to "fit" your wife. I see all kinds of pardettes really struggle with their husbands/boyfriends full size shotguns and pay a hefty price absorbing recoil they shouldn't have too. Then they want to go to 20 gauge "to beat recoil" and the gun still doesn't fit, weighs less and ends up generating just as much or more recoil. A decent weight 12 gauge, sized to fit the shooter, shooting target loads or better yet Winchester Featherlites will be far easier on the shooter as well as just being easier to shoot than a full size 20 gauge with the wrong LOP etc.
As mentioned above cylinder should handle 99% of the target you will likely see.
If it is going to be a dedicated cowboy gun I'd try it after it's cut down and see how it shoots, don't like it you can always have it threaded/choked later.
I shoot a cut down Browning BSS and it never fails to handle knockdowns if I do my part.
As mentioned above cylinder should handle 99% of the target you will likely see.
If it is going to be a dedicated cowboy gun I'd try it after it's cut down and see how it shoots, don't like it you can always have it threaded/choked later.
I shoot a cut down Browning BSS and it never fails to handle knockdowns if I do my part.
Another thought ....
If it is an original Model 97 you are contemplating having cut down, but haven't done so yet ... you might want to consider picking up one of the Norinco repro '97's, instead. They are available in a short-barreled configuration already, and seems like a bit less of a "sacrilege" to cut down the buttstock on one of those than on an original ...
C$337.77 at S.I.R. - S.I.R. Norinco 1897
C$349.00 at Marstar - Marstar Norinco 1897
If it is an original Model 97 you are contemplating having cut down, but haven't done so yet ... you might want to consider picking up one of the Norinco repro '97's, instead. They are available in a short-barreled configuration already, and seems like a bit less of a "sacrilege" to cut down the buttstock on one of those than on an original ...
C$337.77 at S.I.R. - S.I.R. Norinco 1897
C$349.00 at Marstar - Marstar Norinco 1897
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I shoot a 20" cyl bore 97 and don't have any issues with it for main match use. It isn't the greatest for "cowboy clays" side matches though. I recently picked up another 97 with a 30" full choke barrel that I plan on leaving as is for side matches.
Cariboo Lefty
CGN Regular
- Location
- Kamloops BC
I cut my 97 back to 19" and installed a modified choke tube. There is not a lot of meat left to screw the bead into, so after losing my bead a couple of times, I had a smith drill and tap rite through the choke. I like the modified choke because if you get a stubborn knockdown more pattern on the steel is a good thing. Also a lot of the clubs here in BC will have a knockdown activate a clay pidgeon, a modified choke gives a little better chance of hitting a flyer. After you have cut the gun down to fit, you mite want to look at a mercury recoil reducer. One of our shooters put 2 in his wifes gun. One in the butt and one in the magazine tube. We go to all this trouble to convince our laddies to come shoot with us, we should make sure they don't get all beat up.
Looking forward to shooting with you.
Looking forward to shooting with you.
The wife and I did look at a couple of norinco model 97's. We both were not very impressed with them. She is very pleased with her original and the deal we got on the gun and gunsmithing puts it close to the same price as a norinco.
I also got her a Marlin and a pair of new mod Vaqueros in 38. The holsters from Mernicles should be here in a few weeks..............watch out for Mrs. Watchit
Thanks for all the input, gotta go work some more O.T to pay for all the Toys ....Tom
P.S . Hope to see some of you this season ,already booked time off for July long weekend in Kamloops,August at fort Kusk Alta. and labour day in Mission
I also got her a Marlin and a pair of new mod Vaqueros in 38. The holsters from Mernicles should be here in a few weeks..............watch out for Mrs. Watchit
Thanks for all the input, gotta go work some more O.T to pay for all the Toys ....Tom
P.S . Hope to see some of you this season ,already booked time off for July long weekend in Kamloops,August at fort Kusk Alta. and labour day in Mission
Cariboo Lefty
CGN Regular
- Location
- Kamloops BC
I own and like Mernickle leather, and Bob donated a nice rig for the first 3 years of the SASS Canadian Regional. However I now use a rig that Walt Ostin from Van. Island made. It still looks fairly authentic and it is as fast and secure as any leather outfit I have used. Walter's quality is second to none and his prices are in Can $.
