Hey, you guys are into guns ... my sister just inherited a Winchester 1897 Trap 'black diamond'. Serial number in the 3**,000 range.

Gun looks awesome! Just needs a new stock. Don't even know what those go for, since the ebony inlaid black diamonds are a major identy to the trap guns.

Anyhow ... question is, can the gun shoot modern 2-3/4" shells? I know the early Model 12's I've looked at, when they were only available in 20ga ... are only chambered for a 2-1/2" shell. I wasn't around back then, so figured I'd ask ... does the same hold true for 12ga?

Thanks, Neal

Does it look something like this? http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976710216.htm

Yep, that's what one looks like ... the one in the ad doesn't have the right butt plate though.

Great looking guns I think ... though, I definitely prefer the Model 12's.

Neal

Might want to look here (http://hunting.about.com/od/shotgun/l/aastshotgunfaqb.htm).

Have it checked by a gunsmith to measure the chamber. These guns were made from 1897 to 1957 if I remember correctly. If it is chambered for the older 2 5/8 shells, it can be rechambered to the 2 /3/4 easily.
You said it needed a stock. If the old one is not oil rotted at the frame, and can be refinished and the checkering recut, by all means do it.
Those stocks aren't available "off the shelf" as the 870 Remingtons, etc. are. A custom made stock is big bucks. When I did stock work back in the '80's and '90's, a custom stock such as this would run you about $1000.
These are fairly rare guns. The only other "97 models that are more rare are the ones that were used in WWI in the trenches. They had a 20" barrel, a bayonet, and a ventilated hand gaurd.

Yeah, I actually found some info on the web ... mostly from Cowboy Action Shooting.

It sounds like all '97s came with something closer to a 2-9/16" chamber, with a very short forcing cone. I think we're going to go ahead and have the chamber reamed longer, and a longer forcing cone ... to make the gun more reasonable to shoot.

Yeah, the black diamond stock is gone ... and replaced with something cheap. I know in the past I've run across some original stocks, that can then be fitted to another gun ... but I have no idea what those run anymore.

Thanks, Neal

I think I found something that might work for you. Or you could call these folks. They used to sell fully finished replacement stocks for alot of the older guns. They used to go by the name Fajen but they've changed they're name to Boyds' www.boydsgunstocks.com (http://www.boydsgunstocks.com)




http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/Images/Parts/300-716.jpg
http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/BrowseEbus/Replacementall.asp

great another boyds just what the world needed