(Serial Number Reference) Winchester Firearms Manufacturing Dates by Serial Number and Year 1866 through the early 1990s Below is the download link for a special resource for dating Winchester firearms.
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This information is no substitute for obtaining a Winchester Factory Letter from the Cody Firearms Museum (available for certain models and serial ranges) which in addition to the Serial Number Application Date, normally provide the original Received In Warehouse Date and Date Shipped from Winchester factory. I Have This Old Gun. Winchester Model 1897 “Trench Gun”. The Winchester Riot Gun was pressed into service, but it quickly morphed into the U.S.-issue “Trench Gun, Model of 1917. As I already mentioned, I have Model 1897 riot gun serial number 737737 which the Winchester Polishing Room records date to 1920. Also, several years ago a dealer acquired over 70 Model 1897 trench guns from the Richmond, VA Police Dept. WINCHESTER DATES OF MANUFACTURE. Winchester Model 1897: Covering numbers: 31608 - 1024700. Please enter a serial number and click the submit button.
Hello All.
Here is my 1897 Trench gun. I am in love with it and purchased is about 15 years ago.
I am starting to research its long history in the military. I believe it came to Canada Section of the Milsurp Knowledge Library.', BGCOLOR, '#DDDDDD', BORDERCOLOR, '#000000', BORDERWIDTH, '1',FOLLOWMOUSE, 0, OFFSETX, -10, OPACITY, '95', FADEIN, '25', FADEOUT, '25', CLICKCLOSE, true,FOLLOWSCROLL, true, PADDING, 0, BALLOON, 1 ,ABOVE, false, TITLE1, 'Canada - Milsurp Knowledge Library',LINKURL, 'https://www.milsurps.com/content.php?r=117-canada', SHOWCLOSE, 0, BALLOONIMGPATH , 'autolinker/images/balloons/yellow'); microAjax('autolinker/autolinker_stats.php?uid=0&fid=122&t=v&kw=Canada', function (res) {;});'>Canada from a batch via Korea.
I have dated the serial number E 679xxx to 1918 but believe it could have been earlier.
Has Flaming Bomb and cyl along with PW stampings.
Has this been refurbed for WW2?
Is is possible it saw service in WW1, WW2 and Korea.
Does the proof on the stock WB indicate WW2 refub? Is the stock original?
Are there any other markings I should look for?
I love this shotgun and want to respect its service history...
by Rick Hacker - Thursday, April 6, 2017
This year marks the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into “The War To End All Wars,” as it was dramatically called. But rather than end wars, it changed them—armored vehicles were employed and aerial warfare literally took battle tactics to new heights. The Great War also transformed one of the most popular shotguns in America from a sporting arm into a formidable force for close-in fighting, specifically in the confines of trench warfare.
An atypical hero emerged, the militarized Winchester Model 97 Riot Gun, a 20'-barrel, 12-ga., cylinder-bore version of John Browning’s Model 1897 exposed-hammer, pump-action shotgun that held five rounds in its under-barrel, tubular magazine.
After America’s declaration of war, the Winchester Riot Gun was pressed into service, but it quickly morphed into the U.S.-issue “Trench Gun, Model of 1917,” sporting sling swivels, a lug attachment for the U.S. M1917 bayonet and a perforated steel heat shield to guard against burned hands during rapid-fire. Lacking a disconnector, the Trench Gun, with its trigger held back, could be slam-fired as fast as the slide could be worked. Nicknamed the “Trench Sweeper,” it became so feared that Germany tried unsuccessfully to get trench shotguns outlawed.
Unlike World War II Trench Guns, World War I versions were solid-frame, had no inspector’s stamp on the stock and most were not military-marked, although some were hand-stamped with a “U.S.” and an ordnance bomb on the upper right hand side of the receiver. Many of those were re-issued for use during World War II.
Many published Model 97 Trench Gun serial number manufacturing dates are incorrect; the guns were issued in three blocks of numbers, of which this gun represents the third and final issuance by the government—E613303 to E697066—according to Field Editor Bruce Canfield’s U.S. Infantry Weapons of the First World War.
The 70-percent-condition Trench Gun shown has an interesting history, as it was issued to a “Dr. Johnson” from Peabody, Kan., who went into the U.S. Army during World War I and served as an officer in the Quartermaster Corps. After the Armistice, Dr. Johnson brought his Model 97 home and, years later, sold it to the son of a man with whom he had served. It was last fired in 1971 on a dove hunt and has been hanging on a wall until acquired from the family by the present owner. Time and the elements have dulled the original bluing, and the stock sports a coat of varnish, but having never been altered, it is easily worth $2,750 to $3,250. Were its finish original, it would be worth quite a bit more.
Gun: Winchester Model 1897 “Trench Gun”
Gauge: 12 Gauge
Serial: E669XXX
Manufactured: 1918
Condition: 70 percent—NRA Good (Modern Gun Standards)
Value: $2,750 to $3,250
Additional Reading:
A Look Back at the Winchester Model 1897