Printable View
Guys asking this question on behalf of a friend....he has a Model 97 30" barrel Winchester serial number I 65100 near the shell port and he would like to find out more about the gun and what its possible year of maker and how it managed to find its way to the UK.
Regards and thanks
Lloyd
Please..any help appreciated...... it has FULL and the patent and proof marks on the barrel...no US martial markings so i am guessing this is a civilian rather than a military gun....and any truth that it may be a US lend lease weapon for British Home Guard use ?
Regards
Lloyd
Mfg date (according to quick internet search) is 1899- fairly early on, if the number is 65100. Definitely not military! As to Home Guard usage- its possible!
JMoore many thanks for your response
Yes the serial is definatley 65100 preceeded by an I..not an E........no military markings......at all.
So is it also possible it could be a skeet or trap gun issued to the USAAF for recreation or gunnery training purposes or would they have been martially marked.
And what other markings would/should it have on it.
Kind Regards
Lloyd
A vintage 1899 Model '97 would not have entered US military service in either WWI or WWII, its purely civilian, especially w/ a 30" bbl! But its just the thing that someone in the States might have offered up for use in defense of GB after Dunkirk. Quite a few sent over at that time, most of which probably never got into the hands of those keeping watch for the German invasion.
I'm not familiar with the "I" prefix. Neither of the quick references I have at hand mention it. Will look more later, but this isn't really my field!
Thanks again JMoore....so 100% not a martial gun.......so how it got "over here" is a mystery..but thankyou so much for your valued input.
Regards
Lloyd