-
Legacy Member
WWII Winchester M97, Sn. 953081, manufactured in 1943…I think. (Pics)
Last edited by drm2m; 03-26-2009 at 11:38 PM.
-
-
03-26-2009 11:33 PM
# ADS
Friends and Sponsors
-
FREE MEMBER
NO Posting or PM's Allowed
"No G.H.D. WHY'
Stock has been replaced. The butt plate looks a little larger than stock. Should be sanded flush with stock.
-
-
FREE MEMBER
NO Posting or PM's Allowed
It could be original!
Maybe its original and its just been sanded and refinished? A pic of the sling swivel inletting may tell the story?
-
Legacy Member
TrenchCrazy,
Thanks for your response, you could well be right.
Based on the condition of this gun I am absolutely puzzled as to why the stock would have needed replacing.
Who knows?????
David
I will check my photos of the sling swivel tonight.
-
-
FREE MEMBER
NO Posting or PM's Allowed
First of all, play GI manual of arms with a 97 and you will need a stock.
That stock appears to me to be refinished, and they did not cut the buttplate to match. This is very common, and KILLS the value of the gun.
Original stocks do turn up from time to time in the $400 or so range. Keep your eyes open.
-
FREE MEMBER
NO Posting or PM's Allowed
If you look closely at the pic of the full gun, you can see where the finish is darker towards the buttplate. That is very typical of a refinished stock.
OTOH if you look at the fit to the receiver, it looks perfect. So my guess is that the stock is refinished and not replaced. It should have a commercial varnish finish, not any kind of oil. If you look it over really closely, you may find someplace there was a repair done. Look especially at the wrist area, as it is quite prone to breakage.
AND
Some people, back in the day, did not care about future collectors and just sanded out the cartouche, probably thinking it was someone initials or something silly like that.
-
Legacy Member
-
-
Legacy Member
I can't tell by your photo, but is the sling swivel slightly below the wood line? It should be. Compare your's to the photo of gfguns Model 97 sling swivel in the thread below.
-
-
Legacy Member
Thanks for your involvement Tom.
Tomorrow I will take some more photos of this area of the gun....it has been too long since my last pics.
A THOUGHT:
I have always believed ......you have one chance to get it right....when you buy it!
It is one thing to add accessories.....it is another thing to start adding parts
to try and transform a piece into what it historically was not.
You might be able to find the correct pieces....but you are kidding yourself at the end of the exercise....if you think it is correct.
All of these guns are what they are....if we start manipulating that historical reality....who are we kidding.....the next owner?
I don't feel great about doing that as a serious collector....and I won't do it.
David
Last edited by drm2m; 03-28-2009 at 12:31 AM.
-
-
Legacy Member
-