How to breakdown a 1943 Winchester model 97 trench gun??

[denwhit]

After removing the bayonet brace and taken the magazine tube out of the receiver and I thought now I should be able to turn the barrel and yoke assemble 90 degrees and remove but I can't get it to budge.
Then I read somewhere that Canfield has written that the military versions of the model 97 were made so they can't be taken apart like the normal civilian model 97. Is he right?
Help will be appreciated.
Also, on the right side of the yoke assembly is what looks like a little lever between the barrel and magazine tube. What is the purpose of that?

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Is it a take down or a solid frame? How about some pics? If it's a takedown and you have the mag tube removed, then someone has turned the heading ring tight and forced the front onto the back half. It'll still come apart, just not by hand. That little "Lever " is the lock that holds the heading ring in place. It has nothing to do with what you're doing.

[denwhit]

Is it a take down or a solid frame? How about some pics? If it's a takedown and you have the mag tube removed, then someone has turned the heading ring tight and forced the front onto the back half. It'll still come apart, just not by hand. That little "Lever " is the lock that holds the heading ring in place. It has nothing to do with what you're doing.

Thanks for that information. I've ordered Canfield's book on military shotguns, but I understand he states the military versions were made not be break down??? Here are some pictures of my shotgun. 1943 Winchester Model 97 Trench Shotgun Photos by lovtgolf | Photobucket

[browningautorifle]

Your bolt should be open when stripping a takedown. The trench guns were at times converted to a solid frame. I've seen little strips of metal formed around the bottom and screwed in place or screws put in the front of the magazine.

[denwhit]

Your bolt should be open when stripping a takedown. The trench guns were at times converted to a solid frame. I've seen little strips of metal formed around the bottom and screwed in place or screws put in the front of the magazine.

No, nothing apparent like that on this shotgun. We don't have a competent gunsmith in this town so hopefully someone will give me the answer. If the WWII Winchester 97's were made not to break down, I'm wondering how they did that???

[vintage hunter]

I'm not quite sure what Jim means by the bolt should be open when stripping a takedown. The bolt must be closed otherwise the action bar can't be withdrawn from the receiver so the two halves can be separated. Actually it's not necessary to separate the two halves to strip the action of a TD 97.

[Bruce Canfield]

You received some incorrect information. I never stated that WWII Model 97 trenchguns could not be diassembled. Of course, the handguard/bayonet adapter assembly must first be removed but, otherwise, there were no mechnical differences between the military contract guns and the civilian guns.

[browningautorifle]

The front half should just rotate clockwise on the receiver. I suspect it's been crowded closed by over tightening the heading ring. Another way of tightening that you sometimes see, doesn't appear in this case...is to batter the receiver with a hammer to make the metal swell forward.

bolt should be open when stripping a takedown

Don't know what I was thinking there...just like you say...

[denwhit]

You received some incorrect information. I never stated that WWII Model 97 trenchguns could not be diassembled. Of course, the handguard/bayonet adapter assembly must first be removed but, otherwise, there were no mechnical differences between the military contract guns and the civilian guns.

Bruce, I just got through pouring through your book looking for that statement with no luck, which now makes sense (since you never wrote it). I got that idea from reading the writeup of a Winchester trench gun that is currently listed on Gunbroker. I just can not get it to budge and afraid to stick it in the vise and start using force. One question: How should it turn out? As you are looking back toward the receiver from the muzzle end, the barrel and yoke should turn 90 degrees counter cw from that view, right?

[Tom Doniphon]

Maybe these disassembly instructions will help (see link below).

97 Takedown Procedures