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

[browningautorifle]

There ya go!

[denwhit]

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

97 Takedown Procedures

Thanks for that. Just knowing there is nothing to keep it from turning out is helpful. I guess mine is tough to disassemble because it hasn't been done in many years. I'll get it now.

[browningautorifle]

Let us know would you?

[denwhit]

Let us know would you?

Will do.

[sovblocgunfan]

I know I'm late to the party, but here is the 1942 Army manual for disassembly of the shotgun, plus other models. I have used it to completely disassemble my Savage 720 and my Stevens 520 and will also trust it for my Ithaca 37's. It works very, very well. Very complete and easy to use if the directions are followed.

http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/wwIItms/TM9_285_1942.pdf

[denwhit]

I decided to dedicate this Sunday morning to trying to take it apart again. With NO success! I had the slide action bar and magazine tube completely out and the barrel/yoke assembly just will not budge. No play or any sign it will ever come out. Guess I'll have to find a competent gunsmith and see what he thinks.. I bought a bore snake and ran that through it.. That will have to suffice for now. Not sure I need a $6K-$8K shotgun. I'll probably never shoot it anyway.

[vintage hunter]

I 'd be double sure he's competent with Winchester 97's. It's rather easy to crush the barrel extension if you go about it the wrong way.
If it were mine I wouldn't worry about separating the two halves for cleaning as it's not absolutely necessary to do so and doesn't give you anymore access to the receiver internals anyway.

[denwhit]

I 'd be double sure he's competent with Winchester 97's. It's rather easy to crush the barrel extension if you go about it the wrong way.
If it were mine I wouldn't worry about separating the two halves for cleaning as it's not absolutely necessary to do so and doesn't give you anymore access to the receiver internals anyway.

I agree with you. Look at this statement lifted from a Trench gun that is currently on Gunbroker; WW2 VINTAGE, ARSENAL PARKERIZED AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY GUN BLUED BY WINCHESTER IN WW2 AND ALSO SHOULD SHOW GHD INSPECTORS INITIALS IN THE BUTT, 4 ROW HANDGARD, 44 DATED BARREL,USUAL HANDLING MARKS, HAS ORIGINAL FOREARM, TAKE DOWN MODEL WAS ORIGINALLY MADE TO MILITARY SPECS.,SO CANNOT BE TAKEN APART" !!!!

The exclamation points are mine. Evidentally, he has different information. Bruce Canfield does not state that in his book; "Military Shotguns", and in this very post topic he further wrote that he never stated that, so I wonder who is right??? I know mine sure does not want to be taken down for some reason. ???

[browningautorifle]

It would sure be nice to take a look at it to see for myself. Most every firearm can be disassembled. That's what you're doing. The guns had screws added to avoid take down like a standard '97(in some cases) but they'll still come apart. I wonder what we're missing here?

[vintage hunter]

I'd like to see some pictures of it myself, especially where the two halves join. If the military did specify they be built so as not to be broken down in the normal manner all that would be required is for the adjusting sleeve be advanced a few notches. There was no doubt a barrel wrench to align the halves and without it breaking it down by had would be impossible.