2/28/19 - This is an all original Winchester Model 97 shotgun that started its life as a commercial 12 gauge gun, and was then pressed into US army service by converting it to a 20 inch cylinder bore trench shotgun, and then turning it into a “riot” military shotgun by removing the heat shield. As the war demands during WWII outstripped the capacity of Winchester to produce enough dedicated trench and riot shotguns for the US army, a purchase of civilian M1897 and M12 shotguns was initiated for a conversion to a trench/riot configuration. The barrel was cut to 20.5 inches and marked “cyl”. Flaming bomb military proof mark was stamped on top of the barrel and on the receiver. This is one of these converted guns - an absolutely original condition M97 with the above modifications. Everything is original including the cartouches and the bluing. At one point it had a heat shield on - as evidenced by the cut outs and drag marks on the bottom of the barrel. It was eventually converted to a “riot” configuration.
This is a great example of a rarely seen all original US martial shotgun that would not break the bank. Minty bore.
