usnmars 136 Posted October 23, 2010 Here are some pics of my winter project this year. Every year I get a project gun right before winter and rebuild it to pretty much new specs. It gives me something to do while the snow is falling, and I like to think of it as testing my skill. Here is this years project a 1897 Winchester 12GA that was built in 1917. I got it at an auction on Wed for $75.00 and figured what the heck. The action was seized and the stock had more cracks in it than I can count. I did a full detail strip and cleaned it out. Now the action is smooth as silk. I repaired the cracks in the stock, you cant even see them though I still need to do the fore-end. The last 6" of the barrel were pitted to hell so I cut it down to 20"(purists dont be haters, if it wasn't for me this gun would have been a wall hanger). I am going to hand polish the entire gun and do a rust blue on it. I am going to convert it to a Trench gun, so when I find a shroud and bayonet lug I will get them. I shot it a little more today and I have to say this is now my favorite shotgun even though it still is currently a turd. Here are some pics of before I touched it and where I am at now. Updates will come as I do more work. BEFORE I TOUCHED IT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
david8613 69 Posted October 23, 2010 that looks so cool, alot of character and flavor! thanks for the pics.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LibertyOrDeath 3 Posted October 23, 2010 Man..the stories that gun could tell...the places its been, the game its Harvested? Very nice...looking forward to seeing the finished work. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ray Ray 3,566 Posted October 24, 2010 Man..the stories that gun could tell...the places its been, the game its Harvested? Very nice...looking forward to seeing the finished work. Either that or it sat in someone's basement for 70 years! either way it's seen better days. I think the same thing when I see a tractor trailor carrying smashed cars, those cars where once brandy new and someone picked them out off of a lot. Now they are sold as scrap to China. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1563621 388 Posted October 24, 2010 I have a gentleman came in to show todayn and has a trench gun from WW1 with lug and wants to sell. I told him excel cond 8-1200 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moparman426 5 Posted October 24, 2010 Very nice 97. Good luck with it! I picked one up at a gun show a few years ago. Mine is the take down model made in 1899. been debating on cutting the 30 inch barrel to 20... just cant get myself to do it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blcklightning 11 Posted October 24, 2010 I got it at an auction on Wed for $75.00 and figured what the heck. An Auction? Looks good by the way. I would like to get an older shotgun to fix up too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usnmars 136 Posted October 25, 2010 I love the auctions, ya never know what you are going to see. I normally hit one every time I am home Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
david8613 69 Posted October 25, 2010 anyone who likes guns should have at least one vintage piece, i know i will, could be a pistol, rifle or shotgun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fliks 20 Posted October 26, 2010 there's an article in this Month's American Rifleman on the 1897 trench gun. very interesting. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usnmars 136 Posted October 27, 2010 I started hand polishing the gun a little yesterday. I can say to do it right is going to be a long arduous process. It took me over an hour to get one spot about the size of a silver dollar on the receiver polished down good. The way I do polishing is to start what I call a "benchmark" spot. Do one spot down to a full final polish and then tackle the rest of the gun. This way it keeps you from saying "good enough" on any areas on the rest of the gun. To make it blend right, you must get the rest of the gun to the same standard as that one spot. My "benchmark" spot is now done, now just to get the rest of the gun like it. This is why I call it my winter project, it is going to take most of the winter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moparman426 5 Posted November 4, 2010 hows your 97 coming along? any updates? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ray Ray 3,566 Posted November 4, 2010 hows your 97 coming along? any updates? I think he's in Louisiana. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matt6669 71 Posted November 5, 2010 I think he's in Louisiana. Negative, he's in the Gulf of Mexico on an Oil rig. Will be back in a few weeks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moparman426 5 Posted November 6, 2010 ooooooooh, ok. ill try again later. Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usnmars 136 Posted November 6, 2010 I am at work right now, wont be home till about the 22nd. I did however build an electrolysis tank for this thing and let it go for one treatment. WOW that electrolysis is the shiz nit. All of the crud from the gun plated itself on an old barrel I put in the tank as an anode. All of the stampings and numbers are clear as day now. I actually found some stampings on it you couldn't see before. It really cleaned the heck out of the barreled action. I think i am going to do one more treatment when I get home. I did get a replacement fore-end from numrich. The original was trashed and not salvageable. I dont have pics but you really didn't miss much. I will take some pics next time I am home. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vjf915 456 Posted November 7, 2010 Wow, sounds great. Definitely in for pics! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usnmars 136 Posted November 21, 2010 Got a heat shield and bayonet lug on the way. Fortunately I already have a bayonet for it. I can't wait to see how it starts coming together! Nothing says don't fugg with me like a short 12ga with a 20" bayonet!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pew Pew Plates 358 Posted November 21, 2010 they bayonet makes it a mean fightin' machine, cant have a trench gun without one of those awesome 17"ers! HD gun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ray Ray 3,566 Posted November 21, 2010 damn, it'll stab the guy behind the bad guy! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vjf915 456 Posted November 21, 2010 It really will. Holy crap man, it looks GREAT. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KpdPipes 388 Posted November 22, 2010 I am at work right now, wont be home till about the 22nd. I did however build an electrolysis tank for this thing and let it go for one treatment. WOW that electrolysis is the shiz nit. All of the crud from the gun plated itself on an old barrel I put in the tank as an anode. All of the stampings and numbers are clear as day now. I actually found some stampings on it you couldn't see before. It really cleaned the heck out of the barreled action. I think i am going to do one more treatment when I get home. I did get a replacement fore-end from numrich. The original was trashed and not salvageable. I dont have pics but you really didn't miss much. I will take some pics next time I am home. You beat me to it..I was going to caution you to be CAREFUL when polishing it. I have an 1897 that has the Serial number all but polished OFF by someone who had stripped it down to the white. I ended up using an Acid Etching gel to being the S/n back up to where you could see it readily. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usnmars 136 Posted December 3, 2010 here are some updated pics so far. I got the mag tube rough polished, and about half the barrel. I had to basically re-make a fore end for it and do a ton of stock repairs. I am not sure I like the fore end, might have to age it a little with some leather dye. But here it is. a polished mag tube and half a barrel. woo hoo, slow and steady. She should be done by the spring. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ray Ray 3,566 Posted December 3, 2010 good job dude, she's ready for home defense! Or the safe, not sure of her philosophy of use. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matt6669 71 Posted December 3, 2010 Eric, the forend definitely needs some more darkening but its looking a million times better than when you got it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 264 Posted December 3, 2010 Looking good, man! Keep it up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usnmars 136 Posted December 3, 2010 Well it doesn't even seem like the same rust bucket that i first got. And at least the action is smooth as glass. Off to do some more polishing....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cemeterys Gun Blob 165 Posted December 8, 2010 I have a gentleman came in to show todayn and has a trench gun from WW1 with lug and wants to sell. I told him excel cond 8-1200 excel condition is over $4k :icon_e_surprised: there are special markings to look for to ensure they are originals. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cemeterys Gun Blob 165 Posted December 8, 2010 Got a heat shield and bayonet lug on the way. Fortunately I already have a bayonet for it. I can't wait to see how it starts coming together! Nothing says don't fugg with me like a short 12ga with a 20" bayonet!!!!! How much barrel do you need beyond the mag tube for that heat shield to fit? I was thinking of doing the same thing, but I only have about 2" of barrel beyond the end of the mag tube. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cemeterys Gun Blob 165 Posted December 8, 2010 they bayonet makes it a mean fightin' machine, cant have a trench gun without one of those awesome 17"ers! HD gun And they're awesome to shoot black powder with!! Just don't ride the rear grip too high, otherwise you'll learn real quick why these scatterguns got the nickname *knucklebuster*. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites