It is but a comparatively short time since the Winchester repeating shotgun with the sliding forearna action, known as the Model 1893, was introduced, yet it is rapidly supplanting the double barreled gun at the trap and in the field. At first there was al most as much prejudice against this style of gun as there was against the repeating rifle when it was first introduced, but this quickly vanished when the wonderful performances and possibilites of the repeating shotgun became known. The United States Ordnance Board, after submitting a Winchester repeating shotgun to the severest tests for strength accuracy, penetration, endurance, excessive loads, defective shells, rust and dust, made the following, official finding, which is copied front the U. S. Ordnance Reports :— " In the preliminary examination of the shotgun, the Board was of the opinion that certain of the component parts—notably, the firing pin spring, cartridge stop spring, and sear—were too light and weak for hard service, but the results of.the severe tests to which the g,un was subjected showed that every part was strong and serviceable. The Board finds that the gun possesses the advantages claimed by the manufacturer. The sliding forearm movement insures the ease of manipulation from the shoulder, and the gun can be loaded, unloaded or fired with safety and sufficient rapidity. It is accurate, gives g,00d penetration, especially with the cartridge containing heavier buckshot, and has little recoil. The working parts are few in number, and are simple, strong, and well made ; and the Board is of the opinion that the arm is especially well adapted to the purpose for which it is intended. The Board has, therefore, no suggestions nor recommendations to make in the way of improving the gun for the use of sentinels in the military service." The great success which attended the sale of the Model iS93, repeating shotgun led the manufacturers to offer a new form of this gun, which it seemed best, by reason of many claan,ges and improvements, to call the Model 1897, although the users of the Model 1893 will recognize in it many points of similarity. The old form of sliding fore-end, breech-block, carrier block, hammer, and trigger have been retained, but in the detail many alterations are collected in the Model 1897 gun. The frame has been altered to use a 2 inch shell as well as a 2 Ya inch. The frame at the top has been covered over so that the ejecting of the shell is now entirely from the side. This adds great strength to the frame, and permits the use, without danger of jamming, of a 2 inch shell. A new lock, open ing by recoil, or otherwise, at the will of the operator, has been put upon the gun. Uncler the slide handle, and acting against the stop on the magazine. is placed a spring. When the gun is closed, this spring pushes ag,ainst the upper end of the action slide, and presses it toward the stock. A lever is hung in the carrier block ; when the slide handle is pressed forward. a spring in the rear end of the lever forces the forward end of the lever out and it catches against the notch in the action slide. While the hammer stands at full cock, the rear end of the lever is forced outward and its notched forward end holds the slide fast. When the hammer stands at half cock, the same occurs. But when the ham mer has fallen, the spring which lies under the rear end of the lever forces the forward end of the lever toward the center of the gun. The spring under the slide handle, how ever, still holds the forward end of the lever in place, and the gun cannot be opened until a slight forward motion of the slide handle releases the lever. Thereupon it may be opened by pulling back the slide handle. In firing, the recoil of the gun gives the slight forward motion to the slide handle, releases the lever. and enables the immediate opening of the gun. It results from this that the gun awaits the explosion of the cartridge before open ing. If the shell hangs fire, the guts will not come open in the hands of an operator who is holding back upon the slide handle with the intention of a quick second shot. It will, however, come immediately open when the recoil of the gun occurs. To open the gun at full cock, a button upon the right hand side must be pressed. This throws off the recoil lock and allows the gun to come open by making a slight forward push of the slide handle. When the hammer has fallen without exploding the cartridge, it will be necessary to push forward the slide handle before the gun can be pulled open. At half cock the gun is locked against firing and opening. Double extractors are used. That on the left hand side guides the bolt, enabling it to be fitted close its the frame so that a tight breech joint obtains. Upon the right side of the carrier block a movable cartridge guide is placed. The motion of this guide is so great that, in connection with the overhang of the frame, the side opening of the gun is completely covered at the moment when the cartridge is lifted from the magazine by the carrier block. This prevents the escape of the shell when the gun is turned sideways in the act of loading. A new firing pin lock is also furnished, acting at the first opening motion of the carrier, so that the firing pin stands locked at all times, except when the gun is closed and ready to tire. The arrangement of the firing pin lock is such that the firing, pin is always free at the time of firing, and the hammer has no other work to do than the moving of the firing pin. The firing pin is made lighter than in the Model 1893 gun. This enables a lighter mainspring in its turn, with shorter and lighter trigger pull. Two cartridge stops are furnished, one on each side opposite the mouth of the magazine. These carry the weight of the cartridges and the
magazine spring equally at two opposite points on the head of the cartridge so that the cartridge is not deformed about the head from pounding in time magazine. The barrel of this gun has been proved with drains of powder, No. 5. and ounces shot. The gun assembled. has been proved with two shots. four drams of powder (special bursting), ounce shot. It has been shot for pattern three shots, and to prove manipulation, eight to fifteen shots. With ordinary trap loads containing I ounce No. 8 shot the gun will be found to pattern 325 pellets in a 3o inch ring at 4o yards. This gun will use any load of smokeless which can be properly loaded in a 2 or inch. 12 gauge shell.
To load the magazine, turn the gun, when closed, so that the under surface of the carrier block can be seen. Lay the cartridge upon this and push it into the magazine. The magazine will contain live cartridges, which, with one in the barrel, inake six at the command of the shooter. The backward and forward motion of the action slide carries the cartridge from the magazine into the barrel. T., 101/11,1,1 e PhIgdthl open the gun. The cartridge in the chamber will be drawn out. The cartridge in the magazine will ap pear on the carrier block, and, by turning- the gun, it can drop out on to the hand. Make an incomplete closing 'notion, and again open the gun; drop out the next cartridge, and repeat until the magazine is empty.
action of the Model 1897 repeating shotgun, opened and closed, is shown in Figures 19 and 20. To dismount the gun see that all lateral pins are driven out from right to left, except hammer pin, which drives out from left to right. Remove band screw and band. Remove magazine stop screw from receiver. Grasp magazine at top ancl un screw and remove from receiver by hand, action slide and slide handle remaining on magazine. Remove carrier pin stop screw from upper left hand side, rear end of carrier. Cock hammer, and while pressing action slide lock release pin, push carrier clear down with screw driver through side of receiver. Remove the carrier pin. Remove cartridge guide stop screw from right hand side of receiver near trigger guard. Pull carrier for ward, down and out of receiver. Remove action slide lock release pin. Remove action hook screw from right hand side of the front end of breech-block. Remove action hook. Remove breech-block from the receiver. Remove butt plate screw ancl butt plate. Take out receiver bolt and the washer found under butt plate. Pull off butt stock. Remove trigg,er pin. Remove trigger and trigger spring. l'ull guard bow out to the rear. Re move right and left hand cartridge stop screws and cartridge stops. Assemble in reverse order. Tr dismoun/ parts aThched lo carrier, uncock the hammer and remove sear spring screw and the sear spring. Remove sear pin and sear. Remove action slide lock pin screw (the small screw on the left side of carrier) and action slide lock pin and action slide I lock. Remove action slide lock spring screw and action slide lock spring. Pull cart ridge guide gently out from carrier and push upward until it rides over diamond shaped projection on upper corner of carrier, opposite hammer. This operation uncovers end of hammer pin. Remove action slide release pin plunger. Remove hammer pin and ham mer. Remove mainspring strain screw. Remove mainspring pin, and mainspring drops out through rear end of carrier. Note that cartridge guide is not to be removed from carrier unless disabled. Assemble in reverse order. To dismounl parls allached lo breech block, bold back right hand extractor pin (this may be done with a knife blade or very thin screw driver), lift out extractor and remove pin and spring from hole in breech-block. Drive out left hand extractor pin from upper side of breech-block and remove extractor.
Retnove firing pin lock screw and firing pin lock. Remove firing pin stop pin and firing pin. Assemble in reverse order. Note that in replacing firing pin lock it will be found most convenient to hold a small block of wood firmly against firing pin lock, and lower side of breech-block, while the firing, pin lock screw is placed in position.
The Winchester -Take Down" repeating shotgun, shown in Figure 21, is the pop ular Winchester Model 1897, with a strong, simple serviceable, and handy take-down system applied to it. This gun can be taken apart and put together as easily and quick ly as a double-barreled shotgun, and can be carried in a Victoria case, packed in a trunk, or rolled up in camp bedding. 'rile take-down system used on this gun is similar to the one used on the Winchester -Take Down" rifles, which thorough and extensive trials have demmistrated to be faultless. The interrupted screw system—a feature found ex ( lusively in the \Vincliester -Take Down- rifles—is used on the -Take Down- shotgun. This permits the removal of the barrel from the receiver by a one-quarter turn. When taken aprrt the stock and action of the gun remain in one piece, and the barrel. magazine and forearm in another, the last named parts being held together at the breech end by a ring, called the receiver extension. There are no stnall pieces or springs to fall out and be lost when the gun is taken apart, and no particular knack is required to take down or put the gun together quickly and easly, the operation being as simple as that of load • ing. Besides being convenient to carry and very easy to clean, a feature which further recommends the -Take Down" is that it can be fitted with interchangeable barrels of the different lengths and different styles of bore.