Interwar period trench gun

[GA-Dave]

I just got this trench gun on Thursday. The seller told me that it is a 1922 vintage gun. The gun has been reblued as expected and I think the stock is a replacement. Unless the interwar stocks did not have sling swivels.

The side of the receiver has been polished or reworked and it broke through to the screw hole under the ejection port.

What about the bayonet adapter? I think it may abe a replacement. It has seams on the top and bottom like it is cast.

The barrel is 20" and Cyl marked with a six-row heat shield.

I didn't pay much for the shotgun, more than a Chinese copy, but far less than a collector quality trench gun.

Any opinions?

[Tom Doniphon]

Hart to tell from the photos, but the bayo adaptor finish looks wrong.

What is the serial number?

[SPEEDGUNNER]

What is the serial number? Interwar commercial would have a brass buttplate. Look closely at the barrel behind the action bar close to the receiver, there should be a two digit barrel date.

If you got it cheap don't worry.

[GA-Dave]

Serial number is:E732380. I can't find a date on the barrel. There is a 100 stamped on the frame opposite of the action bar.

Black plastic butt plate. What photos would help?

[Tom Doniphon]

It's not in the serial number range of the WWI Military contract trench guns. It was made after WWI, probably around mid 1920. Trench gun stocks all were inletted for the swivel, even the commercial Model 1897 trench guns.

How many holes are drilled in the forward end of the magazine tube?

Will the bayonet lug accept a Model 1917 bayonet, or has it been modified to accept the Winchester made M1895 Russian bayonet?

And, are their any marks on the bayonet adaptor?

[Scott Wilson]

The closeup photo of the front sight area of the handguard looks parkerized. I am thinking that it should be blued.

[SPEEDGUNNER]

from the side opposite the action bar you should be able to shine a light down in between the barrel and magazine tube. Right above the mag tube on the underside of the barrel where it screws into the receiver you should be able to see a 2-digit number, that is the barrel date.

Yes, bayonet adaptor looks parked.

[Tom Doniphon]

I think it may be too early of a gun to have a barrel date mark.

[SPEEDGUNNER]

Too early to be a commercial too...sorta falls into that serial range right after the known WWI shotguns. I was curious if there was a barrel date, ya never know.

[trenchcrazy]

I see serial #'s all in the 700,000 to 800,000 range, cited in government documents. Where do they fit in?
I herd that Winchester started dating barrels in 1922, is that true?

[GA-Dave]

Thanks for the replies. The texture on the adapter looks like a replacement with a apparent cast texture. A 1917 bayonet fits perfectly. After much looking I found the barrel date: it's a 41 dated barrel. The barrel is in much better shape than the rest of gun.

Anyone have a spare stock and sling swivel?

[Tom Doniphon]

Trenchcrazy, what sort of Govt' docs are you finiding Model 97s in the 700,000 and 800,000 range? There are WW1 trenchguns in the very low 700,000 range. I would think that guns higher than that in Govt' records may not be contract guns, but rather one-off or small purchases of commercial guns by the Govt' or guns from the WW2 Blanket Procurement Program. Several donated guns in the range you speak of are noted in one of the tables in the back of Mr. Canfield's shotgun book.

[trenchcrazy]

Im sorry its not Govt' docs, i misspoke. I seen them in SRS books. They list them as trench and riot guns.

[scosgt]

What is the serial number? Interwar commercial would have a brass buttplate. Look closely at the barrel behind the action bar close to the receiver, there should be a two digit barrel date.

If you got it cheap don't worry.

Only a few of the interwar commercial guns had brass buttplates. They were special ordered for some prison system (don't remember which). I saw one once. The buttplate is the exact same as the standard Winchester plastic plate, only brass. Quite rare and quite attractive.

[Tom Doniphon]

Those brass buttplate guns all seem to be in the mid to upper 800,000 range. And the bayonet lugs are usually modifed to accept the Model 1895 bayonet.