My Good McCrower -
I did a little research and have some bad news, it seems the Winchester 1897 is
one of the more difficult shotguns to fit a barrel.
fitting an 1897 barrel:
https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads/winchester-97-barrel-question.195389/re takedown adjustment
https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads/win-12-97-takedown-adjustment.138067/interesting thread about tools required
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/forum/shot-guns/shotguns/i-have-a-winchester-97-takedown-back-end-and-a-model-12-barrel-212338here is a good discussion:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/question-re-vintage-winchester-model-12-barrel-swap.831550/note the comment from user Crawdad1
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" You couldn't get a repeating shotgun that is more difficult to swap barrels.
You'll need special tools and probably a lathe to do this.
Good luck.
Crawdad1, Jan 22, 2018 "
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and from CoalTrain:
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Model 12's were certainly the Cadillac of pump shotguns. One of the reasons they were discontinued in the 60's was the 870 was just a simpler, more useful and less expensive design. I have a 97 that was the fore runner of the 12. I have several barrels for it and have changed them a few times. Both of my barrels have extensions on them as the gun was fitted at the factory for both barrels. I know this because the receiver and barrels have the same SN.
If you find another barrel you will want the extension that goes with it or find an extension to put on it. That isn't going to be easy. Once you have the barrel and extension a smith is going to be needed to mate them together to fit your receiver. The extension has to be on the new barrel and properly mated to the receiver before a barrel swap can be made. You are correct in thinking you don't want to remove the extension from your short barrel. If you remove it your barrel becomes useless until it's extension is again properly fitted to the barrel and receiver. That requires a special barrel wrench and some skill
....
Last edited: Jan 23, 2018
CoalTrain49, Jan 23, 2018
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finally, from a gunsmith who does this A LOT
https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads/model-12-barrel-replacement.129927/it sounds like it is not a job for the amature gunsmith!
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Your first problem would be to unscrew the extension without damage, and then fit it to the new barrel, but the bead has to be on top,
so lathe work is almost a given. Then it needs to have the fit into the frame made proper, and the adjusting sleeve that you have will
probably not work right, either.
Then you need to make sure that the barrel chamber aligns with the specially mated chamber ring that we hope hasn't been overly
cut large or offset to fit the aftermarket barrel, or else you need one of those to be fit, also.
Parts possibly needed: adjusting sleeve, chamber ring
Tools possibly needed: chamber ring fitting set
Tools almost certainly needed: barrel extension wrench, lathe
Experience is necessary to minimize the possibility of ruination of something, and lucky amateurs will have a loose barrel and/or
one that doesn't extract, and may feed with difficulty with a mis-aligned chamber.
Yes, I am a Model-12 specialist, and have plenty of spare parts.
Right now I have just posted a Black Diamond Model-12 for parts salvage, but if someone wants to get the complete set, realize
that the frame has been battered to the point of being useless without a rebuild. This has very nice figure in the wood and a solid rib
30" full barrel. I would rather fit all of the parts to a replacement frame from the Nickel Steel era, and use the matching extension
that hopefully was with the frame.
...
kirbythegunsmith@hotmail.com
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let us see if our members have any other opinions and I will check with my Scandanavian friends.
best regards
Prof Marvel