WINCHESTER MODEL 97 MILITARY SHOTGUNS Description
takedown model, high polish commercial blue finish, finger groove walnut stock with hard rubber buttplate. All early riot and trench guns have "WB" and crossed cannons cartouches on the left side of stock, left side of receiver is machined marked "U.S." with or w/o ordnance "flaming bomb". All "WB" trench guns have a 6 row ventilated handguard. All 97s will have ordnance "flaming bomb" on top of barrel. Around serial range 950,000, receivers were all marked on left side with a machined "U.S." and ordnance "flaming bomb" proofs, ventilated handguard was changed to a 4 row, "GHD" and ordnance crossed cannons cartouches on left side of stock. During this transition, a very few examples with 6 row handguards were mfg. Serial range 920,000-960,000.