how to tighten magazine on Win 97 take-down

Good afternoon gentlemen,

Ant ideas on how to do the above? When turning the magazine locking pin to tighten the mag, it is blocked from turning before the mag tube threads in enough to be tight. I've thought of turning a washer like shim to take up some space but wondered if there is a better way? It's a great old "Brush" model 12 gage with beautiful figure in the butt, about 90% blue and I'd just like to have it as "right" as possible.

Thanks in advance,
hms50

Lets see on a Win model 1897, exposed hammer shotgun in take down configuration how do you get the play out between the reciever and barrel.

The magazine has an interupted thread and simply slides back and forth after its given 1/2 a turn. It acts more as a lock pin than a tensioning device an has a detented cross pin to prevent unwanted motion. I dont recall that this tube ever truely gets fully tight.

The barrel to reciever tension is adjusted useing a ring with different threads, inside and out that has small teath cut into the outer ring and held in place with a screw retained dog. This can be adjusted within some limits to draw the barrel in tighter as the gun wares. If the ring is adjusted beyond its ware limits, hunt up a replacement. Cutting aditional notches will reduced the amount of interupted thread that remains engaged and could create an unsafe condition.
I think the model 12 used the same technique to account for ware in the threads as gun ws used. They may even use the same adjuster ring, but you will need to check with someone more knowledgable.

Also this ring is very thin, so use of a padded vise, plyers or any other compression device to move it may not work well. The internal V threads tend to lock. Machine up or buy a special "socket" wrench to go over the barrel stub and engage the edge of the interupted threads. It works well.

Ahall,
Thanks for the info. The gun does indeed function well and the barrel is tight to the frame. It just seemed odd that the mag did not "come up snug" as it does on the model 42 I have.

Thanks again,
hms50

It was designed over 110 years ago.
Customer expectations change.

Tightening up a model 97 Winchester

Unfortunately I was a little boy when my father took the model 97 I have to a gunsmith. He told my father it had to be brazed and would no longer be a take down shot gun.

As an adult and gunsmith, I would have done things differently.

There are several options:

1. Take it completely apart and TIG weld up the threads and recut them in a lathe and Mill.

2. Take it completely apart and silver solder or braze up the threads then recut in lathe and mill.

3. Put it together and TIG it together or braze it togther and be done with it.

Nat Lambeth

I have an 1897 manufactured in 1905 that belonged to my Grandfather. It was pretty loose at the barrel to receiver joint. I found this link while searching for tips on how to fix. It was very easy to correct for the 105 years of wear.

http://www.vintagegunleather.com/gun-manuals/pdf_W/winchester_97takedown.pdf

AGI gunsmithing videos vary from A to F.
The one on the 1897 Win pump shotgun is definitely an A.

I got a couple basket case 1897 shotguns, and put a good one together while watching that video.