Gunroom Gossip: The Winchester 1893 Shotgun.

[T'owd Mon]

I thought I would drag something out of the gun cabinet that may be of interest. I have an old Winchester 1893 slide action shotgun. I acquired this some years ago after spotting it in a local gun shop. Only the second of this model that I had ever come across in the U.K. The 1893 was a John Moses Browning inspired gun. Manufacture commenced in the latter part of 1893 and continued for only a short period until allegations of a patent infringement was made by the Spencer - Roper factory saying that; basically, their design had been copied. Winchester ceased production after making just over 54,000. Winchesters sent representatives to Europe to see if there were any other slide action shotgun patents in existence that pre-dated 1893. Three such patents were found in Britain and one in France which absolved them of the pending law suite. Production recommenced in 1897 with a re-designed model designated the 1897. Whereas the '93 was primarily intended for use with black powder the '97 had been designed with a strengthened action to cope with the new smokeless powders. Serial numbering took over where the '93 had left off and production continued until 1957 with over 1 million guns produced.

Winchester's were rather generous with its customers in that they agreed to take back any Model '93's and replace them free of charge with a new Model 97. Doubtless certain parts; barrels, stocks and some internal components could be re-cycled. This makes the Model 93 a little more scarce than should be the case. How my example came to be in England will remain one of life's mysteries. It has been well used as indicated by its lack of any original finish but it has been well cared for and cleaned with the internal bore in remarkably good condition. How it got into the country is unknown but it didn't arrive as a legitimate import as all such guns coming in are required to pass through one of the two British Proof Houses before they can be legally sold on. The only official mark is one indicating that it had been submitted for a magazine restriction. I have come across odd American made guns devoid of proof marks and can only conjecture that they arrived with visiting Servicemen and were possibly passed on to locals rather than taken back at the end of service. One thing to note is the single digit serial number on this example and I have documentation to show that it was one of the very first to leave the factory in the first consignment.

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[Wambli Ska]

Damn!!! This is one fine shotgun, and that serial number and model certainly make it interesting. My ‘97 is one of my favorite guns but I will confess I never knew anything about it lineage and predecessor! Thanks for sharing

[Chiro1989]

#8

[Diver43]

That is a great gun with a greater story behind it

[PFD45]

Very cool!
Thanks for the history lesson.

[Freezer]

Have you considered contacting Winchester to get documentation on that gun? There may be a charge, but it would be well worth it. Great gun, I like it!

[sakodude]

Very interesting. Was familiar with the 97 but never knew there was a 93 model.

[Wambli Ska]

Interested to know if the ejector on them is a weak spot like the ‘97s. Mine was worn out or broken and would not eject correctly, which contributed to the great deal I got. Good news new manufacture replacements can still be bought from Brownells so I bought two of them and it now runs perfectly.

[Bigslug]

Have you considered contacting Winchester to get documentation on that gun? There may be a charge, but it would be well worth it. Great gun, I like it!

The contact for Winchester records and obtaining "letters" is going to be the Buffalo Bill Center of the West Museum in Cody, Wyoming. They'll typically be able to tell you how the gun was originally configured and where it was initially shipped.

It truly is a magical place to visit, and you're going to need at least a day, probably two, to do it right. In addition to a MASSIVE collection of just about every legitimate make and model you can think of, they have the ENTIRE patent history of Winchester on display all the way back to the Volcanics, and even house the Browning patented prototypes that they purchased, but never produced, simply to keep JMB from selling them to competitors.

That museum is not impossibly far from the Browning museum in the Union Station of Ogden, Utah. I hit both on the same road trip in 2015. One of the two house Browning's personal trap gun, which I believe was a '93 (might have been a '97), decked out in their high grade "Black Diamond" format. A very impressive assortment of "Holy Relics" in both places

[T'owd Mon]

It would be interesting to find out more unless the fee to do so would be prohibitive. Long way to Utah. We have an equally interesting gun and arms museum at Leeds known as The Royal Armouries. Free to visit. They have a large selection on display and about 10 times more in storage that they will fetch out to interested persons upon request. Having been in the store it is mind boggling! In fact I will shortly post on something of interest that I donated to the museum.

Only problem with my '93 is that it likes to sometimes dump the rounds from the magazine when fired. I do occasionally shoot it using black powder reloads but being a non-takedown model it is a pig to clean.

I'm still looking for a decent Model '97 but these guns are scarce over here.

I will drag something else from the murky depths of the gun cabinet soon if interested.

[CPJ 2.0]

“ will drag something else from the murky depths of the gun cabinet soon if interested.”




You don’t really know the audience, do you?

[PFD45]

I was curious if the 93 had a dissconector.

Didn't find out but here's an 8 min video of Ian doing a great compare and contrast. Mostly what TM (op) already pointed out but interesting.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JtIGfX7MGTE

[farmboy II]

That is a cool shotgun. I too had no idea that the Model 97 had a predecessor.

[Wambli Ska]

“ will drag something else from the murky depths of the gun cabinet soon if interested.”




You don’t really know the audience, do you?

I was thinking that too…

Hurry up!

[Bigslug]

Only problem with my '93 is that it likes to sometimes dump the rounds from the magazine when fired. I do occasionally shoot it using black powder reloads but being a non-takedown model it is a pig to clean.

What I'm mostly familiar with is the later E-prefix serial numbers of the '97 which have external push buttons on either side of the receiver that allow you to actuate the shell stops to unload the magazine. Those shell stops and the leaf springs that power them are held in by a couple of TINY vertical screws run in from the bottom of the action.

In your case, the two lower screws at the midpoint sides of the receiver should be holding in whatever the gun uses for shell stops and springs. Since the overall construction of these guns is pretty burly, a good de-gunking in that area will probably restore function.

[T'owd Mon]

Thanks Big Slug, I'll try that tip.

Away next week for a few days. No doubt a Gunshop will feature in the trip. Sadly 'The Keeper of the Privy Purse' will be in attendance so have to be careful. I have something of interest that is a bit out of the ordinary to post on when I get back.

[Zee]

That’s a cool shotgun.

[Wambli Ska]

Thanks Big Slug, I'll try that tip.

Away next week for a few days. No doubt a Gunshop will feature in the trip. Sadly 'The Keeper of the Privy Purse' will be in attendance so have to be careful. I have something of interest that is a bit out of the ordinary to post on when I get back.

Very much looking forward to it

[Castle]

I've been lost in cyberspace lately so it seems I missed this one!

That's a really cool shotgun

It always amazes me how some of these firearms survive through the years and when you can relate their history, so much the better.