Winchester Model 1897 Trench Gun
Winchester Repeating Arms Company · Shotgun · Discontinued · 1917
Also known as: Model 97, M97, Winchester M1897 Trench Gun, Trench Gun
Overview
The Winchester Model 1897 Trench Gun is a pump-action shotgun, the militarized configuration of John Browning's exposed-hammer Model 1897 design. Chambered in 12 gauge and fed from a five-round tubular magazine, the Trench Gun added a 20-inch cylinder-bore barrel, a perforated steel heat shield, sling swivels, and a bayonet lug accepting the U.S. Model 1917 Enfield bayonet. With no trigger disconnector, it could slam-fire, allowing a soldier to empty the magazine in close-quarters combat by holding the trigger and working the slide. It became iconic in the trench fighting of World War I and saw further service through World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3600 g (127.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1000 mm (39.37") |
| Barrel Length | 510 mm (20.08") |
| Action Type | Pump Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Tubular |
| Muzzle Velocity | 400 m/s (1312 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2560 J (1888 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 40 m (44 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Smoothbore |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 12 Gauge · primary — also known as 12GA, 12 Bore
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Tubular Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Slam Fire Capable
- Features: Perforated Heat Shield, Bayonet Lug, External Hammer, Takedown Design, Sling Swivels
Variants
- Winchester Model 1897 Riot Gun — Short Barrel
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1917 · as Trench Gun
- United States Marine Corps · adopted 1917
- Republic of Korea Armed Forces
- Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Conflicts
- World War I (1917-1918)
- World War II (1939-1945)
- Korean War (1950-1953)
- Vietnam War (1955-1975)
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,024,700 · Production years: 1897-1957
Total Model 1897 production exceeded 1,024,700 across all configurations; roughly 20,000 trench guns were procured by the U.S. Ordnance Department in World War I, with a further 25,000-plus Trench Guns produced for World War II service.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: John Browning
Discontinued: 1957
Notes
The Model 1897 lacked a trigger disconnector, so holding the trigger while cycling the slide would fire each round as the action closed (slam fire). World War I heat shields had six rows of perforations; World War II production used a four-row handguard.
Background
German authorities formally protested the American use of combat shotguns in 1918, claiming they violated the laws of war and threatening to execute captured shotgun-armed troops; the United States rejected the protest. The Model 1897's devastating close-range effect in the trenches earned it the nickname 'trench sweeper.'