Allegedly, according to the wikipedia page, the Winchester Model 1897 was a favorite in the American Military. So much so that the Germans in World War 1 called for it to be banned due to it causing “Undue suffering”. Posted on 02/10/2017 8:13:09 AM PST by w1n1
Allegedly, according to the wikipedia page, the Winchester Model 1897 was a favorite in the American Military. So much so that the Germans in World War 1 called for it to be banned due to it causing “Undue suffering”.
Even cooler than that, however, was its (alleged) preferred use: Shooting hand grenades! While in the trenches, they would keep a few soldiers skilled in Trap shooting, armed with these shotguns. When a hand grenade was tossed their way, the trap shooters were tasked with shooting them away from the trench while they were in the air. P-TING!
I wonder, which was more stressful: shooting stationary targets from hundreds of yards away that wanted to shoot you back, or trying to shoot little future explosions out of the air for the safety of yourself and your teammates? Read the rest of the story here.
Photo is from WWII, and the shotgun is not an 1897( exposed hammer model) but is a model 12. Geez, who the heck posts these photos?
lol. exactly my thought.
some seriously intellectual laziness abounds these days...
I’ve always wanted one of those. Fix that 16 inch bayonet on that bad boy and go to town!
It’s kinda like my AK underfolder. It’s just so dang iconic and badass looking. Sure it bruises my cheek when I shoot it but that’s the price you pay for coolness.
Then I shoot my SCAR17. Ridiculous accuracy out of a 16 inch barrel. It has a sweet (ugg boot looking) adjustable stock so my stubby armed self can get comfortable. The muzzle brake works well and combined with the action, recoil is crazy low.
Boys, Boys... Never let facts or documentation get in the way of a good story... from Global Warming 101.
Only Americans seemed to have much enthusiasm for shotguns during WWI. H. Hesketh-Prichard admitted - after the war - to being relieved that shotguns never achieved general issue in trench warfare, and he was a Briton who wasn't squeamish about shooting the Hun.
Mr. niteowl77
Another creation of the great John Moses Browning.
“Undue suffering” seems like an odd complaint from the side that introduced both poison gas and flamethrowers into the conflict.
I have a ‘97 made in 1903. Heck of a blunderbuss. Have to watch your hand when you rack a new round
Question: what loads were used? #4, 00, or ?
The Germans in WWI were real sticklers for international law when it might benefit them. I’m sure trench sweepers did cause undue suffering for German troops. At one point they threatened to execute any GI captured with one. They executed any civilian caught firing back at German troops as terrorists. When a U-boat attempted to attack a freighter and the freighter turned and rammed the U-boat, they declared the freighter’s captain a terrorist subject to execution.
John Steinbeck advised LBJ to use 10-gauge automatic shotguns in Vietnam.
Isn’t the Winchester Defender spin off of the ‘97?
Haven’t seen then in the stores for awhile. As Justin Wilson kind of used to say:
When the game warden is around it shoot 3 times.
But when the game warden be not around.
It shoot 8 times.
I think standard was #00, but the military had a 12 gauge fleshete (sp) round that had these little rocket looking projectiles about 3/4”long.
Not sure what conflict they used them in.
When rounds fired vs enemy casualty ratio approaches 1 million, firing a dozen projectile per trigger pull begins to makes sense.
Good point.
Steinbeck, despite his liberal reputation, was a Vietnam war hawk.
I don’t really blame any troops for executing partisans or civilians who take potshots at them. Can’t hide behind non-combatant status when you’re trying to shoot someone in the back. I’m a bit surprised that soldiers caught with shotguns were executed (like somebody said, in a world of mustard gas and flamethrowers...), but soldiers in every war have taken a particular dislike to enemies using certain weapons. All sides in WW1 executed soldiers with sawback bayonets, and snipers usually didn’t fare well either when captured.
The Germans have certainly stuck to what they're good at. Now they're introducing a flood of jihadist animals into Western European society.
What's next? The plague?
Lucky man. I couldn't afford an original so got a Chinese copy: 
Here are some Kiwis testing a similar one - check out the girl is slam firing.
Women with guns are HOT! But holy cow, this one slam-firing this shotgun...gonna have to take a cold shower.
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