GunSerials

Winchester Model 1897 (Model 97) serial numbers by year

The exposed-hammer pump shotgun that replaced the Model 1893 and served as the trench gun of both world wars. Its serial sequence continued the 1893’s, so the two models overlap in the early numbers.

Produced:
1897–1957
Action:
pump-action

What year was your Model 97 made?

Where the serial number is

Bottom of the receiver (underside).

Why the sources give different years

Nobody kept one official list of which Winchester Model 1897 serial numbers were made in which year. The dates come from the original factory record books, now held by the Cody Firearms Museum, the tables in George Madis's Winchester books, compiled decades after the guns were made, and a list typed up by Winchester's customer-service desk, which mixes real records with estimates. For some serial numbers these sources are years apart, so this page shows what each one says instead of picking one.

Madis vs. factory dates lists every model where the sources part ways, with a real serial number from each.

Sources for this model: Madis/legacy year-end table · CFM/Polishing Room SNA year-end table · Winchester customer-service list (2012)

Who was Madis? What does Cody hold? About these records →

Winchester Model 1897 serial numbers by year

The full Model 1897 serial number chart, one table for each published source. Each row gives the serial numbers that source assigns to a year. Find the row your number falls in.

A row marked “sources differ” is a serial range that another table on this page dates to a different year. For the Model 1897 that is true of most of the run, so treat any single year as an estimate and read the notes below the tables. A row marked “approximate” comes from a table whose figures are estimates rather than factory records.

George Madis's published tables

From George Madis's Winchester books, a collector reference compiled decades after production. The figures are year-end estimates, not counts from the factory books.

Cited as: Madis/legacy year-end table

YearSerial numbers
1897through 32,335
1898sources differ32,336 – 64,668
189964,669 – 96,999
190097,000 – 129,332
1901129,333 – 161,665
1902161,666 – 193,998
1903193,999 – 226,331
1904226,332 – 258,664
1905sources differ258,665 – 296,037
1906sources differ296,038 – 334,059
1907sources differ334,060 – 377,999
1908sources differ378,000 – 413,618
1909sources differ413,619 – 446,888
1910sources differ446,889 – 481,062
1911sources differ481,063 – 512,632
1912sources differ512,633 – 544,313
1913sources differ544,314 – 575,213
1914sources differ575,214 – 592,732
1915sources differ592,733 – 607,673
1916sources differ607,674 – 624,537
1917sources differ624,538 – 646,124
1918sources differ646,125 – 668,383
1919sources differ668,384 – 691,943
1920sources differ691,944 – 696,183
1921sources differ696,184 – 700,428
1922sources differ700,429 – 715,902
1923sources differ715,903 – 732,060
1924sources differ732,061 – 744,942
1925sources differ744,943 – 757,629
1926sources differ757,630 – 770,527
1927sources differ770,528 – 783,574
1928sources differ783,575 – 796,806
1929sources differ796,807 – 807,321
1930sources differ807,322 – 812,729
1931sources differ812,730 – 830,721
1932sources differ830,722 – 833,926
1933sources differ833,927 – 835,637
1934sources differ835,638 – 837,364
1935sources differ837,365 – 839,728
1936sources differ839,729 – 848,684
1937sources differ848,685 – 856,729
1938sources differ856,730 – 860,725
1939sources differ860,726 – 866,938
1940sources differ866,939 – 875,945
1941sources differ875,946 – 891,190
1942sources differ891,191 – 910,072
1943sources differ910,073 – 912,265
1944sources differ912,266 – 912,327
1945sources differ912,328 – 916,472
1946sources differ916,473 – 926,409
1947sources differ926,410 – 936,682
1948sources differ936,683 – 944,085
1949sources differ944,086 – 953,042
1950sources differ953,043 – 961,999
1951sources differ962,000 – 970,956
1952sources differ970,957 – 979,913
1953sources differ979,914 – 988,860
1954sources differ988,861 – 997,827
1955sources differ997,828 – 1,006,784
1956sources differ1,006,785 – 1,015,741
1957sources differ1,015,742 – 1,024,700
  • 1897, 1899–1903: This figure is marked with an asterisk in George Madis's tables, which means it is an estimate.
  • 1898: This figure is marked with an asterisk in George Madis's tables, which means it is an estimate. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum put the last serial number stamped in 1898 at 63,867. The older Madis estimate of 64,668 is 801 numbers higher.
  • 1949–1956: This figure is marked with an asterisk in George Madis's tables, which means it is an estimate. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give the actual last serial number of the year.
  • 1957: This figure is marked with an asterisk in George Madis's tables, which means it is an estimate. The final serial is disputed. Madis's tables give 1,024,700. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give 1,024,701.

Factory records (Cody Firearms Museum)

The original Winchester factory ledgers, now held at the Cody Firearms Museum. They record the day each serial number was stamped, which is usually close to when the gun was finished.

Cited as: CFM/Polishing Room SNA year-end table

YearSerial numbers
1897sources differthrough 46,190
1898approximate46,191 – 63,867
189963,868 – 90,099
190090,100 – 121,740
1901121,741 – 155,949
1902155,950 – 192,780
1903192,781 – 232,089
1904sources differ232,090 – 269,816
1905sources differ269,817 – 310,112
1906sources differ310,113 – 352,757
1907sources differ352,758 – 398,919
1908sources differ398,920 – 438,586
1909sources differ438,587 – 474,392
1910sources differ474,393 – 514,224
1911sources differ514,225 – 544,663
1912sources differ544,664 – 574,649
1913sources differ574,650 – 609,337
1914sources differ609,338 – 621,155
1915sources differ621,156 – 634,255
1916sources differ634,256 – 645,018
1917sources differ645,019 – 673,277
1918sources differ673,278 – 705,627
1919sources differ705,628 – 713,785
1920sources differ713,786 – 744,268
1921sources differ744,269 – 748,404
1922sources differ748,405 – 760,622
1923sources differ760,623 – 780,537
1924sources differ780,538 – 793,623
1925sources differ793,624 – 806,826
1926sources differ806,827 – 816,294
1927sources differ816,295 – 829,515
1928sources differ829,516 – 845,320
1929sources differ845,321 – 857,216
1930sources differ857,217 – 865,591
1931sources differ865,592 – 875,213
1932sources differ875,214 – 885,034
1933sources differ885,035 – 885,040
1934sources differ885,041 – 885,843
1935sources differ885,844 – 886,094
1936sources differ886,095 – 895,261
1937sources differ895,262 – 901,405
1938sources differ901,406 – 905,660
1939sources differ905,661 – 909,925
1940sources differ909,926 – 918,793
1941sources differ918,794 – 930,412
1942sources differ930,413 – 950,579
1943sources differ950,580 – 965,000
1944sources differ965,001 – 968,160
1946sources differ968,161 – 975,755
1947sources differ975,756 – 981,005
1948sources differ981,006 – 985,270
1949sources differ985,271 – 989,410
1950sources differ989,411 – 995,605
1951sources differ995,606 – 1,001,930
1952sources differ1,001,931 – 1,007,515
1953sources differ1,007,516 – 1,013,730
1954sources differ1,013,731 – 1,017,760
1955sources differ1,017,761 – 1,021,610
1956sources differ1,021,611 – 1,024,700
1957approximate1,024,701
  • 1898: The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum put the last serial number stamped in 1898 at 63,867. The older estimate in George Madis's tables is 64,668, which is 801 numbers higher. Use the ledger-supported cutoff, not the estimate, when you work out federal status.
  • 1944: The table gives the same last serial number, 968,160, for both 1944 and 1945. No 1945 serial numbers were recorded.
  • 1957: The final serial is disputed. George Madis's tables give 1,024,700. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give 1,024,701.

Winchester's own customer-service list (2012)

A year-by-year list Winchester's customer-service desk typed up to answer owners' letters. Partly real records and partly estimates, as the list itself says.

Cited as: Winchester customer-service list (2012)

YearSerial numbers
18971 – 32,335
1898sources differ32,336 – 64,668
189964,669 – 96,999
190097,000 – 129,332
1901129,333 – 161,665
1902161,666 – 193,998
1903193,999 – 226,331
1904226,332 – 258,664
1905sources differ258,665 – 296,037
1906sources differ296,038 – 334,059
1907sources differ334,060 – 377,999
1908sources differ378,000 – 413,618
1909sources differ413,619 – 446,888
1910sources differ446,889 – 481,062
1911sources differ481,063 – 512,632
1912sources differ512,633 – 544,313
1913sources differ544,314 – 575,213
1914sources differ575,214 – 592,732
1915sources differ592,733 – 607,673
1916sources differ607,674 – 624,537
1917sources differ624,538 – 646,124
1918sources differ646,125 – 668,383
1919sources differ668,384 – 691,943
1920sources differ691,944 – 696,183
1921sources differ696,184 – 700,428
1922sources differ700,429 – 715,902
1923sources differ715,903 – 732,060
1924sources differ732,061 – 744,942
1925sources differ744,943 – 757,629
1926sources differ757,630 – 770,527
1927sources differ770,528 – 783,574
1928sources differ783,575 – 796,806
1929sources differ796,807 – 807,321
1930sources differ807,322 – 812,729
1931sources differ812,730 – 830,721
1932sources differ830,722 – 833,926
1933sources differ833,927 – 835,637
1934sources differ835,638 – 837,364
1935sources differ837,365 – 839,728
1936sources differ839,729 – 848,684
1937sources differ848,685 – 856,729
1938sources differ856,730 – 860,725
1939sources differ860,726 – 866,938
1940sources differ866,939 – 875,945
1941sources differ875,946 – 891,190
1942sources differ891,191 – 910,072
1943sources differ910,073 – 912,265
1944sources differ912,266 – 912,327
1945sources differ912,328 – 916,472
1946sources differ916,473 – 926,409
1947sources differ926,410 – 936,682
1948sources differ936,683 – 944,085
1949sources differ944,086 – 953,042
1950sources differ953,043 – 961,999
1951sources differ962,000 – 970,956
1952sources differ970,957 – 979,913
1953sources differ979,914 – 988,860
1954sources differ988,861 – 997,827
1955sources differ997,828 – 1,006,784
1956sources differ1,006,785 – 1,015,741
1957sources differ1,015,742 – 1,024,700
  • 1897, 1899–1903: The list itself marks this figure as an estimate or a calculated number, not a record.
  • 1898, 1949–1957: The list itself marks this figure as an estimate or a calculated number, not a record.

What to know about Model 1897 serial numbers

  • The Model 1893 and the Model 1897 share one run of serial numbers, and the two overlap during the changeover. A low serial number on its own does not tell you which model you have.
  • George Madis's tables and other older published tables that start the Model 1897 over at serial 1 are wrong. The records of the date each serial number was stamped show that Model 1893 numbering simply carried on.
  • A C, D or E stamped above or near the serial number marks a change in receiver design. It is not part of the serial number.
  • The older published figures for 1949 to 1957 were estimates. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum now give the actual last serial number of each year, up to 1,024,701.
  • The last serial number is not a count of Model 1897s made. George Madis's tables describe about 2,000 more guns built from leftover parts after regular production ended. The run of numbers was also inherited from the Model 1893 and shared with it at first.
  • The pre-1899 antique cutoff is disputed. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give 63,867. George Madis's tables give 64,668. Use 63,867 or below as the cutoff supported by the factory ledger.
  • The first roughly 2,500 serial numbers, about 31,608 to about 34,150, are generally Model 1893 guns rather than Model 1897s. The changeover point is only approximate and there are documented exceptions.
  • Winchester's own customer-service list is a retyped compilation, not the original records. The list itself says that no complete original serial record from 1866 onward is known to exist, and that some of its figures are estimates.
  • Winchester's own customer-service list calls its Model 1897 records incomplete. Its serial numbers are estimated from 1897 through 1903 and again from 1949 through 1957. Actual records exist only for 1904 through 1949.

Related models, and why

Shared serial sequences, successors, and look-alikes — each link says why it is here, straight from the record notes.

Other Winchester pump & slide action

Winchester shotguns that never had a serial number

These have no serial number to look up. Their pages explain why, and how to date one from its features.

Want proof on paper? Order a factory letter

The Cody Firearms Museum holds Winchester’s original records and, for a fee, will search them for your serial number and send you a letter with the recorded dates and details. It is the closest thing to the original factory entry you can own, and it is what auction houses and appraisers accept.

Its records cover Model 1897 serial numbers: 1–1,024,701 (shared with the Model 1893). A number outside that coverage cannot be lettered.

Order a factory letter from the Cody Firearms Museum →

What a factory letter shows, and when one is worth ordering →