Winchester 1897 Serial Number Manufacture Date

Hello Mike,

The 'E' does not have a specific 'meaning' per se. What it indicates is that the receiver group was manufactured with the last set of mechanical changes (improvements) that Winchester used during the 60-year production run.

To explain a bit further, Winchester was always looking for ways to improve the original design and functionability of the many different fireams patents that they bought from John M. Browning, and over the course of time, they often did so.

Winchester 1897 Serial Number Manufacture Date

When a design change was made, Winchester would do one of several things;

Winchester 1897 Serial Number Manufacture Date Of Sale

The Winchester Model 1897, also known as the Model 97, M97, or Trench Gun, was a pump-action shotgun with an external hammer and tube magazine manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. The Model 1897 was an evolution of the Winchester Model 1893 designed by John Browning. Model 1893 and 1897 serial numbers overlap in 1897-1899. Model 1897 serial numbers begin at serial number 31609, approximately where the 1893 model serials ended. See the note with the model 1893. Total production of the model 1897 reached 1,024,700, when the parts clean-up began, resulting in 2,000 more guns assembled.

(1) Add a letter 'A' on the end of the serial number, and then increment the letter with the next change e.g. the Model 1873, which is found with no letter, or with a letter 'A', or a 'B'

Winchester 1892 Serial Number Dates

(2) Change the Model name by adding an 'A' to it (e.g. the Model 62 became the 62A, the 67 became the 67A, etc.)

Winchester 1897 Serial Number Manufacture Date Of India

(3) They added a letter above the serial number. This was done on the Model 1893 and 1897 only. When the Model 1893 was first introduced, it was made without a letter. When the first change was made, the letter 'A' was added above the serial number. When the second change was made, the letter 'B' was used. Several years into the production run, Winchester made a large number of changes all at once and decided to give it a new model name (1897), but continued the serial number sequence. When the first Model 1897s were maded (circa serial number 34,000), there was not a letter above the serial number. When the first new change was made to the Model 1897, they used the letter 'C' (a continuation from the Model 1893 letter sequence). When the second change was made, the letter 'D' was used, and the letter 'E' was the final change. The 'E' series guns are by far the most common.

Winchester 1897

Bert H.