Mfg date of winchester m97 riot gun

[Tom Doniphon]

There is, of course, the WWI martially marked 1897 riot gun pictured in Canfield's book. Personally, I've never seen one in person marked like that one.

And there were at least three contracts for riot guns (takedown types) during WWI. The Navy purchased some (I think it was about 300 guns), and there were two contracts for 12 guns each for the Signal Corps. Don't know if any of these were martially marked nor if the contacts were ever fulfilled. J. Moeller has the info on these.

[Bruce Canfield]

There is, of course, the WWI martially marked 1897 riot gun pictured in Canfield's book. Personally, I've never seen one in person marked like that one.

And there were at least three contracts for riot guns (takedown types) during WWI. The Navy purchased some (I think it was about 300 guns), and there were two contracts for 12 guns each for the Signal Corps. Don't know if any of these were martially marked nor if the contacts were ever fulfilled. J. Moeller has the info on these.

There is scant information on the subject of WWI military contract riot guns. It has not been determined if the guns from the three contracts were martially marked identically or if some were even marked at all. I've seen a few fake purported WWI vintage riot guns that had hand-stamped "flaming bomb" and "US" markings similiar to the martially marked WWI M1898 trench guns.

[scosgt]

There is scant information on the subject of WWI military contract riot guns. It has not been determined if the guns from the three contracts were martially marked identically or if some were even marked at all. I've seen a few fake purported WWI vintage riot guns that had hand-stamped "flaming bomb" and "US" markings similiar to the martially marked WWI M1898 trench guns.

And that is my problem too. I don't have your book, but in my travels over the years I never saw one that looked even remotely right. And we know there is lots of money in fakes.