Florida Shooters Network

Thinking of getting an 1897 trench gun, anyone here have one? I see that Interstate Arms has some repros, anyone know about them?

theres a gent at the oldsmar flea that has about 14 real 1897s on the wall all reasonably priced he just moved here from Texas. I think they were in the 4 ish range the shop name is the cowboy emporium .I will im you his number if you want to call him to see what he has.

I'll check it out. For that price, I'd be surprised if they were trenches, but you never know.

no heat sheilds or lugs more cowboy guns but hell a sheild with lug can be added

The chinese guns require tuning.

Sweep wrote:no heat sheilds or lugs more cowboy guns but hell a sheild with lug can be added

are they maybe the Chinese Norinco's , I remember a lot of guys would but them for SASS shooting

no these were C&R guns all were Winchester just like the one i had then sold a few years back

I kicked myself for years for not getting one back when they were $300 new.
Hardley ever see them come up for sale anymore but one finally came my way via the last Ft Lauderdale show.

You probably already know they use the M1917 Eddystone bayonet not the 1903.

om my current short list after a sporterized enfield, is one of the norinco trench gun clones

NonConformist wrote:om my current short list after a sporterized enfield, is one of the norinco trench gun clones

Hey, the rumor is that they are going to be banned--get one quick...

(I assume Norinco would just remove the bayo lug to get them back in--crazy ATF!).

Did you get the one on the vertical rack in the last or 2nd to last aisle on the right side? Asking price $500?

wakkoss wrote:Did you get the one on the vertical rack in the last or 2nd to last aisle on the right side? Asking price $500?

That was it...we settled on $450 cash which was a bit high but figured with tax, transfer and shipping I would about pay almost that .
It was unfired and stamped Norinco so I think its an older one.........

I heard someone was making copies in Turkey and would bring them here about a year ago,
Interstate is advertising the new ones as Norinco guns but I thought they were banned back when (Clinton?) stopped the importation of guns from China.
Could these be made in Turkey?

My buddy bought one of the IA ones through CTD for around $360 or so and picked it up yesterday. He said that it says something like "Interstate Arms by Norinco" or something. I haven't seen it. I don't know how they're importable at all if they're Chinese. I didn't know they took the Eddystone bayo...I thought they took the 03 bayo.

Definately takes the 1917 bayonet as you can see in the picture.

Maybe Norinco set up a shop in Turkey?
They make alot of over unders imported here.

Imagine the humour in that...Chniese gun builders farming out shotguns to Turkey for importation to the USA?....He he.
It would make sense from a financial and legal standpoint.

Mine says "Made in China" just ahead of th loading port at bottom and says "TAC Billerica MA China SDT "...on the barrel.
I may pick up another one to do a side by side comparo....
Let me know if you find any deals or put together a group order or want to get an eyeball on this one..

I may just order one from Bud's, I'm thinking of ordering a SW revolver anyway. I do want to get a pair of bayos though...looks like those are big money on Ebay, are they really that expensive, or are they just inflated since they say "TRENCH BAYO!!!!" in the name?

They all seemed to go up and over the $100 mark about the same time old military rifles started to become plentiful a few years back.
Prices got so high someone started making reproductions which is probably the way to go ,Unless you have a 1917 Eddystone rifle then I would get the real Mccoy..
Looks like originals are $130 and reproductions $70?

I thought about finding an Eddystone too. Dad's got an 03A3, so I'm covered there already. I think the forward cocking is a GOOD thing, but I've never tried it.

Basicly a better Enfield .
Longer barrel and site picture than either the 1903 or SMLE with a Mauser style bolt.
I LOVE the ladder rear site and dog ear front site.
IMHO best WWI infantry rifle out there bar none.

Story goes the Brits commisioned it to be built just in case their untried in battle at that time SMLE (short magazine Lee Enfield)didnt cut the mustard.
It did fine and then the USA entered the war woefully short of battle rifles.

Changing the caliber from .303 to 30/06 and the Eddystone 1917 rifle was born.

One of the WW1 myths is that every american doughboy went into battle w/ the 03 Springfield, reality is that most were armed w/ the Eddystones

Well, in typical Wakko fashion, I never do my collecting half assed. I picked up one of the Norinco clones ($342 shipped from JetGuns!!), and an original 1913 made 1897. Not a trench, though I'm considering cloning it out. In my quest for a 1917 bayonet, I found one, and got the Eddystone with it.

I'm still considering a real trench gun, though I'll have to sell to get.