Norinco Model 97 Trench

About the Norinco Model 97 Trench

The Norinco Model 97 Trench is a Chinese-made pump-action shotgun, a modern reproduction of John Browning's exposed-hammer Winchester Model 1897 Trench Gun. Chambered in 12 gauge with a 2-3/4 inch chamber and fed from a five-round tubular magazine, it mirrors the wartime original with a 20-inch cylinder-bore barrel, a perforated steel heat shield, and a bayonet lug accepting an M1917-pattern blade bayonet. Like the gun it copies, the Model 97 has no trigger disconnector, so it can slam-fire by holding the trigger and working the slide. Produced by Norinco and imported into North America at budget prices, it gives collectors and cowboy-action and historical shooters an affordable stand-in for the increasingly scarce and expensive Winchester trench guns.

Norinco's 1897 reproductions became popular as a low-cost alternative to original Winchester trench guns, which command high collector prices. The clone faithfully reproduces the slam-fire 'trench sweeper' behavior of the WWI-era original, making it a favourite among reenactors and cowboy-action shooters who want the look and feel without risking a century-old antique.

Norinco Model 97 Trench specifications

The receiver is marked 'MADE IN CHINA'. Capacity is commonly cited as 5+1, with the tubular magazine holding five 2-3/4 inch shells. Build quality and fit vary between import batches.