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Vietman 1897 bring back?


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I have a parkered M37 Ithaca riot gun that has a "U.S." and an inspectors mark stamped into the stock. No markings on the receiver or barrel. Pretty sure it was a police gun that may have been restocked or someone was trying to pull a fast one and did the stampings themselves ... I'd have a better chance of passing it off as a "bring back" than that M97 Winchester.

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The seller says it was given to him by his uncle who was in a usmc engineering unit in Vietnam. He kept this gun on his dozer. I guess this soldier could have grabbed a civilian gun and stashed it in with the heavy equipment when it was shipped over seas. idk but its a 1902 vintage.

Edited by Petroleum 1
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The 18 inch barrel would be a deal breaker right off the bat.

It would appear that someone sawed off the barrel and had the gun parked.

 

As a non related side note. Going down memory lane,---

When I was in Can Tho VN in 1964, a S/Sgt offered to sell 2 M97 riot guns for 10.00 ea.

I declined the offer because I thought they would show up in xrays, if I tried to ship home.

Jim C

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The 18 inch barrel would be a deal breaker right off the bat.

It would appear that someone sawed off the barrel and had the gun parked.

 

As a non related side note. Going down memory lane,---

When I was in Can Tho VN in 1964, a S/Sgt offered to sell 2 M97 riot guns for 10.00 ea.

I declined the offer because I thought they would show up in xrays, if I tried to ship home.

Jim C

Jim C. My dad had a similar story about another Marine offering to sell him a Thompson for $50 on their way home from the Pacific in 1945 but they were told their sea bags would be searched as they disembarked the transport in California so he turned down the offer ,,, He said he walked off the ship and nobody so much as looked at him.

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I had a friend who passed years back who was a wwii vet. They were on a ship returning and they were told they would be searched before leaving the ship and if caught with contraband they would have to serve more time. He told me guys were going on deck at night tossing stuff over. My friend kept all his trophies as well as some more he acquired and all left with no searching done
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The 18 inch barrel would be a deal breaker right off the bat.

It would appear that someone sawed off the barrel and had the gun parked.

 

As a non related side note. Going down memory lane,---

When I was in Can Tho VN in 1964, a S/Sgt offered to sell 2 M97 riot guns for 10.00 ea.

I declined the offer because I thought they would show up in xrays, if I tried to ship home.

Jim C

The seller could be guessing its an 18 barrel or doesnt know how to properly measure it. He does say its a CYL bore. If it is an original stamped CYL bore solid frame there is some value but nowhere near his asking price especially the fact that its parked.
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