Norinco Model 97 Trench
- Category
- Shotgun
- Barrel
- 508 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.17 kg
- Introduced
- 1990
About
What it is, and why it matters
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.
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.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Norinco
- Category
- Shotgun
- Country
- China
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1990
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 508 mm
- Overall length
- 1010 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.17 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Pump action
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single action
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Tubular
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Slide
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 400 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2560 J
- Effective range
- 40 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Perforated heat shield
Bayonet lug
External hammer
Takedown design
Bead sight
Cylinder bore
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 622 12 Gauge shotguns | 3.17 kg | 3.29 kg | Lighter than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 570 12 Gauge shotguns | 1010 mm | 1150 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 650 12 Gauge shotguns | 508 mm | 711 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 647 12 Gauge shotguns | 5 | 3 | Holds more rounds than about 80% |
Answers
Questions about the Norinco Model 97 Trench
How much does the Norinco Model 97 Trench weigh?
The Norinco Model 97 Trench weighs 3.17 kg (7.00 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Norinco Model 97 Trench?
The Norinco Model 97 Trench is chambered in 12 Gauge.
How many rounds does the Norinco Model 97 Trench hold?
The Norinco Model 97 Trench holds 5 rounds, fed from a tubular magazine.
How long is the Norinco Model 97 Trench?
The Norinco Model 97 Trench is 1010 mm (39.8 in) long overall, with a 508 mm (20.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Norinco Model 97 Trench?
The Norinco Model 97 Trench is made by Norinco (China). It was designed by John Browning.
When was the Norinco Model 97 Trench introduced?
The Norinco Model 97 Trench was introduced in 1990.
How does the Norinco Model 97 Trench operate?
The Norinco Model 97 Trench uses a pump action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/norinco-model-97-trench' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "norinco-model-97-trench", "name": "Norinco Model 97 Trench", "manufacturer": { "id": "norinco", "name": "Norinco", "countryCode": "CN", "foundedYear": 1980, "website": "https://en.norincogroup.com.cn", "logoUrl": null, "description": "China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (Norinco), a state-owned enterprise founded in 1980 and headquartered in Beijing. Among the world's largest defense contractors, producing firearms and military equipment.", "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "5286c8a850a565bc4d9bd2e7a8e4b18084a491b62d93d828ac7de90983853065" }, "category": { "id": "shotgun", "name": "Shotgun", "description": "Smoothbore firearms designed to fire shot or slugs" }, "country_of_origin": "CN", "year_introduced": 1990, "barrel_length_mm": 508, "weight_empty_g": 3175, "action_type": "pump_action"}