The Call of Duty M1897 Trench Gun is one of the most iconic pump-action shotguns in the Call of Duty series. Known for its raw stopping power at close range, this weapon has appeared in multiple games, including Call of Duty 2, World at War, WWII, Black Ops, and Vanguard. This guide walks through its stats, mechanics, upgrades, and changes across different titles.

Overview of the M1897 Trench Gun

The M1897 Trench Gun, also called the Winchester 1897 or Combat Shotgun in some titles, is a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. Its strengths lie in high damage output at close range and the ability to kill with one shot under the right conditions.

While it varies between games, it usually holds 6 to 7 shells and reloads one shell at a time. It’s not ideal for medium or long-range fights, but it’s deadly in confined maps and close-quarters combat.

Call of Duty 2

In Call of Duty 2, the Trench Gun is simple but effective. It deals 50 to 5 damage per pellet, with 8 pellets per shot. That’s up to 400 damage total at close range. It fires at 82 RPM and holds 6 shells.

The sights are basic, and aiming down them is slow. The best approach is to rely on hip fire. It has a medium recoil and works well for clearing corners or small rooms.

Call of Duty 3

In Call of Duty 3, the M1897 is a brutal close-range weapon used by the Americans and British in the campaign. In multiplayer, it’s only available to the Medic class.

The shotgun performs best when used in tight areas. At medium range, it can take multiple shots to get a kill. Aiming down sights improves spread slightly in this game, unlike earlier versions.

Call of Duty: World at War

This version makes the M1897 a standout choice for both Campaign and Zombies.

Campaign Use

The shotgun is effective in trench fighting and tunnel combat. It appears in missions like Burn ’em Out and Relentless, where it excels at dispatching enemies quickly in tight spaces.

Multiplayer Use

The Trench Gun fires 8 pellets and has no headshot bonus. It needs 4 pellets to kill at close range, and performance drops sharply past 15 meters. With the Stopping Power perk, it takes only 3 pellets to kill within 7.5 meters.

It has a 4-shell magazine in multiplayer, slower than the campaign version. Reloading takes time, but you can cancel animations to speed it up.

Attachments and Upgrades

Two attachments are available: Grip and Bayonet. The Grip helps when aiming down sights, though hip fire remains more accurate. The Bayonet is mostly cosmetic in terms of stats.

Nazi Zombies

In Zombies, it’s a strong wall weapon early on. The Trench Gun becomes Gut Shot when Pack-a-Punched, increasing its power and capacity. The upgraded version fires 10 pellets, reloads two shells at a time, and holds 10 rounds.

The Gut Shot remains effective until round 25. It’s one of the best backup weapons when paired with Speed Cola and Double Tap.

Call of Duty: Black Ops

The M1897 returns in the Zombies mode of Black Ops. It shares its stats with the World at War version. It can be found in special editions and the Rezurrection map pack.

The Gut Shot again functions as the upgraded form, holding 10 shells with better damage and spread. Reloading two shells at a time improves uptime in horde situations.

Call of Duty: WWII

The shotgun is renamed Combat Shotgun in this game. It still behaves like the M1897, featuring pump-action mechanics and a 7-round capacity. With Extended Mags, it holds 10 shells.

It kills in one shot up to 12 meters and two shots up to 15 meters. Its main downside is the reload speed, as each shell must be loaded individually. Using Advanced Rifling and Incendiary Shells extends its effectiveness.

Nazi Zombies

In Zombies, the Combat Shotgun can be upgraded into Diplomatic Solution, which doubles its ammo and allows two-shell reloads. It’s powerful enough to kill in one shot into the high 20s.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Here, the Trench Gun becomes the M1897 Trebuchet in Zombies mode. It holds 6 rounds, and 16 when Pack-a-Punched into the M9-TKG Home Wrecker.

This version turns into a grenade launcher with no aiming ability once upgraded. It reloads four shells at a time, making it fast and strong for crowd control.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

In Vanguard, the Trench Gun is again labeled as the Combat Shotgun. It unlocks at Level 14 and has various customization options.

Attachments

You can modify nearly every part of the gun, including the muzzle, barrel, optic, stock, underbarrel, magazine, ammo type, grip, and proficiency. Notable options include:

• Barrel: Framble 18″ Precision for tighter spread
• Magazine: 16 Gauge 10 Round Drums
• Ammo Type: Buck and Slug or Incendiary for more power
• Rear Grip: Stippled or Pine Tar Grip for better control

Zombies Mode

It’s available from the start or through the Mystery Box. Upgrading via Pack-a-Punch turns it into the Gut Shot again, following the same trend of higher damage and improved reloads.

Final Thoughts

The M1897 Trench Gun remains one of the most reliable shotguns in Call of Duty. Across campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies modes, it offers strong close-range performance with solid one-shot potential. While it struggles at range and has slow reloads, smart use of perks and attachments can turn it into a dependable primary or backup weapon.

From its early days in Call of Duty 2 to the more modern Vanguard, the Trench Gun continues to offer raw, consistent firepower in tight spaces.

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