 The Model 1897 was popular before World War I , but it was after the war broke out that sales of the Model 1897 picked up . This was because many were produced to meet the demands of the Military . When the United States entered World War I , there was a need for more service weapons to be issued to the troops . It became clear to the United States just how brutal trench warfare was , and how great the need was for a large amount of close @-@ range firepower while fighting in a trench , after they had observed the war for the first three years . The Model 1897 Trench grade was an evolution of this idea . The pre @-@ existing Winchester Model 1897 was modified by adding a perforated steel heat shield over the barrel which protected the hand of the user from the barrel when it became over @-@ heated , and an adapter with bayonet lug for affixing an M1917 bayonet . 
