Back sometime in the 1960s, Winchester had an idea to start up a chain of franchised trap and skeet clubs around the country, and actually opened some, mainly on the east coast and in the midwest. It never caught on and didn't last very long. I don't know the reason why the clubs failed, but likely because they couldn't attract enough shooters to keep the lights on. Part of the business plan was that the Winchester clubs would have shotguns for rental, Winchester shotguns of course, and you could also buy Winchester guns and ammo there. Many, if not most, of the rental guns were Model 1200 pumps and Model 1400 semiautos, but there were probably others available for rental or sale.

Maybe someone reading this knows more about the Winchester gun clubs and can provide more details about them, as I know no more than what I have already stated.

The Model 1200 12 Gauge I have was purpose-designed as a Skeet gun (22" Skeet choked ribbed barrel, with a pretty good drop in the stock heel), and it had been one of those Winchester gun club rental shotguns. There were also Model 1200 Trap guns and I saw one of those once. I got mine from my wife's cousin in New Jersey, who picked it up when the Winchester club near him went out of business. I imagine it saw considerable use before I got it. That was sometime in the early 1970s, but I don't remember exactly when. I am not sure how much those 1200 Skeet guns sell for these days, but I have seen only one other, plus one 1200 Trap gun. I imagine they don't bring much of a premium price.