Winchester Model 12 fans, help requested!

[lrrifleman]

Hello All!

When I was growing up, my grandfather had an old Model 12 with a rather unique factory feature: a quick removal magazine plug. As I remember it, it had a knurled knob threaded into the magazine and cap. The knob had a combination male/female thread on the internal side of the knob. A threaded rod which was long enough to reduce the magazine capacity to 2-3 rounds screwed into the knob, which in turn screwed into the magazine end cap. My grandfather's Winchester had to be sold upon my mother's death in order to cover final expenses, and I was unable to inherit it.

My question, has anyone here ever seen this version of the Model 12? When I have spoken to Model 12 experts, I am told that no such version ever existed. In reviewing Gunbroker, every Model 12 and Model 97 had the more common, traditional 2 screw end cap that would retain a free floating wooden dowel as the plug.

I know that I have had some memory loss from my accident induced concussion, but I am NOT delusional! Has anyone here ever seen this version of the Model 12?

Thanks for your help!

[Mike, SC Hunter]

Probably a homemade rig. The cross pin that holds the magazine plug/pull and rotate for disassembly is about 5/16" in diameter and goes directly through the center of the plug.
The device you mentioned would have to be offset from that center pin and and much smaller probably 3/16" or less. Winchester never offered such. Winchester's mdl 12's & 97's came with a factory WOOD plug that had what it fit inscribed on it.

[diyj98]

I've never heard of anything like that on a Winchester Model 12. I'm guess either it wasn't a Model 12 or it sure wasn't a factory option.

[Chukar60]

I am not a model 12 expert and do not even own one, but that set up sounds much better than a cut to length willow stick made in a duck blind.

[lrrifleman]

As I remember the design when I would clean it, the "takedown" locking pin was slotted, and the metal rod passed through the takedown pin. When the magazine tube was taken apart, the takedown pin could be removed without difficulty. This shotgun was the shotgun I learned to shoot trap with, and it was "my" to go shotgun from 1972 until about 2000.

One thing that I do remember, is that this assembly didn't look like a "Bubba project" .

[n c rod]

The purpose of the EZ plug remover ? Sounds shady. Like the "General" said in the Dirty Dozen movie " Never heard of it" Someone jerry-rigged something back in the day. Nothing to back up your factory theory. Sorry, Best all time firearm accessory in the money-shot pictures of my youth . Model 12 "Don't leave home without it"

[Pig Hunter]

It is possible it was a modification made for the non take down model, it had a threaded mag cap.

[Mblhopo]

Never seen anything like that. I have a Mod-12 Heavy Duck (1953) and It doesn't have it, anyone else own a Heavy Duck...…………………………M*

[Mike, SC Hunter]

No, but one of mine is a 2 barrel set. 32 in. full with solid rib and a 27 in.cyl. bore. This gun is nickel steel and the bores are smooth and shiny as the day they left the factory. This gun was made in 1917, making it 103 years old........And it still runs like a champ.

[Gregor]

Sounds like the Featherweight version of the Model 12, introduced in 1961. Had the knurled magazine cap.

American Rifleman | My Favorite Firearm: Winchester Model 12 Featherweight

[lrrifleman]

Gregor, thought you had the answer, but no, upon looking at the picture, it was definitely not a featherweight.

A bit more detail as I can remember it.

The knurled knob on the magazine cap was about a quarter inch thick and almost the same diameter as the magazine tube. This knurled knob served one, and only one, function ... holding the metal rod magazine plug in place. The Model 12's barrel was 30" full choked and marked "Nickle Steel" and was a takedown model. I know that it was an earlier Model 12, since it was his duck gun prior to getting his Browning A5 in 1957. For some reason, I vaguely remember the 1913 associated with this shotgun, but I can't explain why.

My grandfather typically purchased used, high quality items since as a farmer/maintenance man, money was always tight. He actually got his first, brand new vehicle in 1967 Chevy long bed C10 (cost was $1200) at the are of 58. Taking care of his family was his first priority, compounded by fact that my uncle was born with a heart defect and passed in 1958.

[2152hq]

Never seen anything like that on a M12.
Seems like being adj to bring it in and out of compliance with the WaterFowl reg of no more than 2 in the magazine W/O disassembling the gun doesn't make it legal.
Kind of like just shoving a couple empty rounds into the mag ahead of your 2 live duck rds.
It's been a long long time since I hunted but it seems like that was the rule.
Being a Fed Reg (if it is so, and correct me if I'm wrong) I'd doubt Winchester would make it an option on something they sold as a work around that Regulation.

..and maybe I'm misunderstanding this whole thing.
Back to my Cave...

[Justin T]

Sounds gunsmith made, or possibly an aftermarket accessory.

The waterfowl plug thing came about in the mid 1930’s, and the model 12 had been on the market for more than 20 years by then. It stands to reason some enterprising company could have made a buck or two selling drop-in compliance parts to get your shotgun back in line with the law, as well as with guns other than the model 12.

The law basically says that whatever is used to plug the gun must not be removable unless disassembly of the gun is required.

Removing the magazine cap is the first step in disassembly, so I’d assume, in answer to questions of legality above, this would meet the intent of the law.

[Qc Pistolero]

I have exactly what you describe;but it is a model 1200.
The 1200 had an alloy receiver and was sold,as an option(which I have)with the screwed in chokes(full,Modified and improved).It had a 30''bbl and walnut stock.In the mid '70s,a rib over the barrel was added.
Winchester came out a few years later with the model 2200 which was the same gun but with birch stock and was going for but a few dollars less.
I still have it even though I haven't used it for a couple of decades.I keep it as a souvenir and partly to thank the long thing for the countless delicate suppers it provided me(ducks,Canada geese,hare and partridge).

[LostintheOzone]

Originally Posted by Mike, SC Hunter

No, but one of mine is a 2 barrel set. 32 in. full with solid rib and a 27 in.cyl. bore. This gun is nickel steel and the bores are smooth and shiny as the day they left the factory. This gun was made in 1917, making it 103 years old........And it still runs like a champ.

I have the same setup with a model 97. I believe the gun to have been made around 1917 according to records I can find. The only difference is that the cyl bore barrel is only 18" and the FC barrel is 30" and neither have a solid rib. It's a take down model obviously. Mines a beater (no blue left) that was used by my dad to hunt with. It was the only shotgun he owned so it has some miles on it.

I've never heard of, or seen, a two barrel set and yours is the first. Obviously it was special order as the serial numbers on the barrels and receiver match. The model 12 was the Cadillac of pump guns, no question about it.

Sorry to get off topic. I have nothing to offer the OP, but I had to throw that in here.

[jeffrefrig]

When I was around 18 or 19 I bought a Remington 870 pump. I never did it, but I believe one could take the cap off and remove the plug in order to get 2 more shells in it for deer hunting with shotgun slugs. Sadly, I don't have that gun anymore, so I can't say one way or the other; just what my friends told me back then, as 3 or 4 of us had the same gun. Perhaps the cap had the grooves on it to change barrels easier.

[Gravygrabber]

Originally Posted by Mike, SC Hunter

No, but one of mine is a 2 barrel set. 32 in. full with solid rib and a 27 in.cyl. bore. This gun is nickel steel and the bores are smooth and shiny as the day they left the factory. This gun was made in 1917, making it 103 years old........And it still runs like a champ.

Mine was made in 1919 and it’s covered in patina. I took it to the trap range and smashed the clays one night after work. In between rounds me and my buddy were drinking a beer outside the club and these guys had all these fancy Italian trap guns. I look over and I said I’ll probably have to get a tetanus shot in the morning after shooting mine but it’s working real nice.