Got into a deal and ended up with a very nice Win m12 , 12g. Just a standard field gun but excellent shape. Customary 30” FC as most older guns in this area. The people here always bought 12g FC guns because they wanted the most for their buck. That’s why 20, 28 and 410s bring the money they do. Don’t think I left out 16g, there isn’t the desire for them. I generally won’t take SGs on trade anymore. Pre 64 Wins, pre Jap A5s and Ithaca 37s are the only ones I will consider. The only way you can deal a good gun to the new crowd is saw it off and paint it black.

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I had one of these for years, about the same as yours, can't remember the choke, probably full. It belonged to my dad. I seldom shoot shotguns anymore and recently gave it to my brother. These work about as well as any pump gun you can buy today, but it seems few people have interest in shooter Model 12s, probably because they're old guns. Of course, you can't shoot steel ammo in them either.

I used mine for dove hunting and found there was little difference in it in comparison with more modern (forty year old) wood and steel pump shotguns of good quality.

I agree it is hard to sell a 5+1 shotgun to kids these days! That just leaves more of the classics for those of us that enjoy them!

Ivan

I have a Model 12 that belonged to my Grandfather . He died back in the late 30's so the gun is from mid 30's . The barrel is marked " Cylinder Bore " so no choke . Supposedly he was some kind of bird hunter .

I worked at Bendix in Elyria as Plant Protection for awhile. They made air brake systems for trucks.


We had Model 12's for an emergency if needed, and most of them were new in the box. They were the 'riot model" guns. I asked about buying one as they were going to sell them as they were never really used.


Bendix sold all of them to an individual for pennies, and I never got one.

I picked up a Lightweight Mod 12 a few years ago, choked IC. It is very handy on the skeet and dove field. Mine dates to the mid to late 40's.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

When I was 12 years old, my favorite uncle suffered from a severe stroke which left him paralyzed on one side. I was given his model 12 that was a gift to him from his Sunday School class when he moved to NC in 1949. It was his duck & goose gun with the long barrel and full choke and I got to take it to my grandfather’s duck blind as a teenager.

I haven’t fired it in years but it was the first real gun I ever owned and will be the last to go.

True. Sadly we are getting older............

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S&W Accumulator

I have my Dads' mdl 12 that he got used in 1958. 2 BBL set. Made in 1917. Now 104 years old.( Lets see your plastic bennelli do that) Only thing ever replaced...One ejector spring........Quality handled right and kept up will last almost forever.

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S&W Accumulator

I love those old shotguns, I have 2, a 20 gauge I bought in October 1963 used, and a 16 gauge I bought about 3 years ago. Would like to have a 12 gauge.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

You made a good deal. Model 12s are fine guns and will do almost anything that you want them to.

I have three of them. 12, 20 and a Model 42 in 410 gauge. I was given the 12 gauge as it was a broken riot gun. I fixed the shell stop and replaced the barrel and stock and it is now my favorite trap gun. The 20 gauge serves well for upland game and the Model 42 is just plain fun on the skeet range.

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Keep your powder dry.

Of the following classic 12 gauge American pump shotguns that I have shot, Winchester 97, Winchester 12, Stevens 620, Ithaca 37, Remington 31, Remington 870, High Standard Flight King and Mossberg 500, I have found the Winchester Model 12 to be, for me, the least pleasing of all from an ergonomic perspective. For the most pleasing it's a toss-up between the Winchester 97 and the Remington 31.

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

Congrats, Model 12s are pretty neat sg’s. I have two, a 1940 gun that was reblued so I made a trench gun out of it and another that will be a riot gun when I’m done. It had a polychoke on it. I use them in Wild Bunch shoots. Very slick guns.

Don’t count all of us millennials, etc out when it comes for classic steel and wood ;p

I’ve got em in 12/16/20; I’ve run good doubles and handicap scores with a 32”er with a left handed Anton/Hilmer stock, and did this past dove opener with a 16.

I have a hard time holding myself back from buying more, or other vintage pumps for that matter...

Here’s some:

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For me,
A Winchester Model 12 pump shotgun, is
the "pump" that every other pump gun made is compared to.
One of mine a 1925 16 gauge "full"

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That's an old one....corncob handle and perchbelly stock, way cool gun !!. I dont care what the millenials like, 12's are sweet!

Sorry for a thread drift. I truly wonder which one I would have bought if a Winny Model 12 had been available when this one was.

Probably pure nostalgia these days but I've always been partial to my 1962 Ithaca Model 37 DLX, 12 GA, 30" FC, 2-3/4". I have always liked the bottom ejection and ease of handling this shotgun.

I always figured that pert-near any firearm designed by John Moses, then manufactured from 1937 to 1967 at Ithaca original New York factory, hand fitted, filed, joined and finished by individual craftsmen of that by-gone era had to be a steady winner.

Mine has the rib marked Simmons Gun Specialties, Kansas City, MO who made the ribs for Ithaca from inception in 1937 to 1965, when Ithaca introduced their own design. Still have the original hang-tag which was serial numbered to the gun and also doubled as take-down cleaning instructions, and yea..the TruGlo orange still does...truely glow.

Haven't had this gun out for decades, but still enjoy handling and wiping down when young grandsons (beginning shooters, 13 - 16 yrs old) are over and like to handle and clean pistols, rifles....and listen to granpas ol hunting / shooting / military stories. (I try to make sure there is at bare minimum...some truth involved)

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

Anyone know if a Winchester Mod-12 Heavy Duck is somewhat rare. I have one, 30in full choke, shoots 3in shells. Kicks like crazy with 3 inchers''....................................................M*

The M12 'Heavy Duck' is rarely seen in comparison to the Field Grade M12.
I don't know if I'd classify it as a 'rare' shotgun. That would be for the collectors and numbers people to decide.
Certainly not seen on the gun racks at shows and gunshops for sale in the numbers that you'll run across the Field grade.

They dropped in popularity with hunters when the steel shot mandate became law. Older steel loads badly scored bbls and the tightly choked bbl of these and any shotgun could often be damaged with the steel loads.

Newer steel loads using tougher plastic wads to avoid the bbl bore damage have helped in that matter but the Full choke is still too tight for Steel.
MAny still don't trust any steel loads in older guns and prefer to go with a bbl rated for steel shot by the mfg'r.

The extra heavy version M12 has kind of gotten pushed to the back of the gun rack.
I see them now and again at (when they still had) gunshows. They don't seem to gather much more interest than a standard Field Grade these days.
That's good for those of us that like such oddities.

Most want semi-auto, plastic and stainless, and a 3 1/2" chambering steel rated gun if they're serious about duck and goose hunting.

Nice catch. I love the model 12 Winchesters.

I had a M12 Duck with recoil pad and Rib, 3” when I was a kid. I think mine had 32” barrel. The standard 3” mag m12 is nicer if you are going to carry it around. My dad was strict about shooting around the bird dogs. Only shoot birds, and only those dogs were pointing. I shot at a rabbit and missed. Shot went through a snow drift about 6” pattern.

A beautiful shotgun, I kick myself when I think of the deal a passed on at a LGS. :-(

Have a blessed day,

Leon

Nice pick-up, Dan.
Larry

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

Made around 18,000 or so from 1935 to 1963.

30" Full choke barrel standard, 32" more rare, plain barrel and solid rib. Barrel is thicker walled. Receiver and several other parts are specific to the Heavy Duck, it will have a "D" stamped on the rear of the receiver under the stock.

Stock has a lead weight put into it to balance the gun, is shorter overall with a factory installed recoil pad.

Mine is a mid 1950's with a Simmons Ventilated Rib and shoots like a rifle.

Yes, the Heavy Duck brings a nice premium over a standard Model 12. I sold my 32" sold rib Heavy Duck for over $1,000. And that was probably 10 years ago, but it's was in super nice condition.

Here’s my M12 trench that I built a few years ago.

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