An Interesting (to me) Old Winchester Model 12

My friends who know me beyond the boundaries of this forum know of my fondness for old Winchester Model 12 shotguns, especially those in 12-gauge. My opinion is that it's the best repeating shotgun ever made. That's my opinion, okay? If you prefer another, that's fine, I won't argue or debate you about it. This isn't one of those "so-and-so versus such-and-such" threads.

Anyway, my interest in them goes back to the late sixties and early seventies. I associate the gun with old friends and good times, so there's a good bit of nostalgia going on in addition to appreciating the materials and workmanship that went into building the gun. The Model 12 is a textbook example of "They don't make 'em like that any more."

Won't get any argument from me about that "Perfect Repeater" tag people have attached to the gun. I used to crow hunt, using a 28-inch Model 12 choked Modified. The gun made me look like a better shot than I actually was. I'd make shots that had me asking myself, "How'd I do that?" Well, by 1976, I'd grown out of killing animals for fun, but I still remember my amazement when I'd make a good shot with that old gun.

I picked this one up several years ago. It came home to me from Anchorage, Alaska by way of Arizona. It was made in 1941, an early wartime factory riot gun, with a 20-inch cylinder bore barrel. The previous owner told me it had been stored in the safe or evidence locker at the Anchorage Police Department for almost all of its seventy-plus-year lifespan. It was shipped to me in an Anchorage PD evidence carton.

It's my understanding that in the early war year of 1941, the military was buying blued civilian riot guns for use by military personnel. This one's stock and fore arm look like they're finished in that old style military oil finish...it has a distinct reddish color. It has the sling swivels, but what's unusual about them is that they aren't the standard military size...they're smaller in width. And the barrel is stamped "41" on the bottom, of course, and the serial numbers are matching. This gun has no military markings on it.

The gun's in beautiful condition. Three gunsmiths tell me it wears its original bluing, that beautiful Winchester blue. It has a few hairline scratches on it that you have to look hard to see. The action cycles smoothly and the bore is like a mirror. I've run shells through it, but have not fired it. It doesn't appear to have been fired much at all.

No particular reason for posting about it...just felt like it. I've been offered $1100 for it, but so far it isn't for sale. It lives in a gun sock inside a case. It gets taken out and wiped down every other week.

I'm sure I'll never know its history and why it stayed locked away for seventy-two years before I bought it. Stuff like that just interests me, so thought I'd talk about it here a little.

It's going back in the case now. Maybe I'll get around to firing it one of these days.

That sure is a nice Model 12 you got there! Looks like a rare and a fantastic find!
I,like you,love my Winchesters so as for being a great shotgun you won't get no argument from me!

Enjoy!.......

Does look in really nice condition. Quality spoken here!

No finer pump shotgun in my opinion.

I also have a 1941 Model 12. I bought it for, as I remember, about $150 in the early 1990s. A previous owner had shortened the stock, probably for use by a woman or a child, and it had some rust freckles on it, plus a fairly deep corrosion pit on the receiver. I cleaned it up, polished it, worked down the pit on the receiver by draw filing to the point it was no longer noticeable, and hot blued it myself. I found a quite nice replacement buttstock, but not factory original, and sold the shortened stock for almost enough to pay for the new replacement stock. Overall, it looks very presentable and functions fine. But it's certainly in the shooter category. I seldom fire it these days and it's on my list to sell when I get around to liquidation day.

Not many will be inclined to agree with me, but I really prefer the Model 12's successor, the Model 1200. Most will give it a bad rap, but mine is smooth, light, and dependable, and it will probably be the last shotgun I sell.

I too love the Model 12...I have 7 of them and a Model 42. My best one is a 20 gauge super pigeon from 1961. It has the B carved wood and number 5 engraving. Two of my guns are factory 2 barrel sets. People today don't believe it when they are told that every part on the pre-64's was fully machined from bar stock. I remember when I was a kid all the older hunters used to talk about the Model 12...then one of them finally found one and had it reblued. It was one of the old nickle steel guns and it came back kind of greenish in color. None of us knew any better and we all stood in awe of the nickle steel.
You never forget your first Model 12 and mine is long gone. A former deputy sold me the remains of one confiscated in a raid. The barrel had been cut off at the end of the magazine. The genius tried to make it a pistol grip and sawed thru the stock bolt. I found a barrel, polished and blued everything and got it all together only to find that it would blow itself open when fired.
I posted on the internet asking if anyone had any info regarding this. I got 26 replies...13 said, "sounds like something must be wrong with it" and 13 said "yep, they all do that...it's the way it was designed." About 40 people posted that "if you hold the trigger in and pump it, it keeps on firing."
That mine had this problem was very confusing to me. I remember when I was a kid listening to the stories of those old timers talking about the Model 12 the one thing they all said repeatedly {other than how fantastic nickle steel was} was, "you cant wear out a Model 12...the more you shoot one the tighter it gets."
Well, a whole lot of information searching and an action bar later she was fixed and I was in love. One things for sure though...you can wear out anything, even a Model 12.

Yes I agree it's a quality 12ga pump shotgun. The model 12 is sought after. By the old timers who know. I grabbed a model 120 slug gun for $225.

Watchdog, all you said is right on for me. I am down to 2 mow a 41 in 16 and a 27 in 12. Ive owned collections of them twice. Same with pre 64s model 70. Things are not made that nice anymore. That goes for most guns of other manufacturers.

I found a M 1912 20" bbl complete fro t half and fitted it to mine. Now I have a nice full choke amd a riot.

I am also a model 12 fan. I have several. The one that started my fascination with model 12's is a 30in 12ga full choke nickle steel from 1922. Dad bought it when he came out of the army in the fall of 1946. He paid $65 for it. Dad passed away 3 years ago. I'm proud to be the caretaker of this fine old shotgun. Sure do miss Pop.

Yeah-a M-120...

BigBill said:

Yes I agree it's a quality 12ga pump shotgun. The model 12 is sought after. By the old timers who know. I grabbed a model 120 slug gun for $225.

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I have a model 120 that I bought on line cheap. All I knew was Winchester Pump & 12 gauge. The end of the barrel was buggered up pretty bad, but I wanted a home defense gun, so I didn't care. Cut it down as soon as I got it-like that corn cob! Shoots great. Nice find W-Dog.

I have a Model 12 in 12 gauge I bought directly from the family awhile back. It had belonged to an uncle who bought it to hunt with. My understanding was he hunted with it once and never went hunting again. The gun was made in 1955 and still looks new. It has a polychoke on it that I think was in fact a factory installation.
Jim

Nice Win12-riot gun.
My guess is that it is a standard Riot configuration, the swivels the standard production type provided (1" probably). The wood finish also standard.
1941 was still a pre-war year of mfg for Winchester till Dec.
The M12 Riot made in '41 was most likely a Police or Security firm purchase IMO with the option of swivels added at time of purchase. Why it wasn't used much is anyones guess.
It's certainly your good fortune though!
Beautiful shotgun and a surely keeper if I had only had one M12 myself, which oddly I don't as much as I love pump guns.
Real,untouched, unaltered, not messed with Winchester variations are tough to find these days as the fakers are always trolling about.

1942 at Winchester was near full War-production with many M12 production going to the Military as training arms for air gunnery, guard and combat duty.
In very late '42 the the 1,000,000th M12 was presented to Gen'rl Hap Arnold USAAF.
I've been told the different branches of the Services bought civilian shotguns when the War started from commercial sources for the same reasons.

Mine is from 1961 and is the 12 ga Heavy Duck, aka, 3” mag. It’s in great shape, I got it from a neighbor years ago, said he only hunted about 6 times with it. One of my first shotguns was a Model 1200 and it is a good gun but nowhere near the quality of the 12. Neither are for sale or going anywhere. I too had a pre-64 Winchester collecting affliction in the 70’s and 80’s only a few left.

Nice Mod 12, thanks for sharing your find with us, I love them dearly!
I now have a mod 42, 12 and the 22 version in mod 61, they go very well together!

Model 12's are great. I've got 3 myself including an original police riot with Dept markings on the stock and 2 26" modifieds for hunting. I inherited a 42 .410 and I love the 61's but no longer have one of those. They are wonderful guns and the product of another era in manufacturing quality.

msinc said:

I too love the Model 12...I have 7 of them and a Model 42.

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I'm amazed now at the prices I see on Model 42s. It just seems in the past three years, their value has skyrocketed. It isn't unusual to see a nice 42 marked at $1500-$2000 now.

Big E3 said:

Mine is from 1961 and is the 12 ga Heavy Duck, aka, 3” mag. It’s in great shape, I got it from a neighbor years ago, said he only hunted about 6 times with it.

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I was at a gun show last year, standing around talking to a friend of mine outside before we went in. This guy came up, he was obviously a bit down on his luck. He was carrying a Model 12 Heavy Duck on a homemade sling over his shoulder. And when I say "sling", I'm being generous. It was a piece of rope tied at the magazine tube and knotted again around the pistol grip on the stock. It had some finish loss on the barrel and the stock was a bit dinged up, but still looked okay. He wanted $300 for it. Told him I couldn't help him and he says, okay, I'll let you have it for $200.

Now, I was at that show cause I was looking for something specific, so I passed on that as well. Went back to talking to my friend, and about five minutes later it just hit me, I was crazy to pass that up for two hundred bucks. I looked around but the guy was gone, disappeared into the hundreds of cars and people in the parking lot. Never saw him again.

Oh, and I didn't find what I went to the show to find, either...so it was a lost day for me all around.

Live and learn.

I'm with you fellers. The model 12 is an awsome shotgun. I turned 42 this year and have been on the look out for a model 42. Still looking. They b high my friends. My father taught me to appreciate the model 12 from my youth. Its a quality built pump shotgun. I have a couple of ithica 37s as well. They are great but not made to the same tightness of the model 12. Great post.

I've seen quite a few of the Model 12 Heavy Duck guns. I doubt if many are used for duck hunting today. I understand the M12 barrels will not handle steel shot. But the Remington 870 barrels will. The last time I went duck hunting, steel shot wasn't required. I really do not miss the duck hunting experience - too wet and too cold. And my wife never liked to fix duck. I often gave my ducks to others so I wouldn't have to contend with her.

looks like I'm going to have to keep an eye out for one. I don't hunt, but i'd like to have a nice representative model now that ive contracted Winchester fever.