Birth Year Winchester M12 Shotgun

quinn · Feb 8, 2021

Helping out a long time friend I acquired this nice "Long Tom" Winchester Model 12. Winchester introduced this model in 1912, and it remained in production for 52 years with nearly 2 million rolling off the production line. According to various references this model was a hammerless design my Winchester engineer T.C. Johnson based on the earlier 1897 model designed by Browning. Military versions of the M12 served in WWI, WWII, Korea and early Vietnam.

My 'birth year' model rolled off the assembly line in 1946, probably around March... about 2 months before I rooled out. This one has a serial number just short of the 1 million mark or almost exactly halfway through the entire production run. Interestingly, half of the M12 production occurred between 1912 and 1945, while the 2nd million were produced between 1945 and '64.

30" barrel, full choke, 2-3/4" shells. Cowboy Roy Rogers was known to be a M12 trap shooter.

Mike SC Hunter · Feb 8, 2021

quinn said:
Helping out a long time friend I acquired this nice "Long Tom" Winchester Model 12. Winchester introduced this model in 1912, and it remained in production for 52 years with nearly 2 million rolling off the production line. According to various references this model was a hammerless design my Winchester engineer T.C. Johnson based on the earlier 1897 model designed by Browning. Military versions of the M12 served in WWI, WWII, Korea and early Vietnam.

My 'birth year' model rolled off the assembly line in 1946, probably around March... about 2 months before I rooled out. This one has a serial number just short of the 1 million mark or almost exactly halfway through the entire production run. Interestingly, half of the M12 production occurred between 1912 and 1945, while the 2nd million were produced between 1945 and '64.

30" barrel, full choke, 2-3/4" shells. Cowboy Roy Rogers was known to be a M12 trap shooter.

So was Clark Gable.

Ole Joe Clark · Feb 11, 2021

My favorite shotgun. I bought a used one in October, 1963, and still have it. It's a field grade 20 gauge. I bought a 16 gauge about 3-4 years ago at the local gun shop, another field grade.

I guess I'll keep the 20 gauge, since I'm working on 58 years as it's care taker.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

SAFireman · Feb 11, 2021

Looks like a great addition to the flock. Ready for dove season?

30-30remchester · Feb 13, 2021

Interesting model 12. Yours has the earlier forearm generally used on only pre war models. Butt since yours was made just after the war it makes since to have a few older forearms around. The highest quality pump gun ever built. Interesting fact about Roy Rogers and Clarke Gable both using model 12's. They were the same gun. Clarke was a wealthy Hollywood star, but Roy was under contract with the studio's for the princely sum of $125 a month and no royalties of his records. His daughter said they lived in near poverty. Once when shooting trap with Roy, Clarke had a factory engraved model 12. It is widely believed that knowing Roy was poor to say the least, Clarke had a bad round and declared he would sell this shotgun, that had missed so many birds, to anyone who had 10 cents. Saying this while standing next to Roy, it took Roy but a blink of an eye to produce the dime and become the proud owner of an engraved model 12.

bill-in-texas · Mar 26, 2021

quinn said:
Helping out a long time friend I acquired this nice "Long Tom" Winchester Model 12. Winchester introduced this model in 1912, and it remained in production for 52 years with nearly 2 million rolling off the production line. According to various references this model was a hammerless design my Winchester engineer T.C. Johnson based on the earlier 1897 model designed by Browning. Military versions of the M12 served in WWI, WWII, Korea and early Vietnam.

My 'birth year' model rolled off the assembly line in 1946, probably around March... about 2 months before I rooled out. This one has a serial number just short of the 1 million mark or almost exactly halfway through the entire production run. Interestingly, half of the M12 production occurred between 1912 and 1945, while the 2nd million were produced between 1945 and '64.

Randy,

Thanks for sharing the pictures and account of your Model 12.
That is a beauty, for sure sir.

I am currently considering a rather nice-looking (dare I say stunning?) M12 (fr. 1959). I don’t know if the seller will come down from $800 but, it certainly is a beauty, IMHO. Having the later fore grip, it doesn’t look as sleek as your, as I recall.

I just turned 57 in February so, I think I am possibly a member of the last “group” of admirers of older firearms. (I hope that I’m wrong, as my 34 year old son will certainly inherit some of my “old” guns!)

-Bill

Scharfschuetzer · Mar 26, 2021

Model 12

That's a very nice Model 12.

You just got to love old Model 12s. They are still common at the air base skeet range where I shoot twice a week. I use these Model 12s from time to time and with the rescued 12 gauge I've shot 25 straight at trap. I also use the 20 gauge for pheasants with good success.

Ole Joe Clark · Mar 26, 2021

What beautiful shotguns.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

Baltimoreed11754 · Mar 26, 2021

I have 2, they are very slick pump guns. I made the 1930 with an old reblue into this trench gun and am planning to do a riot gun out of the 1940 reblued gun. I have a 520-30 Stevens/Riverside that will eventually have a trenchgun bbl to go with the field bbl.

Birth Year Winchester M12 Shotgun

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