Would like to know what one could probably expect to pay these days for a Winchester Model 12 20 gauge. 28 inch barrel with a solid rib in around 90% original factory condition. 1936 manufacture date. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Strictly a WAG - about $650.

Have no idea. I still have my dads he bought in
1935. 12 guage 30”. Plain bbl full choke. He paid $35 for it.

In this area they seem to be dropping. Those old enough to appreciate them, especially the 20 gauge, are themselves divesting. Those with spending money are buying newer selfloaders or the cheaper pumps.

The last several I saw go were all under $1000, most under $700.

Are you selling or buying?

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Looking to buy, but with the price the seller is asking I will probably pass on it. He doesn’t seem to want to come off his asking too far and I don’t see putting into it what makes me uncomfortable.

Do like those solid rib prewars.

How is the Choke? If choked IC or Mod, it will bring a little more than a Full choke. Thew would be fine on a skeet range or upland birds. I had a light weight Mod 12 with IC 26" barrel and it sold for $475 (due to a fine hairline crack in the stock). Otherwise it would have brought about $550.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

i remember 35-40 years ago, a Winchester Model 12 was the cat's meow among gun traders in Tennessee. EVERYBODY wanted one and owning one was like money in the bank.

Over the years, it has slowly lost its premium little by little....I think the older crowd that appreciated these has been growing older and dying off. Newer generations just don't appreciate these like they did back in the 1970's-1980's.

I saw the same thing happen with 1957 Chevrolets and that is starting to even creep into early 60's musclecars.

I have a local classic car dealer that has or had a 1980's Toyota Supra in stock and it was more expensive that many of his classic cars.

The old model 12s are not as desirable in the marketplace as they were 20-30 years ago. Model 12 collectors are relatively few today, and they insist on nothing but very high condition examples and less common designs, such as military or magnum duck, not those which show symptoms of use or of common production. And there are newer and superior shotguns on the market for hunters and clay bird shooters. There are few used Model 12s in average condition that will bring over $500, mainly less. Good shotguns, but their sun has set.

I bought a nice - not new but nice - mid-'50's 12 ga. with a plain, 28" barrel, full choke, a few months ago for $250. They are great guns but the market on them in my area is very soft and has been for a long time.

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Everybody could shoot

I have never owned one, but really like them. I would like a trap model, just to shoot every so often. I know they are not much in the soft recoil category.

Years ago there was a Connecticut Trapshooter named M. D. Clark that used a model 12. The stories go that he could shuck and shoot the second target while the first hull was still 4 feet off the ground, or something like that. I believe he won the doubles championship at the Grand American once.

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Just for you Pete

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

The question to ask is "how is it chambered?"

If it's chambered for 2 3/4" shells, then a 90% 20 gauge Model 12 with a solid rib will bring $900-$1200 depending on how it's marketed.

If chambered for 2 1/2", then not as much.

The Model 12's that are bringing $400-$500 are plain barrel 12 gauges.

Apples and oranges.

Very Nice Paul. Beautiful wood!!

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

My dad had a take-down 16 gauge M12 plain barrel and later put a Poly choke compensator on it. He loved to duck hunt and brought down gobs of mallards with the gun and sold it to my best friend when I was in college for $100. Wish I had it.

I agree that the price on plain barrel 12 gauges can be pretty low right now, and 16 gauges are probably even lower. I got this cylinder bore 12 gauge brush gun for less than what you see on the tag.

The few 20 gauges that I see do bring more, but I bet with some diligent searching you can find one exactly the way you want for $500.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Funny this should come up today. I just this morning bought a Sears Model 20 12 gauge, which is a High Standard Model 200 Flite-King marketed by Sears. 26”, vent rib, great shape - $119.99. I have no use for it, but I didn’t want to leave it there.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

A really nice 20 should bring between 550 to 650 without too much trouble. Fact is a 90% M12 of any gauge is hard to find nowadays. I just got my 16 gauge back from Brileys threaded for their screw in steel shot capable chokes....what a wonderful gun.

I see them at various auctions in various gauges. Of note would be that the 16 gauge is on the same frame as the 20 gauge. I’ve switched over to the 20 gauge after a long love affair with the 12. Still have the 12’s - not sure what to do with them when I turn to ashes. Anyway… assuming you’re looking for a shooter: think of undesirable stuff to lower the expected price. A polychoke will save you bucks and they actually work (as it turns out). I have a couple with them. If you don’t want the polychoke send it to (wherever) to get the insert chokes installed. This gun is made for shooting. Get it fixed up to be “your” gun and it’ll be your friend for life. Then consider how much per year would you be comfortable with - mine were five hundred to seven hundred dollar guns. They shoot like dreams for me. And the twenties are slicker than my twelves. My old shoulders work the actions better than any other pumps I own. You oughta be able to get a nice one for under six hundred easy. Five if you look around.

I look M12’s as great utility guns.

Their utility for much of their historical production (12 ga 30” full choke guns ) disappeared with the requirement of using steel shot for migratory waterfowl. They’re still great trap guns.

They really shine in the field in small bore (16 & 20ga are built on the same action ) configurations. They’re pleasant to carry in the field and very quick. They have the nicest action of all the pump guns I’ve ever used. They’re great guns as first shotguns.

Simmons did a brisk business re-bluing and adding ribs to M12’s in the 1960’s-70’s. If you’re considering a paying a premium for a M12 with a ventilated rib, look carefully to be sure it’s Winchester’s.

I just noted you have some “Desirables’ in your wants for the gun. It’s just a suggestion, but I’d be prone to jump on one that was close enough - to get myself in the game (so to speak), then I could take my time looking for the “right” one. You can always get a reasonable deal on the one you’d be selling off. You’re just trading paper money for steel-and-wood money.

But only among a select very few. Most folks will take a loss in the short term if they try to sell too quickly.

Unfortunately, the Model 12 is no longer viewed as desirable. Too many newer and cheaper shotguns to buy to worry about something you have to buy a twin to have spare parts.

And I own a couple of them!

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Me also, a 12 ga, ca. 1940, and a 20 ga, ca. 1913. I think both are excellent shotguns, but the fact is that their time is long past. As I have said in other postings, my favorite shotgun is a 12 gauge Skeet grade Winchester 1200 pump. And I don't care to hear others complain about how low their opinions are of the 1200. My 1200 has always been very trouble free and fits me well. That is all that matters. And it bothers me not at all that it contains a few small pieces of plastic which gives some others apoplexy.

I'm hearing comments from the "shooters" about the Model 12 being outdated. I'm not sure what the OP's intent is with the shotgun he was looking at, but collectors still value the high condition Model 12 with rare features such as the solid rib described.

Installing the solid rib on a shotgun barrel was a painstaking process of soldering and alignment to insure a straight and centered rib upon completion. It proved to be too expensive a process and was therefore discontinued. Solid rib guns aren't common and are thus desirable to collectors.

As previously stated, Winchester installed some vented ribs themselves, farmed some out to Simmons, and many others were done by Simmons on an aftermarket basis. This is a whole other area where collecting knowledge is required.

My point is this: model 12's are still an area of interest to collectors. Deluxe wood, skeet and pigeon grades, ribbed, less common gauges, etc. all add value to the collector and they continue to be in demand. The shooter grade 12's and 16's are what most of you are referring to in the low to mid $100's.

The shotgun described in the OP sounds like it has collector qualities to it.

I paid 500$ for it.

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A 1936 mfgr should be 2 3/4" chamber and should be marked on the bbl.
Change over from 2 1/2" to 2 3/4" came about around 1926
The 2 1/2" chambered guns were not marked as to chamber length.
The very first of the 2 3/4" chambered guns had the chamber length marked on the bottom of the recv'r right underneath the Ser#.
That only lasted for a short time until the supply of early unmarked bbl's were used up.

Make sure the Recv'r(Frame) and the BBl assembly ser#'s match. Look closely as many have been 'forced matched' when it comes to ribbed bbl guns. Look for the bbl assembly number having been removed and the new matching number stamped into place.
The correct font usually isn't quite correct and the bbl assm ser# will be stamped lightly in an effort to avoid crushing the thin bbl extension ring.
The ring has to have been reblued after these efforts. Some are professional,,others are a quicky cold blue attempt.

Proof mark on the bbl should be on the left side of the bbl at the breech just off of the Raised Rib.
The matching proof on the Frame should also be off to the left side of center at the top front of the frame.
Both should appear to have been stamped 'Thru the Bluing'
NOT blued over the stamped image. Definetely not polished over.

A decent buy on a true 90% Mod12 pre-war 20ga w/raised rib in excl mechanical and bore condition IMO should be betw $700 and $1000

The difference comes in when intrepretations of what 90% means.
and...What the bbl length of 28" means to you the buyer ..Good or not so Good.
Even if you like a 28",,you can say you were shopping for a 30" ..which is very much the popular want these days in a small bore.

Same with the Choke.
(Check the choke with a gauge and see if it is what the factory marking states it is.
If it has been honed out,,then the price lowers as it's non-factory,,,
The price lowers even if the alteration is to your liking. Time to kick tires.)