Modifdy An Older Firearm? (Already modified) (compromised)

[max]

I found a 26 inch improved cylinder on EBAY and bought it. When I give the gun to my SD friends, it will come with 2 barrels.

I am catching a lot of flack on the Winchester section of the shotgun forum for discussing shortening the barrel on my M-12 Featherweight. I mentioned in another post, I received this shotgun last week. Approximately 129,000 of these were manufactured in the late 50's and up to 1961.

Let me modify this post by adding it has been brought to my attention the vent rib is an add on, so the collector value was gone before I received it.

I am not a Winchester collector and I shoot most of my guns. The M-12 has a 28 inch full choke barrel and it is not a combination I would use on my annual SD pheasant hunting trips. I much prefer a shorter and more open barrel. I am considering cutting it down to around 25 inches and installing choke tubes. I will shorten it to a location so the end of the rib is resting on a support.

Most of my shotguns are going to the farmer's grand kids where I hunt and I am sure this combination would give them many years of use. I have known most of these kids since they were very young. The youngest is now 21 and hunts with a Franchi I gave him for his high school graduation. I don't anticipate the M-12 ever being sold. Guns are treated as tools and they get a lot of use. I hope these guns will help them to remember me and the great hunts we had over the years.

I don't see any problem with modifying this gun to make it more useful to me and the next person to own it.

I ordered a 26 inch IC barrel for it. Whoever gets this gun will get both barrels.

 

[Puller]

Neither do I, it's your property.

 

[Rpg]

The common full choke M12 isn't a particularly useful configuration.

That's why these often sport poly chokes.

 

[stanmerrell]

The M12 might have more value unmodified, but only if it's in really nice 95%+ condition. Otherwise I say get the hacksaw and files out. Those are great handling guns. I always thought I would get one but never did.

 

[Patrick L]

As long as it wasn't Roy Rogers' gun, it's yours, do what you want.

 

[Baxter6551]

Ditto to all the above !!

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have Winchester 97's and understand your delima. Collectors value is worthless compared to "useability"!

I am sure Briley in Texas an take care of everything for you! Just send the barrel (if a take down) Both UPS and USPS have sticky fingers for LONG LONG guns headed to Briley (my brother had his Remington 32 molested, but the barrels made it through!)

The sound of you end product is like a BPS Youth Model with a full size stock and better action! What a dream gun!

Ivan

 

[Duckford]

If you didn't like the configuration of a classic firearm, why get it? If you acquire it and you have other guns, why butcher a classic needlessly? In a world of cheap and well built shotguns, why destroy something that isn't made anymore?

It is your property, certainly. But nobody is entitled to like what you do. In fact, I absolutely hate the idea of butchering an old gun for such a poor reason, and if you solicit advise publicly, I'll tell you it is a terrible idea and you should not do it. And the advice from others telling you not to do it are in the right. You asked for opinions and viewpoints, and you got them.

No shortage of 700's and 500's out there that can easily change a barrel. No shortage of shotguns period. The whole "I have to butcher guns that aren't made anymore because I have an itch" doesn't pan out when there are other factors at play. You don't sound like a starving person trying to make a better hunting gun of the only weapon you have to better feed your starving family.

You are making assumptions of future owners. Who is to say that someone down the line who gets it doens't want it in original configuration, as a collector or for other purpose? Isn't your idea that the next guy to get it will always want it butchered?

Things like this haven't made sense for a long time. Butchered military surplus bolt actions, butchered classic guns had some economic sense many decades ago, but nowadays it is just hacksawlust.

 

[dwh]

If it fits your needs then do it. I've modified half a dozen Marlin 336's pre micro groove. They've all become half mag trappers with 16in barrels and slimmed forends. I've also added trapdoor buttplates with a small survival kit and extra ammo. Each one was give to my friend's kids to use on their first deer hunt. It then became theirs to keep after the hunt. Some of these young men and women are in their 30s now and all cherish their trapper rifles from uncle Dave. I'm sure some Marlin collectors are loosing their minds when they see one, but it's not their gun. Enjoy your project.

 

[waffles]

You're absolutely welcome to modify it, it's your gun.

It's also likely doesn't make sense unless you just love the Model 12 in general. You'll certainly be better off financially if you sell it and buy a shotgun in the configuration you want vs. having this shortened and threading it for chokes. You'll come out ahead financially, the world has one more original M12 in it for those that want one, and you'll have a shotgun you can use and enjoy.

 

[Rlg#17]

Hey, it's your shotgun so go ahead and modify how you want to! I've done it to several dozen over the years that were carried, or used for competition! Enjoy it for as long as you can. It's yours! Post some pictures when it's done. I did do the same exact thing to a couple of Browning Light 12's over the years also. They worked great over a good pointing dog!

 

[Rustyt1953]

I don't see any problem with modifying this gun to make it more useful to me and the next person to own it.

Nor do I. This clearly falls under that pesky "pursuit of happiness" thing.

 

[Muley Gil]

Go ahead and cut it Max. I have modified a lot of my firearms, even ones that some collector/shooters would drool over today.

 

[4896worker]

If you are going to cut it make sure there is enough thickness in the barrel wall for a screw in choke or you will have to settle for a poly . Don't ask me how I know

 

[rbrbrb6]

If someone doesn't like the modification you want to do, THEY should have bought it! I get the same flack when I customize and old model Ruger flat op or a 357 maximum. My money, my choice.

 

[Echo40]

Personally, I've developed a strong dislike towards purists and collectors because they're extremely selfish individuals who force their ideology on others and presume to tell them what to do with their property, based purely on what any modifications may potentially do to affect the dollar value of the firearm on the collectors market, as if everyone only cares about selling firearms for profit rather than customizing and shooting them for their own personal enjoyment.

So yeah, I say do whatever the heck you please with that firearm, then post it on the forums and let them cry themselves to sleep thinking of how much you hurt the value of a gun that you never intended to sell in the first place because they're not real Firearms Enthusiasts, just greedy elitists who only care about flaunting their valuable trinkets and selling them for profit.

Lastly, in my personal experience, many self-proclaimed collectors who sell/trade collectable firearms are hypocritical charlatans who will tell anyone who will listen about how having a firearm so much as refinished will destroy its collectors value, yet they'll never buy anything in poor condition anyway, so their input is as irrelevant as it is disingenuous, and should they ever come upon a refinished firearm in a trade, then they most certainly won't be selling it at any significant loss as a result of it being of supposedly diminished value.

 

[Drm50]

Unless gun is unfired with hang tags in original box I would whack it in a hart beat. I have cut down many older shotguns. M12s, M97s, Rem 10s, Rem 11s, Savage 720s, Brownings A5s to name a few. I cut down many for slug guns and riot type. For myself I don't go crazy on having them so short they burn your eyebrows when you touch them off. 24" to 26" makes good gun for shot with screw ins or good with sights / scope for slugs. A model 12 has enough meat for internal chokes, no problem.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

I've modified, cut, remilitarized many firearms. I almost always would start with a donor that had previously been messed with. Other than a pristine specimen or collectible milsurp if you need it shortened go for it but do a professional job. My last build was a Cimarron 1873 where I had the 30 inch barrel replaced with a 20 inch barrel. Much handier. I also remilitarized the two previously sporterized 1903s.

 

[Heinz]

You might look for a replacement barrel and save the original. But it is your gun. Have fun with it.

 

[30-30remchester]

I have never totally agreed with the " its mine I will whatever I want with it" thinking. Suppose one of the previous owners of the Mona Lisa had decided she would look better with a moustache and go-tee. Or the owner of the land where the Milk Creek Massacre took place decided to plow it under just because he owned it and will do whatever he wants because it is his not yours. Now that I got that out of my system, I virtually never modify any historic or antique gun unless it has already been modified to the point it cannot be undone. Having collected and shot model 12's for decades, I have never owned or shot a featherweight. And as far as I know, they never came from the factory with any rib. So, if it has a rib, it has already been modified to the point of no return. I may be wrong about the rib but have never seen one or in Dave Riffle book.