Picked up a Pair of Model 12 Winchesters. Need to stop looking online!

TheHobbyist

TheHobbyist

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I know this is probably the last place to look for help on not buying guns...:)

Was looking at the auction sites, classifieds, and just browsing and I get a call out of nowhere from my uncle. He has located two Model 12's that are in like new (:eek:) condition. One in 12 g and the other in 20 g.

There is just something about old Winchesters and these shotguns just have a timeless appeal.

Here is a photo of the 12g.
 

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^^^^I heard the 28's are hard to find and pricey.
Dang it, I just found one on a popular auction site.:rolleyes::eek:
 
hogblue said:
Still have my dad’s that he bought in 1934, 30” full choke. Built in the 20’s. I restored it and it rests in my safe. He said he paid $35 for it then. At that time that was a good deal of hard earned cash for a 19 year old Kansas farm boy.
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I have my grand-dad's Model 12 - same configuration, bought new in 1924. It sill looks almost new.
 
When I say I restored it I actually was working I a gunsmith shop as a service writer. The guys guided me in bead blasting it and repolishing it before rebluing in hot tanks. Had to do it twice as the old nickel steel is temperature sensitive to the bluing process.

Refinished the wood also. Gave it seven coats of Winchester Red oil. The stock still had the scratches in it that dad put there crossing barbed wire fences.
 
I too have a M 12, 20 ga. from my father. He purchased it in Las Vegas the week I was born. He told my Mom that he bought it for me and would give it to me when I was legal to hunt. I did get the 20 ga. at the age of 12, but since my Dad didn't really take care of his guns, it was in bad cosmetic shape. Eight years later while working in the custom gun shop and going to college, I totally refinished it and made a few small repairs. It will never be sold and will go either to a grandson or his now three y.o. son. No matter which it goes to it will be in like new condition and not the haggard condition like when I received it. .... :-)
 
Drm50 said:
The finest pump shotgun ever produced. Followed closely by Rem 31 and Ithaca 37.
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I actually prefer the 31 Remington of those three, and the 870 Remington above them all for actual use. I feel the Model 12 design is too complex and many parts aren't easily replaced without lots of fitting. But or collecting they're the top pump gun for sure. I do have a few very nice Model 12's in my collection. I have one super nice Model 12 Duck Gun that was made the year my father was born that I'll never get rid of.
 
There’s no reason one of those couldn’t be put to use for home defense, even today.

These old Model 12s can slamfire, meaning you can hold down the trigger and pump as fast as you can and each time to bolt closes the round will automatically fire.

6 rounds of 00 buckshot slamfired into a home intruder would give him a really bad day, that’s for sure!
 
JayFramer said:
There’s no reason one of those couldn’t be put to use for home defense, even today.

These old Model 12s can slamfire, meaning you can hold down the trigger and pump as fast as you can and each time to bolt closes the round will automatically fire.

6 rounds of 00 buckshot slamfired into a home intruder would give him a really bad day, that’s for sure!
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Trust me, you don't want to do that. It will give your shoulder a pretty bad day too. I've tried it once. Once is enough.
 
If you're in the market for a 28ga Winchester Model 12,,do some homework on them first before buying.
There's probably more of them out there that are aftermarket conversions from 20ga guns than orig Factory built 28ga guns.
The Factory did build them on the 20ga frame.

For a time the factory 28ga bbls and other necessary parts were available and there was quite an industry making up those guns, many in grades higher than plain Field grade.
There are some things to look for and some ser# ranges are a better probability of originality than not. But that ser# range isn't a slam dunk to say it's orig.

Nothing wrong with many of the conversions. Many are very professionally done,,they've fooled lots a collectors!
But you don't want to pay the price of an original and get someone's conversion project.
Little or no Factory records available to check much on Model 12's.

Lots of on-line info available.


Model 12's have certainly proven themselves, no doubt about that.
I think they're a fine pump gun too.
I've never personally owned one. I just tend to go for the more obscure offerings.
 
I'm a Model 12 fan to the bone and I shoot them at the gun club and in the pheasant fields over my fine Brittany bird dogs.

The 12 gauge below is a rescued police issue that has been rebuilt for general field use and trap shooting. When rebuilt, I used a 30" barrel with the forcing cone relieved for steel shot and interchangeable, steel capable chokes. 25 pigeons on the trap or skeet range is never out of the question with it.

The 20 gauge (Modified choke) is virtually unfired as well as the Model 42 in 410 gauge.
 

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