Question on Winchester Model 12 Age and maintenance.

B

bmw2

New member
So the good news is I just picked up a nice condition model 12, unfortunately someone cut the barrel down:barf:. My question though is on it's age, serial number is 283,xxx which looking around online says is 1922. Does that sound right?

Anything in general I should know about this? Anything special on maintenance or lube points?

Thanks.
 
You probably know this, but there is no trigger disconnector. If you are holding the trigger when you chamber a round, the gun will fire. Think "muzzle discipline" and The Four Rules. Obviously, if the gun is worn, it's possible to have the shell fire with an unlocked bolt :eek: which will provide more entertainment than anyone really wants.

It would be good to verify that the lockup of the barrel/mag assembly on the receiver is tight. That was designed to be adjustable within a range, but some M12s have been maxed out over the years.
 
There doesn't seem to be any play between the two halves, I twisted on it pretty hard to check and the lug/threads look very good. It's definitely in a lot better shape than I would expect for an almost 90 year old gun and doesn't appear to have been abused other than the unfortunate shortening. How hard is it to find an unmolested barrel and replace this one?
 
How long is the present barrel? If it measures more than 18" from breech face to muzzle. it can be used without a special license.

Model 12 barrel assemblies include the magazine and are available but not cheap. Had I an old 12 with chopped but legal length barrel, I'd send it off to Nu Line or Simmons ( Both speak fluent Model 12) for a look over and possibly a refurb.

HTH...
 
It's legal, it's a little over 18 1/4in from the bolt face to the end of the barrel. I don't really want a refurb, I like old guns to look the part. Rather than a re-barrel, I was considering having the barrel tapped for choke tubes and having a bead installed(no sight right now). At the length it is now, when it's broken down, it's perfect for a pack gun. Of course it wouldn't look the old gun part that way either but it's cheaper.
 
go ahead and have choke tubes installed, with the barrel being that short it should have enough meat(barrel thickness) in the barrel walls to have it threaded for remington tubes (remington tubes are every where). if not briely can do thin wall tube installing. eastbank.
 
How hard is it to find an unmolested barrel and replace this one?
Click to expand...
The Model 12 is not like a new style pump gun where barrels are interchangeable. If you should find a spare barrel, it will need to be fit by a gunsmith to assure a proper head space. Simmons gets $125 for the job.
 
For the cost of a barrel and the work, I think I'll just have my gunsmith thread it for chokes if the barrel is thick enough. Since the original barrel is already cut, it shouldn't hurt the value, plus I'm impatient and hate sending my guns out for work:D.
 
bmw2, do yourself a big favor, have your barrel choked by someone who does it full time, like Briley. I'm not a big fan of screw-in chokes, but some of my entry level and mid-range guns came with them. One of my O/Us has Briley tubes and screw-ins in all 4 gauges. The others skeet guns have Briley tubes with fixed chokes and the trap guns have factory screw-ins.

I had an extra trap barrel shortened and choked (to make a skeet barrel for my R-1100 Trap) by the LGS. They weren't savvy enough to realize that the Remington trap barrel was over-bored. They fitted it with generic choke tubes and the set them a pinch too deep. The "skeet" choke patterns like a tight "mod" and the "mod" like a full. I was impatient then, and I'm sorry now. I don't remember if the local boys were any faster than Briley; but, every time I break out the R-1100, I'm reminded that I chose the wrong folks to do the screw-ins.
 
Never mind, found it. If anyone is curious, it's $95 just to thread them or $179 w/ a set of three chokes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top