What do I have here, says Winchester 1200

R

RMC51

New member
I just got a Winchester 1200, or thats what it says on the barrel.
The stamp on the barrel is

Winchester Model 1200 stainless 12GA 2 3/4 & 3"

My questions start at:

1. The barrel has been chromed & the barrel is magnetic

2. The mag tube has been chromed & is magnetic

3. The receiver is chromed & is not magnetic
 

Attachments

  • DSC00003.JPG
    DSC00003.JPG
    143.2 KB · Views: 667
  • DSC00002.JPG
    DSC00002.JPG
    142.2 KB · Views: 509
  • DSC00001.JPG
    DSC00001.JPG
    149.1 KB · Views: 480
Last edited:
The wood stock & handguard indicates...

that it is not the "Mariner" shotgun develop in the mid-80's due to boat hi-jacks in the Caribbean.

Some stainless steels are magnetic and some are not, you would have to do a SN search for date to see if that corresponds with known use of SS.

You MIGHT have a "bubbadized" shotgun that maybe marked SS and someone had chromed or nickled plate.
 
Yeah, that's a 1200 from what I can see. The Model 1200 has an aluminum alloy receiver, hence non-magnetic. Of course, the barrel & mag tube are steel. Winchester used stainless and blackened stainless barrels on various models over the years.
 
Very nice- now all you need is a cruising sailboat to go with it :D.

It's a Marine version of the Winchester 1200, meant for use on boats or in harsh environments. With wood furniture it's likely an older one, newer ones had synthetic furniture. The 1200 replaced the legendary Model 12 in Winchester's lineup and was introduced in the early 1960s. The 1200 was in turn replaced by the 1300, which is just a 1200 set up to handle 3" magnum shells.

The 1200/1300 has an aluminum receiver, thus it isn't magnetic.

I'm not sure when the first corrosion resistant 1200s were made... but yours is likely one of the early ones.

BTW, lose that sling with the shell loops on it. It'll pull your aim off if it's swinging free when you shoulder the gun in a hurry.

fwiw,

lpl

ETA- forgot to mention, there was even a Vietnam era trench gun version of the 1200- see http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=151787041 for pictures.

See also http://v2.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=161019857 for a later version of the marine/stainless steel gun.
 
Last edited:
talked to Winchester factory today

The factory told me that it was made in 1981, it is a (Winchester 1200 police). This model was stainless & chromed on all the outside parts, it has a 6+1 magiazine tube with sling mounts and rifle sights. not very many made, the historian I talked to had to look it up. He didn't know that Winchester back then chromed some stainless units.

I have a Colt 1911/45acp with Crimson Trace & Meprolight tritium illuminated sights and will be back from Wilson Combat in two weeks, will that work as a replacement for the 45 with pearl handles:rolleyes:

Thanks all for the input
Stay Safe
RMC51;)
 
Last edited:
Lee Lapin

The stamp on the barrel has 2 3/4 & 3". I would beleive that this unit will chamber both???

The sling thing, I don't think it will be a problem, hasn't yet

1. I'm mounting a lazer on it, waiting on the mount to get here.

2. I'm 6-4, 260lbs with a 40" waist, I also have a Ithaca 37 with 20" barrel that I have carried for 35 years. but I am going to the range as soon as the mounts get here/installed and I will check on this problem.

Thanks
Stay Safe
RMC51
 
You have more of a show chrome rather than chrome for protection. It takes quite a process for chrome to look like that much buffing involved between each plating operation. Which is copper base then nickle that forms the base so the finish will be that shiney. As I said buffing inbetween each step. The alloy parts require a special process so the copper will stick to it. The last and final step is a flashing of chrome onto the highly buffed surface.

Looks very nice, someone went to a lot of trouble to have that gun finished the way it is.
 
Isn't it great when someone asks a question they already know the answer to ?

sandbaggers................................. :barf: :barf: :barf:

.
 
Winchester made their first "harsh condition, salt water" shotgun in the Model 1200 series.

This was known as the Model 1200 Police Stainless.
It was available in 12 gauge with an 18" barrel, with a 7 shot magazine.

Strangely, Winchester discovered that the guns, especially the inside of the barrel, tended to rust and pit much worse than they thought stainless would.
When Winchester brought out the Model 1300 Stainless Marine Defender they used a new Sandstome 9A phosphate coating on all internal parts to increase rust resistance.

However, they still had problems with the inside of the stainless barrel rusting, so, like Remington and Mossberg, they changed to a plated finish for all parts including the inside of the barrel.
This gun was also called the "Stainless Marine Defender" but all parts where chrome plated instead of the earlier stainless steel..
 
Got copy of 1982 catolog from Winchester

Dfariswheel, more info

I got the copy of the 1982 catolog page from the factory historian. Winchester made three models
1200 Defender 18"
1200 Police 18"
1200 Stainless 18"

Defender is blued finish, has seven+1 shell magazine
Police & Stainless have stainless triple plated chrome, Police & Stainless has six+1 shell magazine

All three are chambered for 3" mag, 2 3/4 mag and 2 3/4 standard shotshells interchangeable.

The Police came with chrome sling mounts. can't tell if Stainless had slings, Defender did not have slings

If you want a copy of this page, let me know

RMC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top