[longrifleman]

The story:

My son was shooting some clays with his friends and his high school coach, who had been given an old Model 12. Apparently, a shell came out of the reciever shredded so they thought it was a good idea to stop shooting it.

My boy "volunteered" me to look at it, so being more curious than smart I did. The action was dry but with very little crud inside it. The story I get is it probably sat in a case in a closet for quite a few years and the action looked it. The original owner passed away and his daughter, who is about seventy years old, passed it along to the coach.

When I got it apart the bolt was disconnected from the slide but I couldn't find any broken or missing parts. It showed what I would consider normal wear for a shotgun that old. I lubed it up, reassembled it with the slide attached to the bolt instead of free floating ( I don't think John Browning designed it free floating) and it cycled properly. I ran some light trap loads throught it-carefully-and it functioned as it should. I think it was probably reassembled improperly the last time it was cleaned as I can't figure any way for the slide to become disconnected unless something breaks.

Has anyone else ever had a slide disconnect itself without something breaking? Are their any other quirks I should check for?

I would hate to have a fine old gun like that turn into a wall hanger without good reason. It has "character".

[ken grant]

The M12 as well as the M97 had adjustable headspace. It is a bushing on the breech end of the barrel that is adjustable. Maybe it needs to be backed out a notch or two. Is it loose and shakey at the joint where the receiver and barrel join? If so, this is the cure

[gunsmither]

It sounds as if the magazine tube was not tightened into the receiver correctly, which allowed the entire slide to come forward inadvertantly as it was pumped forward.

When assembled correctly, the mag tube is seated down (pushed) into it's receiver position, then the mag tube is turned clockwise (as looking from muzzle end) to engage it's mating interupted threads in the reciever. The tube is turned using the magazine lock pin, located at the front end of the mag tube; only takes about 1/2 turn. Then the lock pin is pushed thru to the opposite side of the magazine, which prevents the mag tube from turning loose.

You have a great gun there. Safe and Happy Shooting!

[P-32]

Gunsmither hit it right smack dab on the head.