[root66]

I'm pretty new to the firearms world and may not use the right terms so please bear with me.

I've inherited this gun. I bought some shells and went out to get some experience with it. This was my first time firing a shotgun, actually a long gun of any kind. On the first shot, the shell casing did not eject. I now know that it's because I did not run the slide handle far enough forward.

In the mean time I took it to a local guy who later admitted that he's not real confident in his abilities on repairing these. I went today to pick it up and shot it about a half dozen times and it appears to be working fine. He's a retired cop and a firearms instructor and he showed me how to properly operate the gun. However there is one issue that I'm not certain about and neither is he.

The slide handle, at the end of the forward stroke requires more force to move at the extreme end of the stroke. Kind of hard to explain, but it moves along with a very easy action but right near the end for maybe the last 1/4" or so, it gets rather stiff. I find that it's way too easy to not move it fully forward and then it locks up and the release button must be pressed.

It doesn't feel right to me and he's not sure. I don't know if there is actually a problem with the gun, or if I just don't have enough experience. I can take it in to a local gun shop, but I wanted to get some opinions if possible. He lubricated it and it shoots and ejects fine as long as I make a point of really making sure the slide goes fully forward. If this is normal, there's no sense having it looked at and dropping more money on it.

I've done enough research on the gun to feel that the last bit of movement on the slide handle being stiffer may be normal. The cam action as the rear end of the bolt tips up may be the reason, but I don't really know. While I have several friends who are big into guns, none are familiar with this shotgun.

Can anyone understand what I'm asking here or have I given too much information and just made it confusing?

[gunut]

sounds fine to me...the last little bit of forward movement is when the gun locks into battery and the bolt cams up into full lockup....try pumping the forend a little faster and you wont even notice it....

BTW to release the forend [on a winchester model 12] without fireing the gun , you have to push in the release at th e rear left of the trigger guard and push forward a little on the forend to release the action....when the gun is actualy fireing a round the recoil does this for you....

[root66]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll have to fire it a lot more to get confident with it. When I picked it up, we went out to the back of his property and shot off mine and a Remington 870 he had. I had no issues with the Remington. The pump action was so much smoother. At least it was to me.

He suggested I do a trade of the Model 12 for an 870. Everyone that has seen the Model 12 has remarked how nice of a condition it's in. I researched the serial number and came back with a manufacture date of 1928. I kind of hate to get rid of the gun. Even as a rookie, I can see what a nice gun it is. Maybe I should just have two! :)

[Bud Tugly]

Don't EVER sell a gun that has family history, even if you don't use it much. I sold my dad's old deer rifle and have regretted it ever since.

Luckily I kept his old shotgun. It rarely gets fired any more, but every time I pick it up all the memories of hunting with him come flooding back.

[RonE]

Winchester Mod 12's are great shotguns but not so popular anymore now that migratory birds must be hunted with steel shot. One of the best Mod 12 gunsmith operations in the country is Simmons, in Kansas.