[jcoats2]

We are looking for a list of known serial #s for the model 12. My husband recently inherited this gun and upon close inspection, we noticed that the serial # is a very LOW number. . . Mid 400s.. And were just wondering how many guns were still known to be in existence with a serial number earlier than ours. Thanks!

[chas08]

According to the McHenry list that I have, # 1 - # 5,308 were made in 1912. How you could determine how many are still in existance is unknown to me.

[ReloaderFred]

I have personally viewed Serial Number 2 on a 20 gauge Model 12. It was two years ago at the Winchester Collectors Gunshow at Cody, Wyoming. The gentleman was from Washington state and was trying to sell it. He turned down $20,000.00, because the prospective purchaser wanted to pay him $10,000 in cash and a check for the balance. He wouldn't take a check.........

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center has the records from Winchester and they can tell you when the gun was made. Here is the phone number: 307.587.4771, and the website: www.bbhc.org. If you want a letter on the gun, there is a fee.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[jcoats2]

ReloaderFred - that's cool that you saw serial #2! Wish ours was that low :) From all the info we have gathered, ours was manufactured in 1912 . . Not wishing to sell it - but would have been nice to know how many were still around with serial earlier than ours!

[JohnBT]

It's impossible to know, but these are guns that typically don't wear out or get abused and thrown out. Other than robbery, house fires, car wrecks or the like taking a few out of circulation, I could see most of them still being around.

[gunnie]

even with a first year number beyond the first hundred or so, i think the condition/model rarity of the shotgun may have more effect on value than a low serial #. this due to the design being liked well enough to allow winchester to sell over 2 million of them.

..."I have personally viewed Serial Number 2 on a 20 gauge Model 12."...

oddly, they didn't offer the model 12 in any chambering other than 20ga untill 1914.

gunnie

[ReloaderFred]

The Model 12 was first brought out in 20 gauge, as Winchester didn't want it to compete directly with the very popular Model 1897, which was offered in 12 gauge and 16 gauge, but not 20 gauge. All the Model 12's were in 20 gauge until as noted above, 1914. The Model 12 was manufactured in 28 gauge in 1934. The Model 1912, as it was known until 1919, was also Winchester's first 20 gauge shotgun.

Hope this helps.

Fred