Happy dance! Minty Model 12

[Preacherman]

I found a really nice, minty-clean-condition S&W Model 12 today (the alloy-frame Model 10 with 2" barrel). I've never seen one so nice - looked like it hadn't had more than a couple of cylinders fired through it since new. Needless to say, after a certain amount of negotiation, it came home with me. Me happy boy now!

Anyone know whether there are any restrictions on firing +P ammo through a Model 12? I shouldn't think so (at least, not for limited use), but it'd be nice to know for sure.

 

[mnrivrat]

Congrats !

I very seldom see this model available around here. A truely nice find !

I can't answer the +P question but suspect your correct that occasional use would be OK. I'm personaly not a fan of +P but that's a whole different topic.

Enjoy !

 

[Srigs]

Congrats on the find. We need pics of course!

 

[Gordon]

Nice to see you blessed, Father!
Of all post war guns (except Aircrewman , which had an aluminum cylinder) the M-12 is the last one I'd fire +p in . That said todays plus + , like the Remington and Winchester LSWCHP or the Speer 135grain 'snubby ' load, are pretty mild pressure wise, well UNDER the 20,000+psi used to be considered +p. They are 18500 PSI loads which are only a bit over the "normal " load. Certainly a few hundred of these wouldn't hurt. I'd not make it a regular diet though.

 

[BobMcG]

Congrats!

Nice! Pictures please.

 

[Moonclip]

I have a 2" square butt 12-3 blued. I have shot a limited amount of plus P ammo in this gun but it is not reccomended. A few rounds won't kill it most likely but I do baby this gun and really don't shoot it. The anodizing, while deep gloosy black and pretty is prone to wear. These guns seem to have a cult following too.

 

[R. W. Simms]

For what it's worth, I had an interesting conversation with the head of S&W's repair facility a couple of years ago. I was inquiring about getting a Model 12 re-barrelled and during that conversation I was informed that the Model 12 in particular did not hold up well shooting +P ammo.

Specifically, the lower portion of the aluminum frame that the barrel screws into is too thin to handle +P pressures, according to S&W. The rep said that although S&W had tried to inform customers not to shoot +P ammo in the Mod. 12, people persisted in doing so and they were seeing a lot of cracked frames sent in for repair. He actually said that this was the primary reason that the Mod. 12 was dropped from the S&W line.

He also told me that I should regard my Mod. 12 as more-or-less a collector's item and that I should shoot it minimally (with std. pressure ammo), if at all.

That sounds a bit extreme to me. I do shoot both my Mod. 12's occasionally but I don't use +P ammo. My sense is that the S&W rep was shooting straight with me about the problems they were seeing with +P usage in the Mod. 12 but probably pushing the company line with regard to the limited shooting caution. I'm just presenting their admonition here. Everyone is free to make up their own minds.

-Bob

 

[Ala Dan]

Congrat's Preacher Man~!

S&W model 12's are really scarce in these parts. Enjoy

 

[XavierBreath]

Way to go Peter!
I've got to come over and see this 'un!