Model 12, 20ga a neat Xmas Gift! (Pics added!)

[Duster340]

Hey Folks,

Got a call from my brother last night, he says he was purchasing an a old rifle and revolver from the collection of a friend who's father passed. He noticed
an old shotgun. He's more into rifles and knows I do a lot of shotgun hunting so he figured he'd ask for a price, the guy says $50 would do it. Haven't seen it yet, but turns out it's a Model 12, 20 ga. and a bit of a Frankenstein. 1939 receiver , 1924 barrel 24 1/2" inches from receiver to end of the vintage Polychoke. Stock and forearm appear to be checked "skeet" style.(maybe lol). I know I need to determine if it's chambered for 2.5" or if it's been opened up to 2.75". Other than that anything else I may want to look into?

This is my first Winchester shotgun so I really don't have a lot of experience with them. Though if it proves to be OK to fire, I think it might be neat to try out on the rabbits, squirrels and occasional grouse that frequent our property.

Safe to say I can't wait to get my hands on it next week!

Thanks in advance folks!

 

[kudu]

I would guess that a 1924 barrel should be 2.75" chamber.

 

[Duster340]

I would guess that a 1924 barrel should be 2.75" chamber.

Hey kudu, thanks for the reply. Much appreciated. Been doing some poking around on the web, seems the model 1912 has quite a following. I'm excited to actually handling it.

 

[sappyg]

Congraduations on the early Christmas gift. you know we are going to need some pic's when you get it.

 

[Duster340]

Congraduations on the early Christmas gift. you know we are going to need some pic's when you get it.

Lol thanks. My brother is more technology challenged then me, but we did manage to talk through the process for attaching pictures to a text. I'll get them posted up tonight!

 

[kudu]

The M12 is one of the classics, very well designed and there are many out there with well over 100,000 rounds through them. I have a M12 trap gun, though not extensively shot has many thousands of rounds through it, it is a 1963 model. I would like to have a nice 20 gauge sometime if I could come across one reasonably priced.

Yours should make a dandy small game gun or clay buster, just remember to shuck/pump it after you shoot.

 

[DDDWho]

I have 2 Model 12s. I wish one of them was a 20. However the 16 I do have was built on a 20 ga. frame making it 20 ga light but able to put more shot in the air. Great guns, all machined from steel. The value of American shotguns has probably decreased somewhat due to the flood of cheap imports in recent years. Good luck on your Christmas present.

 

[Duster340]

Got a few pictures from the brother. He also let me know his buddy threw in 5 boxes of shells to boot! A very merry Christmas indeed!





Not the best pics but the old guy did good for the 1st time taking and sending pictures with his cell phone! And the gun looks to be in pretty good shape.

 

[kudu]

I see a poly-choke on the end, ugly things but work surprisingly well. You need to make sure the petals in the choke are not rusted or frozen together, and as you screw it in and out you will see a gap open up between them. It should be marked when the petals are all the way together it is full choke, as you unscrew the sleeve it will open the petals and open the choke to a wider pattern. If they happen to be frozen together, I would unscrew the choke a couple turns and spray with penetrating oil and leave for a couple days and see if that opens them up.

 

[CaptTripps]

Nice score! Model 12s are the bomb! Mine 12 gauge is a natural pointer. I can hit just about anything by mounting the gun and pointing it at the target. From here, yours appears to be re-blued, with aftermarket, non Winchester stocks. Not to worry because you still got a great gun at a fantastic price.

 

[Duster340]

Thanks for all the input and insight on the model 12 folks. Much appreciated! I haven't been this excited about what's gonna be under the Christmas tree since I was a kid. LOL..

Take care everyone.

 

[Armored farmer]

Model 12 20ga is pure sweetness. My dad has one. Skeet. What an awesome quail gun.

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

I would guess that a 1924 barrel should be 2.75" chamber.

They may be a wrong guess. I've always heard 1927 is the date of that change and is what we generally use as a guide on that. I'd check it before shooting 2 3/4 shells.

 

[Duster340]

They may be a wrong guess. I've always heard 1927 is the date of that change and is what we generally use as a guide on that. I'd check it before shooting 2 3/4 shells.

Thanks Cliff, I read the same recently. Plan on giving it the once over before trying it out. Thinking there's a chance it may have been reamed to 2 3/4 when the barrel was cut and poly choke added. Can't wait to shoot it, But as Pops always says, " when in doubt...don't! ". I've got a few more days before I get to see it in person.

Be well

 

[cfullgraf]

Thanks for all the input and insight on the model 12 folks. Much appreciated! I haven't been this excited about what's gonna be under the Christmas tree since I was a kid. LOL..

Take care everyone.

Enjoy the excitement. You have found a nice Model 12.

I have the 20 ga, Model 12 that my mother used when she was growing up. 2-3/4" chamber and a poly choke like yours. Wonderful shooter. I shot lots of skeet with it until I got serious and bought an over/under.

I need to investigate when it was built. I'd guess mine was built sometime in the 1930s.

 

[kudu]

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that it was only 12 gauge guns that had the short chambers in early models and the 20's had 2.75 from the start. Maybe a real expert on old M12's could step forward and clarify this. I have been wrong before, but I just can't remember when.

 

[PabloJ]

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that it was only 12 gauge guns that had the short chambers in early models and the 20's had 2.75 from the start. Maybe a real expert on old M12's could step forward and clarify this. I have been wrong before, but I just can't remember when.

Nope, early Model 12 20ga guns had 25" barrels and short chambers, but not all old 20ga guns had short chambers. For example, Remington Model 17 came with 2&3/4" chambers from the start of production. The old Winchester that I believe always had 2&3/4" chambers were old Model 12s and 1897s in 16ga. Most companies started using 2&3/4" chambers at end of 1920s. There were some exceptions. I do believe Remington made some .410 Skeet guns with 2.5" chambers long after end of WWII.