Model 12 Riot Gun Conversion?

[Taroman]

My brother has been given a "beater" model 12. The exterior finish is extensively rusted. Apparently his friend's father who owned it had the "acid" skin. Wherever he touched it, rust started and continued. He wants it as a HD weapon and asked me to convert it. My plan is to cut the barrel to 18-1/2", bead blast and Parkerize the whole thing and flat oil finish the stocks.

So, I am wondering if there mag extensions that fit these. have looked and nothing pops up. Want to add a Picatinny light mount probably to the mag tube also.

Anyone doe this? Ideas, suggestions, cautions, or rants?

 

[schultzie]

I’ve got a factory 20” from the 50’s that is my favorite pump gun. It just fits me better than any long arm I’ve ever owned or been issued, plus it has a flawless action.

Extended mag tube would require fabricating a new one (not easy). If your brother has removed the hunting plug from the mag, he effectively already has a plus one extension.

Caution: don’t attach anything to the mag tube because it rotates and slides when the shotty is taken down. I refuse to live without the takedown feature. A properly employed compact, hand-held LED light should suffice.

A neoprene buttstock shell carrier works nicely for on-board spare ammo, but I think one of the leather buttstock ammo carriers would add quite a bit of class.

Barrel length: When broken down (mag tube fully forward), the end of the mag tube comes less than one inch from the end of my 20” barrel, so going any shorter really is not going to pay any positive divedends in size – especially since the buttstock/receiver assembly is also around 20” overall length.

As far as the finish, I think a well-used, well-worn finish is preferable to a new refinish on such a classic. YMMV.

 

[highorder]

So, I am wondering if there mag extensions that fit these. have looked and nothing pops up.

The M12 is a 6+1 gun. A mag extension is not necessary or practical.

This is as tactical as the model 12 gets.

 

[JNewell]

Extended mag tube would require fabricating a new one (not easy). If your brother has removed the hunting plug from the mag, he effectively already has a plus one extension.

Caution: don’t attach anything to the mag tube because it rotates and slides when the shotty is taken down. I refuse to live without the takedown feature. A properly employed compact, hand-held LED light should suffice.

True on all counts. Before I spent any time on this gun, I'd make sure (or make sure someone who knows Model 12s makes sure) that it's right & tight. Model 12s are not good candidates for shadetree weekend gunsmithing. Even the ring that retains the forend is a fitted part.

 

[Taroman]

Good points all. Thanks. I'll forget the mag extension and look for a barrel flashlight mount instead of the mag rail.
Brother has had it checked out for safety and function. Sad to see such a nice gun messed up. He considered having it re-blued, but that nickel steel gives an ugly purplish blue with modern salts.

 

[highorder]

I'll forget the mag extension and look for a barrel flashlight mount instead of the mag rail.

You're going to have a problem. The mag tube slides forward several inches when you take the shotgun down. Anything mounted on the barrel is going to interfere with takedown unless the barrel is longer than 24" and the mount is at the very end.

Unless your model 12 is in awful shape, you could sell it and easily buy a brand new Mossberg 500 with the money. Trying to take a classic, even a beat up one, and make it something it's not is probably going to leave you unsatisfied.

 

[JNewell]

On another note, I just did DuraCoat on a 1200. Wow, what great results! Highly recommended.

 

[RPD20]

You have just got to love the simplicity of a short barrel Model 12 for a devensive shotty.

 

[bushmaster1313]

 

[schultzie]

Bushmaster1313’s pictures illustrate my point about the magazine’s position broken down versus assembled. It appears that the above M12 is about 20”. Note how compact the M12 is broken down – you can fit a whole lot of love in a rather small package.

My M12 printed most any brand of slugs around 9” off @11:00 at 50 yards with the factory bead. I snapped a TRUGLO fiber optic sight on the front to better regulate the slugs. The TRUGLO seems to be significantly less prone to movement than the HIVIZ and neither alters the weapon perminently.

I’d say go ahead and have the barrel professionally cut to 20” and have a proper bead sight installed. When your brother gets tired of it, there are people (even some posting in this thread) who troll the depths of GunBroker looking for fine old defensive shotguns on the cheap.

 

[dogsoldier0513]

You COULD add a reproduction heat shield/baynet lug like the ones installed on ca. WW11-Vietnam M12s. You could also add a Tritium front bead.