Question on uniqueness and value of an early Model 12

[Sam1911]

Hi!

So I was buying the Ithaca 37 I've been looking at D) from a local shop today and I noticed a Model 12 sitting on the used rack near it. It looked a bit unusual in that the forearm was skinny (nearly perfectly cylindrical -- no belly) and totally smooth (no rings like the 37's forearm). I took a mental note of the serial number and checked it just now. That gun was made in 1917!

It looked to be in quite good shape for such an old sporting shotgun. Most of the bluing was there and looked, well, nice and blue. Good wood. Screw heads were clean. Functioned perfectly (as far as I could tell inside the shop). Wear was as you'd expect -- rub marks on the mag tube from the slide, but no abuse signs. I guess I'd call it 85%. (Again, especially considering that it's a 91 year old gun.)

What kind of value would such a thing hold? (Priced at just under or just over $500 IIRC.) What issues would it be likely to have? Short (2-5/8") chamber? Soft steel? It is full choked so I would guess that lead shot only would be the rule -- but I don't really hunt with a shotgun more than once every few years anymore so that's no big deal.

Would it be something of great interest to you or is it pretty run-of-the-mill?

Thanks!

-Sam

 

[Dave McCracken]

Pretty standard issue field gun.

And there's no soft steel in any Model 12.

The chamber may be short, but I'd use 2 1/2" hulls in that case. As an occasional use sporting gun, no problems there. Of course, no non toxic shot but bismuth.

And I'd be interested for $500.