Taking My Model 12 Riot Gun - To the Trap Range!

[bushmaster1313]

Took My Model 12 Riot Gun - To the Trap Range!

I bought a 1950's Model 12 riot gun surplused from the Washington State Patrol so I could have a very functional and very nostalgic home defense shotgun.

I also wanted to get a nice Model 12 while I could in case New Jersey decides to follow New York City's lead and ban six round magazines on a shotgun

After getting it back from Wright's, who gave it new springs, a cleaning and a clean bill of health, I will follow Dave McCraken's wise advice and take it to the trap club to shoot clay targets from the 16 yard line.

Anyone else ever try to shoot trap with a 20 inch cylinder bore Model 12?

Here she is:

 

[Dave McCracken]

Covet,covet....

Nice gun, and try some skeet also......

 

[hso]

Purty

 

[bushmaster1313]

Having it checked out by an expert outfit like Wright's gives me a lot of confidence in the safety and reliability of this vintage workhorse.

 

[huntershooter]

Great shotgun.
Hopefully "low score" doesn't buy lunch for the crew after the trap shoot...

 

[Blackrock]

I have a JC Higgins from the same era that looks a lot like that. We always shoot an Annie Oakly round at our range when we meet with usually one of the three same guys taking the pot. So we decided to do an Annie Oakly with HD/Riot guns. So I show up with mine and these guys bring out some of most awsome looking Benellis and what have you guns. But I held my own for quite a while. Those old guns are great fun. I keep mine in my travel trailer pretty much all the time. Fits real nice in a VooDoo Tactical scabbard.

 

[EMC45]

NJ.......Bleh!!! May be time to move.

 

[oneounceload]

Nice gun - one thing to check to see is if the range will allow a short-barreled gun on the trap line - Some clubs do not due to the noise towards the shooters on either side of you. If good, a cylinder bore should do just fine from the 16

 

[JNewell]

Great stuff, coming from someone who got an itch reading about your Model 12s. Trap was never my thing...might try some skeet...

 

[sernv99]

as oneounceload stated: make sure you check with your range to see what barrel length is allowed. A lot of ranges do not allow anything shorter than 24 or 26 inches for a multiple reasons (whether you agree with them or not is a whole other discussion).

 

[Shear_stress]

Now there's one fine scattegun.

 

[bushmaster1313]

Now there's one fine scattergun.

Thank you
I prefer a properly used classic to a mint classic.

A used classic will get used more.
A mint classic will sit and take up space.

 

[sugerwater]

I've busted clays with a high standard 18-7 riot (18" barrel). It will bust a clay, but not as hard hitting as a longer tube. still alot of fun.

 

[oneounceload]

It will bust a clay, but not as hard hitting as a longer tube

IF the chokes are the same, the length of the barrel will have no impact on how "hard" it hits. Choke determines pattern, not barrel length

 

[bushmaster1313]

I took the Model 12 to the pattern board first. It shoots 90/10 high and very spread out. But it operately properly and it will bust clays. I hit about 2/3 of the targets. The misses were my fault. Lot's of fun and I will definately do it again.

And, I feel very confident about being able to hit a target with buckshot in a close encounter of the shotgun kind.

 

[Nushif]

I shoot very low end skeet with an 18.5 inch Mossberg 500. It's doable.
Because if I can do it, anyone can.

 

[john917v]

That's nice, I love the Washington State Patrol stamping on the receiver, and the gun itself! I had a Brolin 12Ga that looked vaguely familiar, I regret getting rid of it.

 

[Jim Watson]

A store near here once got a few 20" Fulls. Sold out before I could get there, darnit.

 

[Leadhead]

Nice shotgun, she's a beauty eh!

 

[bushmaster1313]

That's nice, I love the Washington State Patrol stamping on the receiver,

I contacted the Washington State Patrol and the historian told me that the stamping was done by the Winchester Factory and that the Model 12's were taken out of service as the officers to whom they were issued retired. Last one was surplused out in 1994.

 

[bennadatto]

I took my 20" barrel 16ga '97 Winchester (made in 1907) to shoot trap not too long ago. I showed up in shorts and a t-shirt with a 103 year-old short barreled shotgun (and received the "is this guy serious" look from the other shooters) and shot 14/25 against guys wearing those fancy hats with blinders with super high end O/U shotgun who shot 17/25. I'd say those old short barreled shottys can hold their own!

 

[Carl N. Brown]

My brush gun is an old S&W 916 I've had since the 70s with 18.5" barrel and I added a steel Mossberg heat shield, in part to raise the rear sight reference point for shooting slugs. I guess that qualifies as a semi-trench gun or at least a riot gun configuration.

Shooting skeet or clay pigeons with a riot gun is a riot.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Shooting clays with shotgun better suited for guarding prisoners may raise a few eyebrows, but we get better with our guns of all types by shooting them.

And, plenty of giggles. When I showed to shoot Chinese Trap with the Geezers with that Saiga I test drove, they lined up to try it. When someone puts down a trap model Model 12 or a Winchester 21 to try out a 19" barreled Kalishnikov on clays, you know there's a fun factor.

 

[roo_ster]

The big clay bird shooting place nearby won't allow anything with a 20" bbl or less.

Too bad, because I wold have like to try some low house skeet or some sporting clay targets with my two 18" HD/truck shotguns.

 

[bushmaster1313]

The Model 12 Riot has a 20.5" barrel measured on the inside to a closed bolt so I'll be okay.

Where's that club you mentioned?