Winchester 16 ga. Model 12

[William Boyd]

I have a 16 gauge Winchester Model 12, made in 1956. It has a 20 inch barrel, but is not marked "Riot". It is not a trench gun. It is marked "imp cyl". It is in very good condition; excellent bluing, very good wood. I have had it since about 1980. Although it does not appear to have been cut, I believe it has been because I can find nothing on the web about it being a standard model. Can someone provide any additional information that would be helpful.

Thanks

 

[rcmodel]

I have a 1955 Winchester catalog.

In it they list a Model 12 16 ga field grade with:
Plain barrel.
28" Full
28" Mod
26" Imp Cyl.

Matted rib barrel
28" Full
28" Mod.

The only riot guns they show are a Model 97 and a Model 12 with 20" Cyl bore barrel
In 12 ga only.

Unless it was some sort of special order from the factory in 16 ga with a 20" IC choke?
It has been cut off.

One way to tell is measure the muzzle I.D..
A Cyl choke should measure about .662".
An Imp Cyl choke should measure about .010" less, or .652".

rc

 

[PabloJ]

I have a 16 gauge Winchester Model 12, made in 1956. It has a 20 inch barrel, but is not marked "Riot". It is not a trench gun. It is marked "imp cyl". It is in very good condition; excellent bluing, very good wood. I have had it since about 1980. Although it does not appear to have been cut, I believe it has been because I can find nothing on the web about it being a standard model. Can someone provide any additional information that would be helpful.

Thanks

These were not marked 'Riot' but sometimes had intended user agency or company markings on them. As suggested check choke constriction.

 

[mljdeckard]

I have a model 97 in 16 Ga that a great-uncle borrowed and nosed into the mud. My grandfather hacksawed off the barrel. I've still got it, but it needs to be restored. I found out from a family friend that for a while it would slam-fire when the slide went forward, my grandfather would carry it with the slide back, and push it forward to fire it. I doubt it has ever been looked at.

 

[William Boyd]

Thanks RC. I think your are correct. Outstanding information. I will try to get some calipers and check the bore at the end of the barrel. It does have a bead. The end of the barrel is pretty smooth with no bare metal showing.

 

[William Boyd]

MlJ

I have read in several places that all model 12s would slam fire because they lacked a disconnect. It was said that you could fire a model 12 faster than a semi auto because of this feature.

 

[mljdeckard]

Which is fine. As long as you WANT it to.

I think I will have it completely restored with a full-length barrel. My dad had a 12 ga model 97 with lockwork that just sounded magical, I want this one to run like that. It would be good to have a 16 ga in the lineup, I probably wouldn't go out of my way to buy one otherwise.

 

[jaguarxk120]

Good luck finding a 16 gauge barrel.

 

[mljdeckard]

I have seen them in the Brownell's parts catalog. Is it difficult to find them?

 

[rcmodel]

Very difficult.

Brownells has not had Model 12 barrels or other parts in the catalog since Winchester stopped making them many moons ago.

rc

 

[drcook]

If you want to return it to a correct configuration, do your homework, find out barrel interchangeability and if there is any design features to look out for and buy one for parts. Sometimes you can get entire guns for what parts, meaning barrels go for.

Like this one

http://www.gunsamerica.com/990169103/Winchester_Model_12_16_gauge_Pum.htm#

You buy one for parts, use the barrel and any other parts you need, stuff away some spare parts in case of future breakage and sell the rest for what you can get out of it. You can put everything except the receiver on eBay.

Of you buy one for parts, and use the best to make your gun primo and put the less desirable short barrel on the parts receiver and sell it as a whole gun, or simply keep it as a home defense gun.

Lots of options when working with old guns, I have been restoring old Ithaca 37 16ga guns doing exactly this.

 

[jaguarxk120]

Track down a copy of " The Gun Digest Book of Shotgun Smithing " By Ralph Walker.

In one chapter Walker talks about fitting common barrels to older shotguns. That is machining a singleshot barrel to fit older repeaters such as the Model 12.

 

[mljdeckard]

That may be what I will have to do. Seek out an old 16 ga '97 that's busted....but still has a good barrel, and snag it.

 

[drcook]

Here you go

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=345757295

you have 11 hrs to go.

 

[rsnell]

Check this web site: http://www.wrightsgunsmiths.com/

 

[StrawHat]

MlJ

I have read in several places that all model 12s would slam fire because they lacked a disconnect. It was said that you could fire a model 12 faster than a semi auto because of this feature.

This is different than a slam fire. The early Model 12s could be fired by holding back the trigger and working the slide. To me, slam fire is when the firing pin is held forward for some reason and the gun fires merely by working the slide. The first was designed into the shotgun, the second is a hazard.

 

[jaguarxk120]

Strawhat you are so very right about the "slamfire", it is pump fire.

If you hold the trigger back and close the action slowly just as the bolt go's into lockup the hammer will drop. There are several other guns that will do the same.

This is not a defect but rather a design feature. It took more engineering to build this trigger group than one with a disconnector.