Ian,
The story is true. I'm sure about what I was looking at. It was a prewar skeet gun. The problem is that this particular M-12 may only be an anecdote in WW history.
There are so many 28 ga forgeries out there. I have to wonder if real ones are as rare as M-42 deluxes? Most non-WW-original 28s are easy to spot, built-up 20 ga conversions.
Other 28s that appeared otherwise original, and having the 28 ga stamp at rear, had the 28 ga cutoff in a standard 16/20 ga configured raceway. Don't know if the 28 ga raceway was something WW did for only a very narrow period - I wasn't paying attention to the SNs at those times (lesson: keep clear accurate records!!).
But remember this, there are a great many WW proof stamps floating around - you can find them on the GB every so often. They are bought and they are used. The GB is flooded with originally round bbl 12s and 42s now having a rib and an offset proof stamp correctly located. How difficult is it to stamp a 28 on the back of a receiver? (Yes, you must remove the buttstock to look.)
Hopefully Eightbore will be along to comment, but I got into this game too late to be taking chances on a 28 ga M-12.......unless I find one whose provenance cannot be contested.
Sam
