doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT: 28ga Winchester Model 12

I have a 1939 era M12- 28 ga. field grade- 26" solid rib barrel, 14 ring "raccoon ribbed" forearm, weighs about 7 lbs. Heavier than my 1931 era M12 field grade 20 gauge field grade 28" solid rib barrel.RWTF

How about posting a few pictures from multiple angles for comparison?

Do you fellas with factory original Mod12 28 gauges ever have trouble cycling rounds?

Not with 2&3/4" AA factory new loads, nor RST (The Steinway of shotgun shells, IMO). My dentist shoots a 28 ga. Beretta O/U, and we were hunting quail on a preserve a few years ago. I tried a few of his AA reloads in my M12- worked fine. RWTF

The 28 gauge Model 12 is a rough pumping gun, as is the 3" 12 gauge. My 28 may be broken in some day, but almost 70 years old, and it is still rough.

Good thing you never said that when Don Moody was alive!

In short order, this post would have gone on for 40 pages.

RIP, Don.

Best,
Ted

I once criticized the Rube Goldberg design of the take down system of the M12 compared to the Ithaca's and incurred Don's wrath. Don't mess with Texans. Gil

My 1937 vintage 28-gauge Model 12 Skeet Gun doesn't seem to like modern 28-gauge shells. It seems their rims are just a bit thicker than vintage shells. Last time I shot it, it worked "slicker than the hired girl's leg" with a box of vintage Winchester paper Super-Speed 28-gauge skeet loads. Like these, but with #9 shot --



Eightbore can probably figure out where the box of shells I used came from.

Also steel heads vs. solid brass heads being part of the problem. My 1950s era M12 in 16 ga. won't extract Herter's shells with steel heads. Gil

I was given a Model 12, 28 gauge Skeet gun and a case of Winchester shells for my Christmas present when I was 12. It was common practice to smooth the action up. For that they used valve grinding compound with oil. You would load a bit into any spot which had a bright wear spot. Then work the action to smooth out the action. I now know I was putting years of wear on the gun king this. But the result was a butter smooth action which seemed to almost pump itself.

Back then I had to buy my shells at the local Western Auto store. Never occurred to me that the only reason the had 28�s on the shelf was they got them in for me. I had to earn and save my own money to buy ammo. My father would know when I was getting enough money saved and would go into town and tell them to order my ammo knowing I would be there buying it just as soon as I had enough money. The reason he did it this way was I earned every shell myself which made them a value to me more than any gift would have been. I still love the one ounce loads of a number six shot and would love to take a few more ducks with them. They were great.