doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com M12 story

I've had three M12s over the years. I had factory CYL 20 ga. that I foolishly tarted up with a Simmons rib and then sold it. Then there was the Featherweight. Currently I have this 1959 16 ga. Mod. Fine dove gun but choked on Herter's shells on a snipe hunt year before last. Works fine with RGLs. This photo of it and Abby was taken too long ago on a great January morning dove hunt in the cold wind. Only 4 guns showed up and we had a fast and furious hour and a half of doves. A memorable hunt.
Gil

The 1925 Winchester Catalog 83, states the 16-gauge is made for 2 9/16-inch shells and the 20-gauge for 2 1/2-inch shells. I have a Winchester booklet, The Game, the Gun, The Ammunition, Form No. 980, which I can't find a date on, that states "The 20-gauge Model 12 is now chambered to handle standard 2 3/4 inch shells." From the 1922 Winchester pocket catalog through this booklet the Model 97 is listed as 12-gauge only. The big July 1931 Winchester catalog shows both the 16- and 20-gauge Model 12s chambered for 2 3/4 inch shells, and the 16-gauge Model 97 back, now made for 2 3/4 inch shells.

I too have a 16-gauge Model 12 story. When I arrived in the DC area in September 1975, I had Model 12s in everything but 16-gauge. I pretty quickly hooked up with a local restaurateur who had three great English Setters for some good Southern Maryland and Eastern Shore Quail hunting. I pretty quickly realized he played fast and loose with property lines, so to take my 20-gauge Skeet Gun out of harms way, I picked up a 1953 vintage Model 12 16-gauge 26-inch, Imp, Cyl. well worn but not abused, at Clark Bros. for $165 out the door. Things went well for about five years, then my friend hooked up with his big chested bar tender and his wife got the setters in the divorce!! Didn't shoot a Quail in Maryland after that.

My oldest M12is a 12 gauge field grade 28" solid rib mod. choke nickel steel barrel. Then my late Father's first repeating shotgun, a 20 gauge M12 28 inch solid rib mod. choke- given to him on July 17t1931- this has the 2&3/4"" marked chamber and Winchester Proof Steel. Never owned a 16 gauge M12, or for that matter, M97 either. I don't think you can ever wear out a M12, even citing the abuse and neglect some of the other members of the forum detailed in this thread-- Never have owned a M12 with: (Cutts Comp.) , (Poly-Choke) or 32" long barrel. I only own a M12 in the "pipsqueaky" 28 gauge- a 1939 field grade with solid rib 26" barrel mod. choke-- because a buddy owed me some $ on a Super Bowl bet, and he was short of liquid assets. Shot it once, shells are too damn expensive, as compared to the 20 gauge gun I shoot. At present, I have no interest in parting with it, however. When you see all the counterfeited M 12 28 gauges for sale by hucksters and con men now-a-days, a genuine M12 28 gauge is worth hanging on to, as are all "un-boogered up" M12's. If I really wanted one, I'd consider buying the Browning Japanese made version, at least you know that it is not "The Real Mcoy"--

Rarest Model I can think of-- shortly after WRA introduced the 3" Mag "Heavy Duck" gun, in the "Golden era" of the Custom Shop, you could send a std. 12 gauge 2&3/4" chambered field gun back to them and they would re-chamber it for you to take the 3" shell- that, friends and neighbours, is a solid testament to the strength of the M12 action and the metallurgy of the AISI 4140 nickel-chrome-moly alloy forged steel WRA used in that era for "The Perfect Repeater"-- I only have one 12 Gauge M12 I might semi-consider as "rare"-a Pigeon Grade Trap gun made in 1947- 30" barrel with the older style milled rib, duckbilled rib extension, sandblasted receiver top, MC stock with red solid pad, but the "rarity" comes from it being choked Imp. Mod. instead of the usual Full choke. The "Steinway" of repeating Trap shotguns, IMO. Not for sale either. RWTF