Well Lug, I'll tell ya what I'll do, because your a trapper on here, I'll give you a special offer of $29.95 for it. TODAY ONLY! Offer ends at midnight tonight! Tell me where to mail the check.

I believe I am only the second owner of this one. I got it off my brother-in-law's girlfriend's dad back in the eighties. I never used it much. I have lots of other shotguns I use regularly. I'm pretty sure he bought it new.

I read that if the rib is stamped Simmons it is an add on. From what I read, an original Winchester can have a Simmons rib, but it won't be stamped Simmons. I would guess there are some M-12 web sites that could answer any questions.

Let me think on it.

That's a nice looking gun Lug.

I have a a field grade in 12 ga with a 5 digit serial number. The chart says it was mfg in 1914, which was the first year they made them in 12 gauge...apparently

My numbers match


My dad bought it used in 1921 for 12 dollars

Well Lug, I'll tell ya what I'll do, because your a trapper on here, I'll give you a special offer of $29.95 for it. TODAY ONLY! Offer ends at midnight tonight! Tell me where to mail the check.




Let me think on it.

You might find this interesting

Shotgunworld.com • Model 12 Super Field Grade

Rat_Pack, trench guns generally have heat shields and bayonet lugs with "a flaming bomb cartouche". Riot guns were just plain barrels. Most riot guns went to police departments. All were parkerized with cylinder bores. It is rumored that some full choked guns were cut down to make up for war time shortages. They were all 12 gauge.

Lugnut, it is an aftermarket Simmons rib. The proof marks are under the rib and "duck bill". My references put that serial number in the '53 range. The wood appears to be period trap wood. It's probably high for you. I wanted to see the checkering pattern to see if it was "Y model" wood. It's common to see a gun "updated" using Y wood which has a courser cut and a slightly different pattern. It has a thumb nail size scallop on the trailing corner. Earlier factory wood uses a finer 20 lines per inch.

I personally would dump the hooked pad and go back to the original. Model 12's have really taken a nose dive with the exception of the 20 and 28 gauge guns. When checking the auction sites I only pay attention to the bid and sold prices. I only pay attention to the start prices if they are reasonable for something I'm looking for. The last two I bought were an Improved Modified Trap gun that someone had taken completely apart and didn't come close to getting back together properly. The action bar wouldn't pick up the bolt and the magazine cap was in 180 degrees out of position with the take down pin installed backwards. The second was a 3" gun (Heavy Duck) that someone had added a Simmons rib and poor quality after market wood that did't have the required 1/2 pound lead weight in the butt stock to balance out the heavy 3" barrel. I feel the dealer and I settled on a fair price for both of us at $600 for the pair. I have extra wood and I can take them apart and put them back together in my sleep.

If you are interested in selling send me a PM and we will talk. It's a gun that my son and I would enjoy hunting with and busting some local skeet in the woods type Sporting targets. It is a good looker and would be a real work horse.

In your opinion Paul, what grade M12 is this? my first thought was it is a Trap Grade but, from what I've read, they were only available with straight grips and 30" barrels. This one has a 28" barrel.

After hours of research I settled on Super Field Grade as everything but the vent rib seemed to be as they are described.

Why not just call Winchester Customer Service Department at: 800-333-3288 and ask them? Here's a serial # chart for M12

I agree with Paul that they have taken a dive in price, not only from what I have seen, but from people that deal in guns full time. From what I have seen, if it came from the factory as a trap or skeet gun that was stamped on it. I feel there is a good chance that is a plain field gun that has a added stock, but plate and rib. I would not consider that a real collector, just a good using gun from what you have said about it. In my mind a M-12 is the best pump gun ever made. I have a few, and have shot one for over 50 years.

IMHO it is just a standard plain barrel field grade that someone has reworked. Graded guns are stamped as such, Trap, Standard Trap, and Skeet. There are also trap and skeet guns that are not roll marked with any grade marks. My main line trap guns, two fulls and the aforementioned IMod are plain trap guns (not graded). I do have a couple Skeet Grade guns one of which is a plain barreled factory Cutts gun, no rib or choke marking built in '48. They all have very nice wood but graded is typically better. I have a couple Y Models, an IC and a skeet gun, both of which have spectacular wood which is kind of the norm for Y guns. I'm not a Model 12 snob. I grew up with them and just know a lot about them. If I see one that trips my trigger and is available I will make an effort to get it. The Y skeet took me two years to acquire. There are several made up guns in my rack that are used by my kids and myself.

The straight grip models are usually 12 gauge, though there were a few 20's that might have been modified, a stylized grouse gun. The 12's that I have see were all solid ribbed 30 inch trap guns commonly called "Tournament" (might be made up GunBroker term). The higher graded ones were "Black Diamonds" having a black ebony diamond inlay-ed into both sides of the wrist. They were early production. I don't know the time span.

Thank you for your input Paul and everyone else, much appreciated.

FYI Paul, from my research, the Tournament Grade was a real thing, they had "Tourn" stamped into the stock under the recoil pad.

A great gun the model 12's are very collatable.

I have a 20 gauge and 16 gauge model 12's. The 16 gauge I have had over 40 years and never have shot that gun. I trade a small outboard motor for the 16 gauge model 12.

Hey Paul, in late 1970 I was in a pawn shop in Lawton OK. They had a ton of old Winchesters with several new in the box 12's & 70's. I looked close at three hornets, a new in the box skeet & a new in the box featherweight '06. I did walk out with a 12 trap & a 12 two barrel set (30"full & 26" IC). The two barrel set was neat with a serial number something like 333222.

Another note, for many years they could be ordered in just about any configuration you could dream up. I have a 26 inch 12 gauge with the tightest factory full choke in my racks. It's used for fox and coyote. Its load of choice is a short magnum, 1 1/2 ounce of 2 shot. Makes'em real dead. Probably do a good job on turkeys too.

Right now a 32 inch Heavy Duck that has been turned into a trap gun is in my sights. Should be a good shooter, heavy to soak up recoil.

Eb, I have a two barrel set myself. Odd thing, maybe not so odd, the original gun is plain barrel 30" full. In '35 or later it was sent back to Winchester to have a 26" WS1 barrel fitted. I know it was '35 or later because the WS1 was not available until '35. Both barrel sets are numbered to the receiver. The original gun was built in 1919 and owned by a dentist who only hunted ducks and rabbits hence the skeet barrel for rabbits. I got it from his grand daughter through a very good friend of mine for $500. It has the original stock but the forearms have been changed out to skeet/trap beaver tails.

I have also seen Trap grade marked guns that were actually skeet guns and Skeet grade that were in trap configuration. I have seen both in field configuration. I feel that the grades often just upgrades in wood, engine turning, ribs, and or recoil pads. Keep in mind early on "fancy" wood could be ordered at no charge. Later on it was simply a $5.00 up charge.

That gun left the factory with a rib. Note the offset proof marks. If it left the factory as a plain barrel they would have been top dead center.

Mine was a numbered set. The plan was to change out the wood and add vent ribs for a skeet/trap combo gun. But, I stopped shooting skeet and started shooting a lot of trap in 1971. I eventually traded the two barrel set & a model 70 hornet for a Browning Broadway.

Eb, I agree. It appears to be a nice example of a doughnut rib gun. Don't have one myself, should keep an eye out for one myself.