Is it sacrilegious to bubba an early model Winchester 12?

Rockrivr1

Rockrivr1

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So I have my dad's old Winchester Model 12 sitting in the safe collecting dust and I'm seriously considering converting it into a WWI Trench Gun. I have a Heat Shield/Bayo Lug that will fit it as well as the tube plug needed to mount the heat shield sitting collecting dust also. The only problem though is to make it into a real trench gun I'll have to have the barrel on the Model 12 shortened to match the heat shield. Not a big gunsmithing job, but still modifying the original shotgun. From what I can see the Winchester 12 is not really a collectors item as they seem to be pretty common. Though bubbaing a gun has always felt like a no no to me even though I'm considering this.

So what do you think. Good to go or Sacrilegious?
 
If I were you, I'd avoid messing with it just because it belonged to dad

That said, if that doesn't bother you and it'll make you happy just go for it. Kind of silly to protect a mass produced thing as if it's some sort of relic. I personally think that'd be a cool way to breathe new life into an old gun that maybe you don't otherwise enjoy
 
Rockrivr1 said:
So I have my dad's old Winchester Model 12 sitting in the safe collecting dust and I'm seriously considering converting it into a WWI Trench Gun. I have a Heat Shield/Bayo Lug that will fit it as well as the tube plug needed to mount the heat shield sitting collecting dust also. The only problem though is to make it into a real trench gun I'll have to have the barrel on the Model 12 shortened to match the heat shield. Not a big gunsmithing job, but still modifying the original shotgun. From what I can see the Winchester 12 is not really a collectors item as they seem to be pretty common. Though bubbaing a gun has always felt like a no no to me even though I'm considering this.

So what do you think. Good to go or Sacrilegious?
Click to expand...
I would see if I could find a replacement barrel to shorten and use on the "trench gun " project ...
that way it can/could be restored to original form if someone decides to un-bubba the old girl .

I try never to do something ... I can't put back or replace ... if it doesn't work out !
Gary
 
gwpercle said:
I would see if I could find a replacement barrel to shorten and use on the "trench gun " project ...
that way it can/could be restored to original form if someone decides to un-bubba the old girl .

I try never to do something ... I can't put back or replace ... if it doesn't work out !
Gary
Click to expand...

This is actually a very good idea. I'm going to do this.
 
Do what you want with your own gun! Model 12s are neither rare nor extremely valuable. ( Compared to, say, Lugers or SAAs ) I am a collector and I generally don't like altering old classics ( and the Model 12 is that. )

I would only advise against this project if the gun was near new. Say, a 95% gun or better.
 
Over 2 million Model 12s were made, and many people have cloned a Trench Gun. If you do it be sure to cut the barrel straight. Some clown at a gun show who tried to sell his Bubba work used a hacksaw to cut the barrel. The cut was crooked, the saw marks were obvious, and he didn't even bother to clean up the end. Sure wish I had taken a pic of how not to do it.
 
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I'd make it as enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing as you can. Not like you're looking to put an adapter and 6-pos collapsible stock, etc... there is a variant of the shotgun you prefer over the other and it's not really a butcher job in my opinion. Changing the length of a barrel to suit your purposes is not "Bubba style" in my view and the intrinsic/sentimental value of the gun remains intact because it was still your ol man's scattergun, you're just modifying it for your appeal. Not to mention if it's to potentially be a HD gun it's hard to do with a 30" full choke.

I give considerations to these kinds of things as well, but I'd lop 8"-10" off that barrel and trench it up........
 
Ive been thinking the same thing.... not a trench conversion, but just to cut the barrel on one of my mdl 12s. Both 16ga, made in the 20s, finish is equally rough on both, and theyre both smooth as butter. But horribly long for moving around indoors
 
Model 12s aren't rare, that's for sure, however, so many people have "sawed off" the barrels of their hunting guns, that unmolested hunting guns are becoming rare. Since the change to steel shot requirements in 1991, the hunting guns are nearly useless for waterfowl; you have to buy very expensive bismuth or similar ammo to hunt with them, which is so expensive that, just for the price of ammo, you can go buy a Mossberg 500 and be done with it.

Another issue you'll encounter is that the barrel gets thinner toward the muzzle, so that, once you've cut it off, you'll have a weird looking muzzle that is way thicker than it should be. That alone might impact how your heat sheild and bayonet lug fit. Ultimately, you have to think about what your purpose is here. Are you doing some sort of living history/reenactment hobby? Or are you just looking for a HD gun. If the former, then I could see your logic. If the latter, then, for my money, I'd just go buy a Mossberg Maverick and call it a day. In any event, I'd be hard pressed to chop up my Dad's gun, but I'm a sentimental guy.


Also, best to be sure if your isn't some sort of rare variant, e.g. an early model (1930s) of the first ever "Heavy Duck" with 3" chamber, or get a letter from the Cody Fireamrs Museum to make sure your particular serial number doesn't have some historical provenance (highly unlikely but not impossible).
 
It’s your property to do with as you will. But there are a lot of knackered old Stevens 520/620 that would look great as a combat shotgun tribute and a fair number of people that would pay decent money to take a relatively unmolested Model 12 off your hands.
 
If the barrel isn't very scraped up and ugly, my choice would be to leave the gun alone.

Sometimes we simply want to see change, but change simply for its own sake can be disappointing.
Maybe you could lightly sand and use Tung oil (pure Tung, not an artificial "Tung Finish") to improve the wood ? Or just put two separate layers of Ren. Wax on the wood to help protect against moisture.
 
hso said:
Buy a Norc and save your soul from the Bubba Sin!
Click to expand...
^^^ This. I have an original model 1897 that was my dad's, manufactured in 1917. Have many times considered converting it to a trench gun for the "cool factor". Problem is, the ol' girl shoots so well with the original barrel, that I still use it every year to get my Tom in the Spring. That and I have an ol' Model 1917 Eddystone I bubba'd in the early 70s for deer hunting like everyone else, and regret it to this day. The "Norc" is cool enough, as is the Model 12 in it's original form.
 
i have a plain jane first year remington 870 pump in 12 gage in just about new condition that i wanted to make into a home defence shotgun, but just could not bring my self to chop the 30" full choke barrel. at a local small gun show i fould two remington 20" barrels with cylinder fixed chokes and rifle style sights. one for a 870 rem and the other for a 1100 rem both in 12 ga, he wanted 50.00 each. but took 90.00 for both, my problem solved.
 
Ironicaintit said:
A quick search found this:

Original and Reproduction Firearm Gun Parts Winchester, HOMESTEAD GUN PARTS, Specializing in Old Winchester

Original and Reproduction gun parts, specializing Winchesters, Remington, Stevens, buttplates, screws, barrels, receivers, takedown manuals, Jennings - Bryco, firing pins, magazines, Gunsmiths.
homesteadparts.com

I might go this route i stead of hacking mine.
Click to expand...

I was looking at that site, but unfortunately they do not have any M12 Winchester barrels in stock. Found a few places that I'm looking at now.
 
I’m in a similar dilemma with my grandpa’s 1897. 30” full choke barrel. I have no use for such a gun. Innumerable 97s have been shortened for CASS use. Still mulling it over. It’s not in museum condition as it was used quite a bit.
 
Rockrivr1 said:
I was looking at that site, but unfortunately they do not have any M12 Winchester barrels in stock. Found a few places that I'm looking at now.
Click to expand...
I saw two. One for $168 and one for $158. I think the bigger problem is, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, those Winchester barrels aren't exactly drop in replacements. They have to be matched to each gun somehow.
 
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