Model 12 made in 1919

[Yackson01]

I have a Winchester model 12,serial number says it was made in 1919, its in good working condition, what kind of shells do i use, Im gonna use it for home defense, its a 18" riot gun,does it have to be lead, and if so mabye 00buck? And wich to get get for the old girl, without ruining the nickel barrel.

 

[Scooter22]

Just get 2 3/4" lead shot/buck/slug shells. Should be fine. NO steel. DON'T slam fire it like you can. Not good for it. You have a old classic. Enjoy it. I have a 16 and 12ga around the same period.

 

[westernrover]

The main thing with the old model 12's is the abundance of full chokes. Given the types of steel used for the barrel, typically some kind of Nickel steel in that age, the full choke could be a problem with buckshot or slugs. Your 18" model avoids that. Does it have any choke? Imp. Cyl. perhaps? Regardless, the barrels weren't designed to accomodate steel shot and would likely be scored by that.

Later, barrels were made with Winchester Proof Steel, which I understand to be some kind of chromoly like 4130 or 4340. The one's I've examined seem to have thicker, heavier barrels, but this would do nothing to make them suitable for steel shot, and the choke would still be the limiting factor for buckshot and slugs.

Is it a 12 ga? I think the earliest ones were all 20, but they were probably making 12 ga by 1913 or '14.

 

[Scooter22]

Yes many were full choke. Both mine are the 28" nickle steel.. Lead buck and rifled slugs shouldn't be a problem. Never shoot steel. That will split your barrel. If his is 18" should be fine. I'd like to see a pic. Is it just a short barrel civilian or one of the military "trench" shotguns? That could be worth big money.

 

[westernrover]

Because many were full choke, many had the barrels cut off. Some were just cut for Poly Chokes and others were converted for home defense. An original trench gun would be worth something, but a lot more 18" barrels were cut-offs.

Larry Potterfield made a video where he took a Model 12 with a barrel bulge just behind the full choke and turned it into a cut-a-way demonstrator. Lot's of less capable bubba's just cut behind the bulge and called it good.

 

[Remington1911]

IMHO all above answers are correct, don't know about that "slam fire" being hard on it, never was told that before, half the fun if you ask me.

Only other thing I will say is if you are going to use it for your stated roll, make sure you know what is behind, anything that large will sail clean through sheet rock and into the next room. Might even sail through your target. If you do need to use it in your stated use, I have a feeling there will be just a tad of stress going along with it. That can mess with your aim.

 

[MEHavey]

Early 12 GA. Winchester model 1912's shotguns DID have short chambers in them, as well as the 16 GA. and the 20 GA. model 1912's. The 12 GA. Winchester model 1912's had a 2 5/8 inch chamber, not the standard 2 3/4 inch chamber. ...Beginning in and after 1927 the Winchester model 12 (not stamped "Winchester" Model 1912 by this time) was built with the standard chambers of 2 3/4 inch chamber..... Between 1926 thru 1928 almost all shotguns in American went to the 2 3/4 inch chamber as a standard. Most early Winchester model 1912 that are marked with Nickle Steel should have their chambers checked to make sure they aren't short chambered. Once Winchester model 1912's went from Nickle Steel to Winchester Proof Steel and were stamped as Model 12 (not Model 1912 which by the way stopped around 1918 to early 1919) the chambers were all standard 2 3/4 inch size on all gauges.
https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads/my-new-ancient-model-12.266415/post-2272795

Does that 1/8" matter?
"Probably" not.
But check-6 anyway (I did on my `24)

 

[Tom D]

Actually, all 12 gage Model 12 shotguns had a 2/3/4" chamber from the beginning of production. It's the 16 and 20 gage guns that did not and were changed to the 2-3/4 chamber around 1926/27.

 

[Jim Watson]

its a 18" riot gun,

If it is a factory Riot Gun and not just a sawn off rabbit gun, it is worth a good deal of money.

 

[Riomouse911]

Nice shotgun!

Use standard or copper plated 2 3/4” 12 ga buckshot and you will be fine.

My Grandfather left me his 28” solid rib/full choke Model 12 in 16 gauge in 1990. It had at one point a matching serial numbered 18” cylinder bore barrel/forearm set, but for some reason he sold or traded that away to a friend before he passed so it was long gone before the gun became mine.

A Model 12 is about the smoothest operating pump action shotgun ever made, and like a fine dog they were made to hunt. For decades my Grandfather took his two turkeys every year with it, using his favorite load of #5 shot. A neighbors wife once borrowed it, and with a load of buckshot blew the antlers clean off a hill country buck while trying to fill her tag. (That story caused quite a lot of laughter for many years after.)

As for me, I took it along hiking the canyon edges on the family ranch for several years and bagged a fair amount of early-season mourning dove and a few fox squirrels. (Sadly, the ranch was sold two years after I graduated high school. My Grandfather died three years after that.)

Stay safe.

 

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Actually, all 12 gage Model 12 shotguns had a 2/3/4" chamber from the beginning of production. It's the 16 and 20 gage guns that did not and were changed to the 2-3/4 chamber around 1926/27.

YOU ARE SO CORRECT.........Lots of misinformation out there............All it takes is a little research.

Also PURE BS about buckshot damaging nickel steel barrels.....I have a Win mdl 12 from 1918 and a Win 1897 from 1917. Both have shot oodles of OOB(deer hunting) with zero damage.

 

[Roverguy]

If it’s an 18” gun, it’s not choked Full.

Cool gun OP. As mentioned above, if a factory original “18 gun, it could be worth some money. Would love to see a photo.

 

[Palladan44]

My model 12 (16 gauge) Stove-pipes spent rounds a lot with the (new to this gun) Plactic shotgun shells that the spent round comes out a lot longer than the loaded round.
I have a feeling that when designed around the old paper shotshells, this wasn't a problem. Make sure to experiment with multiple rounds to make sure this doesn't happen. But all in all, damn fine gun. It should do the trick.

 

[Jim Watson]

I don't know what they were doing in 1919 but by 1939 a Riot Gun had a 20" barrel.

 

[Thomasss]

I personally like 2.75" lead 2s. In Wisconsin, ya can't use them on game animals any more. You can find them at give-away-pricing. Take a watermelon or pumpkin to shoot at the range. OH, and bring a shovel too.