I've got this old gun...

This post serves as both a peek into my safe, and a history lesson. The Model 1912 Winchester shotgun belongs to a different era, before anyone had conceived of a World War, Kool Aid, or even the humble Q-tip. The Model 12 was designed by T.C. Johnson, responsible for more than one hundred firearms related patents in his forty-nine year career with Winchester. Referred to as “The Perfect Repeater” in product literature, the M12 was introduced first in 20 gauge as an evolution of it's older 12 gauge brother, the Model 1897. The immediate popularity of the M12 lead to a 12 gauge version in 1914. Nearly 2,000,000 M12's were produced in it's fifty one year production run, ending in 1963.

These days, pump shotguns are common, inexpensive, and honestly, dull. Most modern specimens have matte economy finishes and rough actions, a product of the automated factory. The Model 12 was produced essentially by hand; a near seamless assembly of more than forty hand-fit parts finished by a polish and bluing job that looks like a black mirror. In 1912 they sold for thirty dollars. Times have changed.  

A few years back, I wandered into a mom-and-pop gunshop in my home town. The décor was timeless, and by that I mean old and musty. Not surprisingly, “pop” matched the décor. All the usual items were on the shelves; overpriced ammo and accessories, “new” guns with tragic handling marks, and abused relics. As I perused the racks, I spotted some old shotguns. Among them, I saw the unmistakable lines of a Model 12. The sleek curves of the receiver, classic corncob forearm and the aforementioned bluing had me instinctively reaching to examine it.

Like any collector, there are certain pieces that legitimize your aggregation of stuff. In some circles, the M12 rubs shoulders with the reds from Château Margaux and 1960's Corvettes. I knew enough to avoid eye contact with the price tag. Even well worn M12's bring $500 in most markets. This particular specimen was made in 1947, and someone had chopped the barrel down from 30” to 21” sometime in the last sixty three years... goodbye collector value. This one might be attainable for a regular guy like me! Long story short, I had to rescue it from this place. A casual glance at the tag had me summoning my best pokerface. They only wanted $325. I offered $300 cash with as much indifference as I could muster. He bit. I filled out Form 4473 (for my Federal Background Check), passed, and plunked down the cash.

I took my new scattergun home and gave it the once-over. Some wear, but nothing serious. Considering the lack of collectors value, I mulled its intended use while I cleaned every nook and cranny. The wise suggest the pump-gun as the ideal home defense weapon, but my perfect repeater needed a few tweaks to fit the bill. 
I shortened the stock and added a recoil pad to soak up the punishment that 00 buckshot delivers.  It will shoot it's share of trap loads, but I'm grooming this gun for serious business. This also meant swapping the silver bead for a green fiber-optic. While cringe inducing to a purist, it's far easier to see in most light conditions. 

When it comes to feeding, there is only one rule for shotguns. Try several brands of ammunition to see which consistently patterns best from your shotgun. I've tried every 00 buckshot load I can get my hands on locally and settled on a 9 pellet offering from Federal. It offers fist-sized patterns at hallway distances, and keeps every pellet on a paper plate at 30 yards. That's beyond “defense” distances, but I like to keep my options open.  With my classic scattergun itch scratched, it's off to another spot in the safe. Every old gun has a story; stay tuned for more.