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Winchester Model 12 (Riot Gun ?)

scoobyscooby Member Posts: 13 ✭✭
edited January 2009 in Ask the Experts
Did the Winchester model 12
12 gauge ever come with a 19" barrel ?

Seller (not on GB) "says" he doesnt think the barrel was cut and thinks it is considered a riot gun and came that way.
I havent seen it in person and it's quite a drive, Is there any way to know if this is a factory barrel length or if its been chopped.

Comments

  • Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,281 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello scooby,

    If the barrel length is truly 19-inches, it is a cut down barrel. The correct length on the Trench and Riot Guns is 20 +/-.5 inches (19.5 - 20.5). A real quick and easy thing to check is the choke marking stamp on the barrel... how is the gun marked? If it reads "FULL" or "MOD", that is a very positive indicator that the barrel has been cut. If it is marked "CYL", ask the owner/seller to carefully (and properly) remeasure the internal length of the bore. This is easily done by inserting a rod down the bore with the action closed until it bottoms out on the bolt face then simply marking the rod and measuring it.

    WACA Historian & Life Member

  • shooter10shooter10 Member Posts: 461 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Winchester Model 12 Riot gun - Built between 1918 and 1963. Built in 12 gauge only with 20" round choked cylinder. The Trench gun was also 20". I would guess it has been cut.

    Maybe your comment should read, "Seller wishes he could say it came that way..."
  • scoobyscooby Member Posts: 13 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's been cut. No doubt anymore

    Still probably worth $300 but I'll pass on it [:)]
  • AmmoRatAmmoRat Member Posts: 64 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just a tid-bit of info which may pertain to this topic:

    Today I just packaged up 6 Winchester model 12 riot guns from the US Air Force. These are obsolete and are being turned in from the Security Forces armory at the USAF base I work at. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera or I'd have taken some pictures before boxing up. Kind of feel heartbreaking to know these are probably destined for destruction instead of releasing to the civilian market. [:(]

    I did not get a chance to measure the barrels (really didn't cross my mind to), but these shotguns had a short barrel with a sleeve about 4 inches long that fitted over the barrel. This sleeve had 3 grooves along the bottom for mounting some type of adaptor or bayonet (???) over the barrel. All the barrels were marked "CYL" EXCEPT one was originally marked FULL and was striked out and marked "CYL" underneath the FULL. This looked factory. The CYL markings where the exact same as the other 5 shotguns.
  • JIM STARKJIM STARK Member Posts: 1,152 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by AmmoRat
    Just a tid-bit of info which may pertain to this topic:

    Today I just packaged up 6 Winchester model 12 riot guns from the US Air Force. These are obsolete and are being turned in from the Security Forces armory at the USAF base I work at. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera or I'd have taken some pictures before boxing up. Kind of feel heartbreaking to know these are probably destined for destruction instead of releasing to the civilian market. [:(]

    I did not get a chance to measure the barrels (really didn't cross my mind to), but these shotguns had a short barrel with a sleeve about 4 inches long that fitted over the barrel. This sleeve had 3 grooves along the bottom for mounting some type of adaptor or bayonet (???) over the barrel. All the barrels were marked "CYL" EXCEPT one was originally marked FULL and was striked out and marked "CYL" underneath the FULL. This looked factory. The CYL markings where the exact same as the other 5 shotguns.


    Those with the three grooves are/ were trenchguns.... The grooves were to accomodate the three screws that held the bayonet lug on the barrel... Attached to the bayonet lug "was" a perforated handguard (to allow a bare hand to hold a hot or too hot barrrel to utilize the bayonet as it was intended to be used (to run the enemy thru)).. The receiver would have had a "U.S." and a "flaming bomb" stamped upon it and also a "flaming bomb" stamped on the top of the barrel adjacent to the receiver....But stock should have a sling swivel, and inspectors stamps. The barrel itself should have had NO FRONT SIGHT... The front sight was of "German silver" and was attached to the bayonet lug... Those thing are worth a lot...See if you can find out where they went...
    JIM...........
  • AmmoRatAmmoRat Member Posts: 64 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Jim you are right. There was no front sight/bead, no vented hand guard and were stamped with USAF w/Flaming Bomb on side of receiver. Yes they were stamped USAF on the reciever...that is what I found really interesting. The ones I'e seen were stamped US but these were stamped USAF in the same spot with the flaming bomb. There were sling swivels kind of crudely screwed into the wood stocks.

    I didn't look for inspector marks on the stocks. I was to mezmorized by the rest of the gun and tried to memorize all the metal markings. I sure wish I would of had a camera with me before we packed them up.
    I dont know where they are headed but I sure hope these will not get chopped up and melted down. These are true gems and something I can only wish I could own one day.
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