Winchester Model 12 ; Parts-Service

Lucky007

I am getting lite primer strikes on my Winchester Model 12 16 ga. I am using Remington factory game loads (black hulls (1oz)). About 10 misfires per 100 shells. I am looking for the best company for parts...specifically a lighter maybe titanium firing pin and a stronger/faster firing pin spring. The gun ejects empty hulls just fine, but any suggestions as to where I can send the gun for some repair work would also be appreciated.

Thanks....

toad67

Contact Mike Orlen Gunsmithing at (413) 253-5665. He did a great job on my model 12. As for the ammo those shells are very notorious for not going off with good primer strikes.

Lucky007

I suspected it might be the ammo...Remington currently has very poor quality control across all of their product lines, but the gun is old too so I figured I would address what I could. You just can't find 16 ga field/sporting clays loads around anymore. Thanks for the advice; I will give the gunsmith you recommended a call.

riley p

Hay; I'm not an "expert" at anything, but have a bunch of Model 12's and they are essentially all I shoot any more. Why would anyone shoot anything else??

A couple things I know about them: They break firing pins. When the firing pin breaks the world doesn't end. Just get another one and put it in-- eventually. They'll shoot hundreds of rounds with a broke firing pin. But eventually it will start giving you grief. That's the second place I'd look into.

The first place I'd look is the screw behind the triggerguard. Is it all the way in and tight? If not, the trigger group will show just a little "proud" to the underside of the receiver. This will cause light strikes. Just tighten the screw. All of mine have locktite on that screw. I was shooting clays with a guy just a couple weeks ago with that exact issue. Tightening the screw pretty much solves the problem.

Here in Maine we have a retail chain called Dick's. They have the remington 16 gauge in the fall around bird season. I buy all of mine then. In fact; if you wait for the sale flyers and get it just right it's the same price as 12 or 20 gauge. Just not as available year round. I shoot a fair amount of skeet and sporting clays and have never ever had a problem with the Remington shells 99.9% are launched from Model 12's. The pinnacle of the shotgun makers art.

Lucky007

Dick's is where I bought all of my 16 ga ammo...stopped buying anything from them when they went anti-gun right after the Sandy Hook massacre. The rear trigger guard screw is tight, so it's probably the firing pin and/or the spring.