1957 Model 12 Winchester with jamming issues Advice needed

47taylorcraft

47taylorcraft

Member
Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
72   0   0
Location
Campbellford Ontario
I have a "restored/reblued " 1957 model 12 Winchester field grade shotgun that locks up after firing-shell will not eject, slide will not move. Since purchase I have taken the shotgun to an expert gunsmith twice only to be told he could not find the issue.(I think he gave up because he is too busy). Bearing in mind that someone else ( a fellow GN) stripped, polished and reassembled the firearm before I purchased it.
Any ideas based on experience before I break this up for parts?
Cheers Paul
 
Check the trigger mechanism to be sure nothing is too worn or been polished beyond tolerance. If you take the trigger group out, will the slide move back, allowing extraction and ejection of the fired hull?
 
Worn model 12's that do what you describe may need hundreds of dollars of parts and work... see if your seller will take it back.
 
It likely has the dog leg action arm nothing to do with anything else . Google Winchester model 12 dogleg action arm and if yours looks like one u find in the photos replace it and it will be fine u can not wear out a model 12 . Lyman used model 12's to work up shot shell loads in there reloading manuals and shot millions of roads through them sent themback to winchester had them checked over and kept using them to work up data I believe it was about 6 guns note on the dogleg action a there was about a 3 yr period where Winchester used this style of action arm and believe yours falls into that slot at one te Winchester recalled all model 12 with this style of action arm and replaced them for free . You ask how I know all this well I did there warranty work for yrs .
 
last year a fellow had a reblued 1897 win that was jamming .When the reblue took place the collar for the slide stop became unsoldered and was shifting when cycled and he also was going to part it out .Seems the hot blue removed the solder ,re soldered collar and back to good .

not seeing the sg that would be my guess from your description of the problem
 
struff55 said:
It likely has the dog leg action arm nothing to do with anything else . Google Winchester model 12 dogleg action arm and if yours looks like one u find in the photos replace it and it will be fine u can not wear out a model 12 . Lyman used model 12's to work up shot shell loads in there reloading manuals and shot millions of roads through them sent themback to winchester had them checked over and kept using them to work up data I believe it was about 6 guns note on the dogleg action a there was about a 3 yr period where Winchester used this style of action arm and believe yours falls into that slot at one te Winchester recalled all model 12 with this style of action arm and replaced them for free . You ask how I know all this well I did there warranty work for yrs .
Click to expand...

Hard to read - but some where in there you state, "u can not wear out a model 12" and "I did there warranty work for yrs". I also did their warranty work for years and was taught a lot about the Model 12 by a smith who worked for Winchester, as well as what I was taught in gunsmithing school. The Model 12 requires some special tooling to replace 'headspace rings' which can be a big problem with extraction problems if not done correctly. Often a 'worn' model 12 will require parts or careful adjustment of the hammer and diconnector as it may be releasing the hammer before it is fully locked. I have seen hundreds of worn or poorly adjusted model 12's that would release the hammer when the bolt was not even engaging 'lock up'... and then there are the extremely worn model 12's where the locking recess in the top of the receiver is so pounded out from shooting the rear of the breech bolt is hanging down barely engaging the pounded out 'lip'... you can feel this 'lip' with your finger...when you pull the trigger on an empty chamber the breech bolt jumps up and ahead by a huge amount... these actions require welding and machining to bring them back to factory specs. At one time Winchester could do this and there are a few specialized 'smiths' in the US that can do this. The adjustment on the 'take down ring' to keep the barrel tight eventually runs out of adjustment (worn out) and needs new parts installed. I am sure Lyman sent back their well worn 12's for factory service because of wear... there are all sorts of parts in a Model 12 that wear out and need adjustment or replacement. There are very few set up with all the tooling required to do all the repairs to model 12's. I sold mine many years ago.
 
Last edited:
Guntech; I would have loved to have had you look at a Browning M12 Grade V 20ga that I bought many years ago when Browning brought them out for a 4 yr. period. Dam thing would not work properly. It was consistently inconsistent in ejecting shells, bringing them up from the mag, at times it would eject the fresh shells out the bottom on the ground, it was stiff to pump. I was using Winchester, Remington and CIL ammo. Didn't seem to matter which I used.

I sent it back to Browning in Montreal, they had it for 8months and sent it back saying they could find absolutely nothing wrong with it, but it did work very well after that for several hundred rounds then it went back to its old habits. I termed it the nicest, and fanciest single shot 20ga. I ever had. After it started acting up again I took it to a major gun shop and traded it in.

Until you made the above post I had no idea M-12's could be adjusted to that extent or that intricately complicated. I am now convinced it was never set up right in the first place, and the Browning boys in Montreal didn't know much either.
 
Gun tech I am aware of all the issues with model 12 & I have the wrenches for changing the chamber rings also the cutter for cutting the new over size rings . Replacing triggers & hammers is something has to be done ocassinally . I would still bet on a 1057 model 12 it has the dog leg action a But thanks for correcting my post
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom