Mod.12 shorten barrel and instal iron sights?

Woodsman

Woodsman

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My dad has an old model 12 pump in 12 gauge 2 3/4" chamber with a 30" full choke barrel. We never use the darn thing because it's too long for grouse and bunnies and apparently no good for ducks and geese with steel shot(not that we hunt much ducks and geese).

I was pondering about cutting down the barrel to a little longer than the mag tube and installing iron sights. This would make it a handy short range slug gun for deer and we could also use it occassionally for close range grouse and bunnies. It would end up getting used far more than it is now.

I'm thinking of doing this myself. I'm not too worried about shortening the barrel. My concerns are installing the sights as the barrel isn't too thick and am worried that I end up drilling through. Am I right in thinking the front sight can be drilled through, but the rear must be kept from not going through?

Also, what sights would fit and where can i get them?
 
Woodsman said:
My dad has an old model 12 pump in 12 gauge 2 3/4" chamber with a 30" full choke barrel. We never use the darn thing because it's too long for grouse and bunnies and apparently no good for ducks and geese with steel shot(not that we hunt much ducks and geese).

I was pondering about cutting down the barrel to a little longer than the mag tube and installing iron sights. This would make it a handy short range slug gun for deer and we could also use it occassionally for close range grouse and bunnies. It would end up getting used far more than it is now.

I'm thinking of doing this myself. I'm not too worried about shortening the barrel. My concerns are installing the sights as the barrel isn't too thick and am worried that I end up drilling through. Am I right in thinking the front sight can be drilled through, but the rear must be kept from not going through?

Also, what sights would fit and where can i get them?
Click to expand...

You use steel sights and you fit them to the barrel and solder them on using a soft solder, preferably Force 44 solder that is not affected by bluing salts. (Important in the future).

Many different factory rifle sights can be adapted.
 
"...to a little longer than the mag tube..." 18" minimum. Do not use a hack saw to cut it. A pipe cutter works well and won't leave an angled muzzle.
Use silver solder and remove the bluing(a bit of sandpaper) where the sight will go on. A propane torch kit is cheap and does a lot of stuff.
You can drill and tap, but you'd have to be careful about the length of the screws. Fortunately, that's not a big deal. Screws can be cut to length.
 
WARNING: the model 12 has a unique take down system, barrels cut too short often cause it not work so well. I would take the gun down and with the mag tube as far forward as it will go, thats where I would cut it. Just my two cents.

Darryl
 
If you cut the barrel to 20", when taken down you will have 2 20" long pieces that fit some small cases perfectly. My brother has a Win 1200 that was cut down and had rifle sights attatched with acraglass about 30 years ago. It has seen some rough use and it is still fine. Another option is Loctite Black Max.
 
I've used a tubing cutter on a shotgun barrel. I suggest you go very slowly. t works well, but can give a sort of choke at the muzzle if you cut to fast. It does leave a much nicer and squarer cut that a hacksaw.

Don't forget to tape the muzzle first, or you will have a circular scratch around the end from the guide roller on the tubing cutter.
 
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