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Gentlemen: I recently came into possession of a pretty decent Winchester model 12 made about 1941. It is showing it's age but is mechanically 100%. It has one issue. When I got it I noticed the chamber ring was cracked. I managed to seat it in it's proper place and was able to get the gun to cycle high brass loads (brass washed steel) and low brass loads (that were actually brass). I want the gun to be 100% reliable with all loads. Right now low brass target loads stick in the chamber real bad. I need some leads on a smith that can install a new chamber ring and ream the barrel and ring to match. Any suggestions?
Back in the day chamber rings were over sized meaning the inside dia. Was smaller than the back of the chamber there was a special reamer that would fit into the reciver to cut the ring to the cheer size . Very few smiths were authorized to have this tool to do this job . I had the set up at one time sold it with the text of my tools . Looking forward to other suggestions
I'm drawing a blank here. I know years ago their was a smith at Epps that could handle model 12 repairs but my guess is he is long gone maybe even from this earth
His name I cannot remember
Sorry
Joe
The brass is expanding into the slight difference of space between the ring and the chamber. No pics needed. It only happens with low base brass washed steel headed cartridges. I can avoid these shells but I want this gun to shoot everything. I have polished the area (using a long rod with the gun fully assembled with the bolt out) this helped with most shells but to make it right it needs a chamber ring and a proper reaming. I will continue to look for someone or I may part it out.
Don’t know the particulars nowadays but if you can send it across the border Stu Wright of Wright’s Gunsmith’s is the guy for model 12’s. Only guy in Canada I knew of and trusted with my model 12’s is now retired due to health reasons.
Darryl . . You should ask yourself why the chamber ring was cracked to begin with?? Possibly the bolt has excessive bolt droop and is not fully engaging into the locking notch in top of the receiver. . Model 12's that have had extensive use with little or no maintenance within the action assembly, in other words, run dry and dirty for a long time usually develop excess bolt droop causing the bolt to not fully engage in battery. . When this becomes extreme the disconnect on top of the bolt will prevent firing. . But until it gets to that point, the locking notch takes a beating and can put uneven stress on the chamber ring as the headspace may not be uniform across the bolt face. .
I would suggest a competent gunsmith to install a new chamber ring and adjust the headspace and ream the inside diameter of the chamber ring to match the chamber. . Also if the gun has excessive bolt droop this will need to be addressed as well. . You can check the bolt droop by sticking your middle finger up through the shell carrier pressing upward on the rear of the bolt. If the bolt moves up more than 1/8" there'a a problem. . Also, with action open, run your finger into the chamber along the sides and you may feel a slight ridge between the ID of the ring and the chamber.
The gun is tight and has little wear except for the bluing thinning. I agree that Wright's is the place but I fear common sense has to prevail when deciding how much to spend on this gun. It may be better to part the gun and get a better working model 12 here in Canada. I was hoping some smith somewhere in Canada could do the work for a decent fee. Oh well I will keep on looking around. I have a real nice field grade 12 I can use but the '41 gun is just seemingly better built than my '58 gun.
I had an issue like that minus a cracked ring. Much like what somebody above already said the bolt isn't going fully into battery. Mine was from the bar connected to the pump handle was getting warn down and not driving the bolt all the way forward. Mine got reworked by the owner of a machine shop and competent mod12 smith.... but he passed a couple years ago.
