Pretty Custom Winchester Model 12 20 gauge
- Thread starter Buckmastr
- Start date
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
Well it certainly sounds like a short chamber. I just did a quick search and 2 1/2" 20 shells are going to be a hard find in Canada. I have a photo of several fired 2 3/4" shells including Winchester, Federal, Remington among others (won't upload). None of these reached 2 3/4" after firing. Remington Gun Clubs were the shortest at about 2 9/16" after firing. With the plastic hull thin case mouth compared to the thicker old paper case mouth hull I can't see any issues using at least Remington shells in your gun. I have a 2 9/16" chambered model 12 in 16 gauge and it has fired a lot of Remington game loads in the past little while. Ejection is fine also. Your gun your choice just suggesting some options.
Darryl
Darryl
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
That gun oozes class from all the first class work that has been done. If it were mine I'd have the chamber lengthened to safely accomodate 2.75" ammo, lay in a good supply of bismuth or some other non-toxic shot that is full choke compatible and take that gun out on some nice late season Greenhead field hunts. That is one of the nicest custom jobs I've seen on a 20ga Model 12. Pretty sure that is a Simmons job on the rib/bluing.
If you have ejection issues shooting 2 3/4 shells you may need to have the ejection port lengthened. Compare it to your 2 3/4 gun and you'll see what may need to be done.
If you find the 2 3/4 shells hang up on ejection and before you decide to lengthen the ejection port, try changing out the ejector. When Winchester lengthened the chambers on the 20 and 16 ga in 1927 they also lengthened the ejector spring on the ejector creating a sharper ejection angle with the spent shell. This was also done with the HD gun with 3 inch chambers. Winchester again lengthened the ejector spring.
If you find the 2 3/4 shells hang up on ejection and before you decide to lengthen the ejection port, try changing out the ejector. When Winchester lengthened the chambers on the 20 and 16 ga in 1927 they also lengthened the ejector spring on the ejector creating a sharper ejection angle with the spent shell. This was also done with the HD gun with 3 inch chambers. Winchester again lengthened the ejector spring.
That's great. My first year 20 ga does the same without having to lengthen the ejection port. I did change out the ejector. Your gun looks to be a Simmons re-blue and Simmons oval post vented rib. Does it say Simmons Gun Specialists on the left side of the rib?
Looking closely at your last photo it appears that possibly the ejection port was lengthened?? Hard to tell from the photo but if it was it was not done the usual way but looks better than the usual. If you compare it to your 2 3/4 M12 20 ga you'll see it. But it's tough to tell from the photo. I measured the ejection port on mine, that has not been lengthened, and it measures 2 7/16.
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
I had a Model 12 years ago that was done by Simmons and it did not have the Simmons stamp and neither did the ones that Winchester themselves had Simmons do.
That's the original length. Nothing wrong with that if it ejects okay. I've been reluctant to mess with mine and rather leave it as it came. Your's must have had the ejector changed as well. Very nice looking M12 you have there.
Nice model 12
I missed a nice 20 ga model 12 similar to yours that was on a dealers shelf in Ontario just a few days ago.
I bought a forcing cone reamer and lengthened the 2 short chamber model 12’s I have .
The 25” bbl are just so dam cool
I missed a nice 20 ga model 12 similar to yours that was on a dealers shelf in Ontario just a few days ago.
I bought a forcing cone reamer and lengthened the 2 short chamber model 12’s I have .
The 25” bbl are just so dam cool
It’s a Simmons build likely from the 1960’s possibly earlier the metal was polished to their high luster Finnish 400 grit
The wood looks like Fajen wood the forend design it definitely Fajen this was a very popular build back in the day .
The same work today and wood cost would likely be 3000-4000$
sharp shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Essex county (Ontario)
Beauty gun. Very very nice, I wouldn't have ben able to pass that up. Is that wood done by Wenig? It looks the same checkering design as one of my guns.
