Winchester Model 12 REPRO Trench Gun Build Help Appreciated Please

Savage Haggis

Savage Haggis

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Hi all,

Need some help and a little guidance from the more experienced shot gunnies in the forum:

Recently purchased a Winchester Model 12 (1958) and repro heat shield bayonet mount, looking to make a repro trench gun, but have discovered a few snags.

Trimming the barrel back to spec with a pipe cutter was no issue, makes for a nice "riot gun" look, but what is an issue is the repro heat shield; once the three screws are tightened down, the whole assembly remains loose.

I've read that GI Issue heat shields are meant for GI Issue barrels, however this is a repro heat shield designed for the Model 12 civil barrel, so it should work.

I've attempted some redneck shimming technique experiments using folded aluminum salvaged from beer cans and my theory is solid, however the aluminum shims are too slick and the heat shield assembly remains "greasy snug", i.e., snug, but still moves - something I would consider unsafe to shoot.

So, my question is, what materials would best be used to shim this puppy up nice and snug?

I saw one article on a US Shotgun forum where the writer used .010 copper shims, something I will consider but wanted to get the thoughts and experience of any others who may have been this road ahead of me already.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
I had one of those. They are meant for 1897's which have a larger dia. barrel than the 12's (I had one of each). If I recall it was about .040. Since it is going to be more decorative than functional, it shouldn't be a problem, although if you do try bayonet drills on a bale of straw you may leave the entire mount in the straw. you shouldn't need to do any refinishing, mine was already parked and you don't really need to modify the gun except for 3 small grooves in the barrel for the screws
 
Barrels are 21". USGI barrels are thicker. You can buy a USGI barrel for $350-$400 or buy another heat shield. Or go to a gun show and buy a complete fake shotgun. About 90% of the ones out there are fake.
 
I had a 1955 Winchester Model 12 built into a M12 Trench Gun for me . The guy who built it did a fine job on the barrel cut down and installing the rear sling swivel on the stock. The heat shield however was a complete disaster. The heat shield he bought for it was from Numrich Gun Parts and was for the M97 and kept on sliding off the barrel under recoil. I tried to put some shims in but that also ended with a heat shield 2 inches off the end of the barrel.

One thing you NEED to know is that most trench gun heat shields available online are for the Model 97 or Model 12's (WITH THE RIOT "CYL" BARREL ONLY !!!)

If you have a cut down commercial "Goose" barrel then you need to go to East Taylor LLC and buy the "Winchester Model 12 Commercial Barrel Heat Shield" it will cost you about $210 CAD after shipping and will be white steel. I spent another $80 blueing it at a local gun shop. The barrel needs the 3 notches underneath to accept the heat shield. Don't worry about closing the gab on the bayonet lug to keep it from sliding off - thats what the screws and notches are for.

I had to replace the fore end from the 14 groove flat bottom to the wartime correct early model 18 groove slim version and also changed the butt plate to the early production version. Then topped it off with a Turner Saddlery M1907 sling.

Now I have an incredibly accurate reproduction M12 Trench Gun. From what I can tell I'm only missing 4 things that a legit M12 would have

1. Flaming Bomb Mark
2. Serial number from the correct production years
3. Magazine tube from the Riot gun (correct configuration)
4. CYL on barrel as oppose to FULL choke stamp

I was a pain in the butt to build - but completely worth it.

Good Luck

 
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