F.P. Asher JR. Annapolis MD

[CraigThompson]

Saw a gun with this fellows named engraved on the reciever not a Parker . I would assume he was a water Fowler . Any of you MD or Eastern Shore guys heard of this fellow ? And if so elaborate please !

[CraigThompson]

While it most likely wasn’t done right after the gun was manufactured the gun was made in 1954 , so I assume this gentleman is elderly now or no longer with us .

[Kevin McCormack]

Why would you assume he was a waterfowler? What kind of gun was it? SxS; O/O. ? Long barrels and tight chokes? Thx. K.

[John Campbell]

I didn't spend a lot of time searching, but this link for a lawsuit suggests that F. P. Asher & Sons was a construction firm in that part of the world. He could probably afford a Parker:

https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1931126/emery-v-fp-asher-jr-sons-inc/

[CraigThompson]

I didn't spend a lot of time searching, but this link for a lawsuit suggests that F. P. Asher & Sons was a construction firm in that part of the world. He could probably afford a Parker:

https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1931126/emery-v-fp-asher-jr-sons-inc/

Yeah I found a bunch of litigation also .

[CraigThompson]

Why would you assume he was a waterfowler? What kind of gun was it? SxS; O/O. ? Long barrels and tight chokes? Thx. K.

Model 12 3” .

[Kevin McCormack]

Ah, yes! - A favorite gun around the Tidewater during the heyday of duck & goose shooting. Another front-runner in the non-sxs/repeater class was the Browning A-5 3" Magnum 32" barrel autoloader.

[CraigThompson]

Ah, yes! - A favorite gun around the Tidewater during the heyday of duck & goose shooting. Another front-runner in the non-sxs/repeater class was the Browning A-5 3" Magnum 32" barrel autoloader.

I have a pair of the A-5 3” and several barrels . Might add a model 12 3” even though I’m not a pump action person .

[CraigThompson]

I dunno why but I bought the gun with this fellows name and Annapolis MD engraved on the side the reciever . It’s a Model 12 3” Super-X 30” with I think a Simmons ventilated rib attached . Gun looks to be in very decent condition .

[CraigThompson]

I know that most if not all the Super-X Model 12’s were 30 or 32 inch . Any of you Model 12 aficionados ever heard of a Super-X leaving the factory with a 28” or even a 34” barrel ?

[Rick Losey]

It’s a Model 12 Super-X 30” with I think a Simmons ventilated rib attached .

if the Winchester proof is on the top of the barrel and covered by the rib it is likely an aftermarket - Simmons being among the best and most common choices

if the proof mark is off center and still shows, it was factory done (still could be a Simmons, but done at the factory.

is it a 3"?

[CraigThompson]

if the Winchester proof is on the top of the barrel and covered by the rib it is likely an aftermarket - Simmons being among the best and most common choices

if the proof mark is off center and still shows, it was factory done (still could be a Simmons, but done at the factory.

is it a 3"?

I’ve not had in hand yet . I’m Assuming Simmons is on the side the rib but could be wrong . And yes it’s a three inch .

[John Dallas]

A friend(?) of mine had a Winchester proof stamp. Any vent rib gun could be turned into factory with a touch of the hammer

[CraigThompson]

I also read somewhere that most of what we’re called factory vent ribs were Simmons BUT the ones that were considered factory DID NOT have Simmons stamped on the side of the rib .

[Rick Losey]

A friend(?) of mine had a Winchester proof stamp. Any vent rib gun could be turned into factory with a touch of the hammer

maybe - but there would be two proofs unless they went to the trouble of removing the rib, striking the barrel to remove the original mark and then rebluing

a lot of work

[Bill Murphy]

Tell us exactly what you have, and its markings, when you get it in hand, and we can give you a better idea of what you have. You can tell us about the proof marks, but pictures of the rib are necessary to determine originality.

[CraigThompson]

Gunbroker pics of my less than exemplary specimen !

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I had a Model 12 Heavy Duck two barrel set at one time with a 32 inch and a 26 inch barrels.

[CraigThompson]

I had a Model 12 Heavy Duck two barrel set at one time with a 32 inch and a 26 inch barrels.

The 26" set were factory original uncut with 3" chamber ?

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Yup, it was all straight as a string, 26 inch barrel was marked Imp Cyl and all the serial numbers matched.

[Dave Noreen]

I shot once in a while in the mid-1970s with a young native man at the Sand Lake Club south of Anchorage who had a two barrel set Model 12 Heavy Duck with 28- and 30-inch barrels. Story was his Father had been a guide for some Winchester executives shortly after WW-II, and Winchester gave him the gun as a thank you gift.

The Winchester Special Ventilated Rib introduced in the 1954 time frame, was a Simmons Rib installed by Winchester.

https://i.imgur.com/XwLVolQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/BXmKvg9.jpg

[CraigThompson]

The Model 12 Heavy Duck arrived today . In a lot of ways it looked better than I anticipated . The rib just might be what’s considered factory . When I got home I took it out and shot one round each of factory 3” buckshot # 1 , 00 and 000 at 25 yards . Amazingly they all shot nicely in the full choke barrel .

[Scott Janowski]

Nice Model 12, the rib is not Winchester installed. It should have proof marks on the left side of the barrel and receiver. This is a Simmons installed rib.

[charlie cleveland]

i have a book that recommends full choke for buckshot....i have yet to find the perfect choke and gun for shooting buckshot... charlie

[CraigThompson]

i have a book that recommends full choke for buckshot....i have yet to find the perfect choke and gun for shooting buckshot... charlie

Buckshot causes GREMLINS :rotf:

I've read stuff that claimed big buck meaning 0 or larger you needed IC or cylinder .

Now I've loaded EVERY size from 00000 down to #4 in 10 gauge guns and 90% of the guns I've shot the stuff in were tight and tighter then well you understand . Anyway I've gotten very decent results with the bigger buckshot in the tight tight barrels .

And the small stuff like #2 and #3 buck has pretty much only done well in the tight tight barrels .

But bear in mind my parameters for buckshot are 25 yards on paper and rarely if ever do I shoot buck at a deer over 30ish yards . So the doggers that shoot deer on drives at 60+ yards would have no intrest in what I do and that's perfectly fine , I do what I try and do to please myself and so far it's worked relatively well :whistle:

For 12 gauge double loads I've pretty much settled on 0 buck only in 2 3/4" handloads . In the 3" 12's I shoot whatever factory I have on hand #1 , 00 or 000 .

For the 16 I've had wonderful results with handloaded #1 but I may see how 0 works if I get a chance to mess with it this spring/summer .

In the 20 gauge I've loaded both #2 and #3 with excellent results in my Parker VHE and Sterlingworth both are M&F .I bought some Euro #1 buck loads for the 20 they shot well enough for deer inside 30 yards but didn't print as well as my handloads on paper . Down the road I may try and make a decent #1 20 gauge handload .

In the 28 I was fortunate and got decent #1 , #2 and #3 buck handloads right off the bat . And I'm 2000% sure that is about as small as I go with the buckshot thing . Only other option is if I get a nice old hammer 8 gauge Irish gun I'm kinda after . And if I acquire that I'm 99% sure that one will get big buck :cool:

[CraigThompson]

Nice Model 12, the rib is not Winchester installed. It should have proof marks on the left side of the barrel and receiver. This is a Simmons installed rib.

By no means am I disagreeing with you as I assumed it were a Simmons rib whether they put it on after the gun was built or they put it on before Winchester sold the gun as I've been told some were done .

Anyway all the Model 12's I've seen in the past with Simmons installed after the fact ribs had Simmons etc stamped on the side of the rib ,this one has no such stamping on the side of the rib . But the Winchester proof mark on the barrel is not in the position normally associated with a rib being attached for the factory .

Incidently I just received a copy of Dave Riffle's Model 12 book this AM and to be honest it shed no light on any of my questions about Heavy Duck Model 12's .

[Scott Janowski]

The most comprehensive information about The “Winchester Special “ Vent ribs can be found in the model 42 book by Ned Schwing.
It cross references the rib verations to the year by the serial number ranges.
Not only were there different posts, the matting also changed over the years.

[Bill Murphy]

There were some Winchester factory built Model 42s that have the Simmons marking on the rib. There were no such Simmons markings on any Model 12. The matting on the pictured Model 12 are not like any factory vent rib Model 12. A great gun for sure.

[CraigThompson]

There were some Winchester factory built Model 42s that have the Simmons marking on the rib. There were no such Simmons markings on any Model 12. The matting on the pictured Model 12 are not like any factory vent rib Model 12. A great gun for sure.

I removed the WIN factory plug from the gun last night . I dare say that had probably been in it since Mr. Asher acquired three gun new . And as advertised you can get five 3” shells in the Mag tube . I took it out this morning , thought we were going to get snow/sleet and turned into freezing rain so when I retired from my tree at 08:30 the Model 12 and my AR-10 were covered with ice :whistle: Thought I had a picture of the model 12 covered in ice but just two of my AR .

[Bill Murphy]

When do you have time to run a gun store???

[CraigThompson]

When do you have time to run a gun store???

I don’t run it ! I’m more of an advisor LOL’s . Besides it’s not my shop , I help the owner some on the cuff and I do a little buying and selling for myself thru the shop also in the cuff . My primary occupation is see after my just turned 84 year old pop that has Parkinson’s/Dimencia . I was kinda on my own with him until about six weeks or so ago . Now I’ve got a CNA to watch him six or so hours a day Monday thru Saturday .