Winchester 1912 takes some long tails

[Frank Srebro]

Not a double gun but definitely vintage .......

Change of pace yesterday. I did a combo grouse and pheasant hunt in edge cover between reverting strip mine fields and the woods. The Winchester 1912 is a 1922 gun, Nickel steel and solid rib, 16 bore, choked Modified. As many know the Winny Model 12 is my all time favorite repeater, here restocked with a straight grip and early Trap style small/round forend, also reblued. All high quality work by an unknown craftsman.

Our PA State limit is two birds. Flushed several more cock birds and hens while coming out. :)

Double or triple click to expand pics .....
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[Randy G Roberts]

Nice work Frank. It was 81 here yesterday :cuss:

[CraigThompson]

Cool Frank !

I was out monday wednesday and thursday morning this week and I saw bucks each morning , but I've yet to ML in the evenings its 65 or better each evening .

[allen newell]

Very nice looking model 12

[Reggie Bishop]

Frank nice Winchester. About 25 or so years ago I had a nickel steel 16 gauge that had been restored and re-stocked with a straight grip stock. The work was done by a fellow whose name was John Kay, in the mid-west I believe. His company was called Winchester Restorations. I don't have the model 1912 any longer but I should have held onto to it. It was very lightweight and the restoration was very nicely done. Your gun reminds me of my old gun.

[Alfred Greeson]

Love my Parkers but still have 3 model 12's, two 16, one IC and a Mod and a 20 ga. backed up by a 1936 Mod. 42. Grew up shooting a M 12 with a 20 inch barrel that had been used in a bank robbery, then the gun was sent to Winchester and had a 32 in full choke barrel which came with a factory letter stating to not shoot over #6 shot in it but it was a heck of a duck gun and the 20 inch was killer on rabbits.

[Mike Koneski]

Anyone infamous use that gun in the bank robbery? :eek:

[John Dallas]

A friend of mine has a gun safe which used to be a bank safe. There are pry marks around the door which were put there by John Dillinger. He has the front page from the local newspaper describing the failed robbery attempt

[Garry L Gordon]

Wonderful to have chances at grouse AND longtails. Are the pheasants released by the State or naturally reproducing birds? They are beautiful! I love your gun.

[Frank Srebro]

Garry, pheasants are "stocked" by our PA game folks and these were undoubtedly put out at some point. Almost all stocked birds are taken by hunters but some do winter over as I've seen for years while riding quads in the summer and fall. This is a fairly remote area and there's a large and very thick and gnarly swampy area nearby this hunt location, that would give excellent cover from avian and other predators. It's possible these two cock birds and others we flushed came from there and were out foraging. Their long tails do suggest birds that have been out in the wild for a while.

Yes I do like Model 12 solid rib smallbores. It was a good day when i found this one.

[Frank Srebro]

Just some additional comments on this 1922 Model 1912. Of course it was made for paper 2-9/16" roll crimp shells and its ejection port was opened for 2-3/4" shells before rebluing. It feeds and ejects 2-1/2" RST's, along with 2-9/16" vintage and modern 2-3/4" shells perfectly and even mixed in the magazine. Tested before I bought the Winny to know what I might get into.

My advice to anyone looking to buy an early Model 1912/12 whether 16 or 20 gauge that isn't factory or retro stamped 2-3/4" is to check it for function (QUICK feeding and ejection) before buying. That's if you want to shoot modern 2-3/4" plastic shells.

[Garry L Gordon]

Just some additional comments on this 1922 Model 1912. Of course it was made for paper 2-9/16" roll crimp shells and its ejection port was opened for 2-3/4" shells before rebluing. It feeds and ejects 2-1/2" RST's, along with 2-9/16" vintage and modern 2-3/4" shells perfectly and even mixed in the magazine. Tested before I bought the Winny to know what I might get into.

My advice to anyone looking to buy an early Model 1912/12 whether 16 or 20 gauge that isn't factory or retro stamped 2-3/4" would do well to check it for function (QUICK feeding and ejection) before buying. That's if you want to shoot modern 2-3/4" plastic shells.

Thanks for the tip, Frank. I keep thinking I need a Model 12...:vconfused:

[CraigThompson]

Frank do you know if Dugan’s Gunshop in Hughsville is still in existence ? I went in there a time or two and he had a veritable boatload of nice old rifles and shotguns .

[Frank Srebro]

Frank do you know if Dugan’s Gunshop in Hughsville is still in existence ? I went in there a time or two and he had a veritable boatload of nice old rifles and shotguns .

Craig, I haven't been there in many years. I'd heard that the shop changed ownership some years ago and a large collection of vintage guns were sold off. But I don't know if this is good data or not.

[Mike Koneski]

Craig, this is the only info I could find-

RAILROAD & Route 220
Hughesville, PA 17737
Phone Number
(570) 584-2281

That is just on the north side of town. The daughters took over in 2011 and I find no more info than what I've posted above.