Mod. 12 rib question
I have a 20 ga. with a rib attached with "oblong" posts and stamped "SIMMONS GUN SPECIALISTS INC. KANSAS CITY, MO." I'm assuming this is an after market rib but how do they differ from the factory Simmon"s ribs? Thanks
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THE W/P PROOF MARK WILL BE OFFSET, ON AFTER MARKET RIBS IT WILL BE HIDDEN. 0 -
Mike,,will you elaborate,,? the proofs on top of barrel? thanks ,,really.[:I] 0 -
On factory installed ribs the proof mark will be at 10 O-clock, to the side of the rib, looking down the gun like you are going to fire it. On after market ribs, the proof mark will be at 12 O-clock, under the rib. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by tsr1965
On factory installed ribs the proof mark will be at 10 O-clock, to the side of the rib, looking down the gun like you are going to fire it. On after market ribs, the proof mark will be at 12 O-clock, under the rib.
THANKS so much. This will settle a couple things for me.[:)]0 -
There were multiple styles of simmons ribs. Football (oblong), rectangle, round and donut base posts. Some (perhaps all???) of these styles were installed at the W factory. In other words, these ribs could be factory installed or aftermarket simmons installed. The first way to tell is ,as already noted, if the proof is visible(offset), it was factory installed. If not visible, it was covered by the installed rib at simmons. The second way to tell is that if it says simmons on the side of the rib it is aftermarket.
Simmons supplied ribs WERE the factory ribs after the expensive winchester 2 pin ribs were discontinued in 52/53.
The original question as to the differences, I don't THINK there are actual differences in the ribs themselves. Simmons did usually bead blast the top of the receivers during the installation and reblue. Not sure if that was done at the factory for contract ribs installation, but that shouldn't impact the rib itself.
I also think that factory simmons installation ceased with the advent of the winchester 3 pin design in the late 50s.0 -
Additionally if Simmons installed the rib after market then Simmons polished and reblued the barrel. All the Simmons reblues I have seen were not of the same quality as Winchester (Improper polishing marks, blue does not look correct, slightly fuzzy lettering, ect.). If Simmons installed the rib FOR Winchester the barrel was sent back in the white and Winchester did the final polish and blue work. I have seen many Winchesters with ribs without the Simmons name on the rib with proof marks in the proper place that were not installed by Winchester. I know of one individual who has two Winchester proof mark stamps that he had an engraver make for him. I know this is a huge topic for the model 42 collectors. So many things are being originally restored now that it is hard to tell even by experts. I would guess that Turnbull puts back the proper proof marks after restoration. I guess that in the absence of a factory letter if the appearance is absolutely indistinguishable from factory original then you have to call it good. 0
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