WINCHESTER MODEL 12 BARREL QUESTION?
I AM GETTING MIXED FEEDBACK...WAS THERE A FACTORY 32" VENT RIB OFFERING,EITHER IN HEAVY DUCK AND/OR TRAP ,PIGEON VERSIONS?THANKS(I WANT ONE!)
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Hello Tomcat, welcome to the forum! Well Winchester offered the 12 ga. with a 32 in. barrel. They were available in, Solid Rib, and Plain in the Duck gun. Trap guns could be had with a Solid Rib or a "2 pin" Vent rib". Standard field guns could be had with a solid rib or plain barrel. There was also a special run of 32in. barrels made in 16 ga. according to Maddis. He found the production order for 24 barrels, when researching for his book "The Model 12" There are also a few "Special Field" guns, those are the "Donut Post" vent ribbed guns that Winchester contracted with Simmons for the vent rib. According to Maddis he says 32 in. barrels were last offered in 1949, and Dave Riffle says 1951, he also wrote a book on the Md 12.
In almost 40 years of Model 12 looking, buying, selling, I've only run across one Md 12 with a 32in barrel that wasn't a Full choke. It was an early 50's gun with an Imp/Modified choke.
32 in. barrels command a premium, in other words they are out there, but not common. A 32in. Full choke barrel made the gun suitable for only a few activities, Trap,goose, turkey, or pass shooting ducks. A lot of people cut the barrel down and put choke devices on them, (poly choke, cutts, or other adjustable chokes) Which made the gun more suitable for bird hunting in general.
Like I said they are out there, you just have to look and be patient for one to come up for sale. Regards Dave0
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