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Winchester Model 12 pistol grip?

Nickolas
I live in the Rockies where we have a very healthy population of grizzly bears. I have an old Winchester Model 12 that I'd like to convert to a defender for packing with me when I'm back country fishing for trout. Trouble is, I can't find anyone who manufactures pistol grips for them. Any suggestions?

thanks!
Nickolas
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Comments

14 comments

Date Votes
  • Bert H.
    Hello Nickolas...

    Yes, I have a suggestion for you... but you probably won't like it[:(].

    Here it is anyway... leave that classic old Model 12 exactly as it is! To do otherwise is an insult to a true American Classic[V]. Please sell it to someone else who can properly appreciate it, and then go buy yourself a Winchester Model 1300 Defender... it has all of the attributes you are apparently seeking.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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  • bobski
    are you just trying to shorten the gun to fit in a pack? heck...it would be easier just to buy another shotgun like a mossberg 500 and get it modified the way you want it, than to do what you want to do to your m-12. heck...sell the m-12 and have enough money to buy a couple of cases of shells with the leftover....or an extra gun for that matter. go to your gun shop and trade it in for a military m-12 with a riot bbl and sling. it will be perfect slung over the outside of your pack....if it was good enough for the ww2 troops, it will be good enough for you! [8D] and who would know better than foot soldier about carrying a shotgun?

    former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, former navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.
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  • nmyers
    I'm not sure that a shotgun is the best choice for grizzly bear protection. Most of the folks I know who are concerned about bears carry a .44 mag revolver; a lot easier to carry in a holster (a gun in a backpack may not be handy when you need it).

    In any case, a pistol grip shotgun cannot be effectively aimed. With an angry bear coming at you, accuracy becomes fairly important. While your average hoodlums would definitely scatter at the first blast, grizzlies are not so easily intimidated. I think that you ought to give this some more thought.

    Neal
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  • bobski
    seems we all are going to steer you away from a shotgun as a bear weapon, but i think i see what youre trying to do as far as trying to make what you have work in the situation youre in. but honestly, i think a new gun will be the best answer youll get. and if again, i shotgun is what you want, get a mossberg 500 with a pistol grip and riot bbl.
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  • Bert H.
    ... and make damn sure that it is loaded to the gills with slugs instead of OO or smaller shot shells. Grizzly bears are TOUGH critters[B)]

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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  • Nickolas
    Ok, so nobody wants to answer the question. Heh. I understand. Great gun. But I'm not talking about butchering it. I'm picking up a second barrel cut down to 18" and will put the original barrel, stock and forearm aside. Hard to explain, but his gun feels right for the application, and defenders loaded with 1 oz slugs are the weapon of choice in these parts. Any time you're going to be using them is at very close range anyway, and you want something that will fire rapidly, like a trusted model 12. So, now that you know my heart's in the right place, can anyone tell me where I can get a pistol grip?

    thanks,
    Nick
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  • bobski
    they dont make pistol grips for model 12's. never did, never will. its like asking for a folding stock for a parker double barrel.
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  • Nickolas
    Thanks, Bobski. That would explain why I have been so completely unable to find one. Guess I'll go for my second choice and put one on my 870 along with a tube extension.

    BTW, I'm located at the 55th parallel. Little place called Mackenzie, British Columbia, middle of nowhere, outstanding fishing and hunting. Seems a week doesn't go by when I don't see a bear, although they're usually blacks, 5:1 vs grizzlies. The Canadian gov't in its wisdom doesn't allow us good citizens to carry .44s, or any other pistol for that matter. I'm not sure it would have nearly the stopping power of a 12 ga. slug, anyway. No restrictions on carrying defenders backcountry.

    Thanks to all for the suggestions.
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  • bobski
    go with the 870. it will suit your needs perfectly. i really wish youd go with a standard stock and just shorten your bbl. it will help you point the gun. when you deal with slugs, you better be right on. the pg is really...crap. i know from experience. i nice stock shortened just a tad will be fine.

    former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, former navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.
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  • D.S.COLE
    Everyone is right about controlling the pistol gripped shotgun , especially with hard kicking slugs.
    If you have an extra bbl that you can cut off and can find and old beat up stock cheap ,then cut the stock off right behind the pistol grip and rasp it into the shape you want.
    This will save the collector value of the model 12 and still give you what you want.
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  • lrarmsx
    The previous posts are correct, there are no pistol grips for the model 12 Winchester, the 1200 or 1300 yes, but not the 12. You will find pistol grips or folding stock pistol grips available for the Winchester 1300, Remington 870, and Mossberg 500 series of shotguns. There are also some for the Ithaca 37, and older S&W 3000, as well as a few others, but the most common ones will be the Remington, Mossberg, and Winchester (1300) series. You will also find that a great many of the accessories like mag tube extensions, stocks, side saddles etc. will be specifically for the 12ga models. There are starting to be more accessories for the 20ga, but many of the makers still only produce their items for the 12ga versions of those models. If you have any additional questions regarding the options on various models, let me know. I may be able to assist.

    LRARMSX@MCHSI.COM
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  • Nickolas
    Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to go with the stock, maybe cut it down a bit. The only guy in town I know of who actually had to drop a grizzly with his defender broke his front teeth doing it when he sighted down the barrel. I figured he panicked, but the bear was only ten feet away after all. To be honest with myself, I'd probably do the same just out of reflex, so I'll go with the stock.
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  • bobski
    just make sure when you start cutting, you check with local leos first as to legal lengths within federal law. maybe someone here will post it for you. i believe bbl length cant go under 18" with overall gun length not less than 30."

    former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, former navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.
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  • hatchettman
    if you decide to go with a rem. 870, and change it around , contact me at hatchettman2003@yahoo.com---i can help!!!!
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