What's it worth/WTS--Model Win 12 16ga

[jdown]

I see these things all over the place in terms of price (300-800) and in all conditions at those prices. Very Sound mechanically and I would say typical ware for it's age. 85%ish stock and blueing. I'm interested in selling and will post pics and price over the weekend, but if anybody is knowledgeable in them and has a sound opinion on price or can help me determine value (vs the wide price range I see on Gunbroker) or has interest-I would appreciate it.

Thanks

Josh

480-369-4923

[yotebuster]

Put up a pic and some specifics. Vented rib, solid or bead? Cut stock? Lotsa variables that take it from being worth $150 as a shooter to several thousand.

[muledeerarea33?]

Do you know what grade it is and approximate year?

[forepaw]

I am a fan of M 12s, especially 16 ga. Picked up a 95%+ (like new) condition w/ plain barrel, 28" mod., average wood, last year, paid $650. Think I paid about $100 too much, at least in terms of local prices, but checked Blue Book value, and it was exactly $650. If you have or can borrow a current Blue Book of Gun Values, that would be the most authoritative and probably cheapest way to appraise value.

 

forepaw

[jdown]

Thank you for your responses. I finally got home and looked a bit more closely at the model 12. It is a 28" full choke, no rib with bead, pistol grip stock factory stock with pachmayr pad. Doesn't appear to be cut with a grooved foreend.

Like I said, mechanically is very sound. Typical bluing ware on receiver from carry. Wood is in great shape as is blueing on the barrel, just a few scratches. Inside of bbl is very clean. From serial number search appears to be a 1936. I would say just a standard hunting grade model 12.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thank you.

[forepaw]

Well you have a nice shooter and a true piece of history. It is a pre-war, not quite original, but still might fetch a premium $ from the right person, as those years basically produced hand polished and hand fitted moving parts. If anyone doesn't believe it, just have a careful gunsmith take one apart, and then try to put it back together!. That old gun has many years of carrying and shooting left. Also, I believe some of the M 12s in 16 ga. were a smaller frame size than the 12 ga. guns which makes them much handier for long walks on the desert for quail, or jumping ducks off stock tanks.

 

It is fascinating to read about Depression-era Winchesters, if you can find any books on that topic. Some of the Sr. citizens at gunshows can be good sources of info as well. If you can find a copy, I highly recommend "The Shotgun Book" by Jack O'Connor. It is some of the best writing ever done on sporting shotguns.

 

Good luck.

 

forepaw

[jdown]

Thanks. If you are interested in a shooter to go along with your 95% one, let me know.