Winchester Model 12 rifle (Gun)

Information and history about Winchester Model 12 rifle (Gun)

The Model 12 is a very famous gun for hunters. It was based in part on the M1893/97 design of the use of "pump action" to cycle mechanism (a design by John M. Browning) making it the most successful internal hammer pump-up action rifle ever produced in history. This Rifle was designed by an engineer in Winchester, Eng. T.C. Johnson, and debuted in the market in 20 gauge only.

Features

Perhaps what makes the Winchester Model 12 legendary and indeed that famous is because it had steel parts including internal actions parts all fitted by hand, it was easy to load, easily interchangeable barrels, and a pleasantly blued metal finish. Some of the aforementioned features were not available until the Winchester Model 12 showed up. Something else that made the feel of this gun different was that the location of the cross-bolt was never in the rear of the trigger guard but in the front of the guard. In other words, this made the gun even more ergonomically superior to most other rifles with the above arrangement.

Functionality

The shells of the Winchester Model 12 were loaded into its tubular magazine and then expelled just like most other guns. However, its triggering mechanism could not even compare to most guns found in the market today. To add on that, the quality of the Winchester Model 12 still remains unrivaled even by newer guns from the 21st century. Since the gun did not have a trigger dis-connector (as seen from the majority of its production), pulling the trigger and then holding it as you continually pump the handle vigorously meant that you could fire continuously from the gun. In a matter of fact, the speed of fire dwarfed that of a semi-automatic shotgun.

Shooters loved the Model 12 because it was a high-end gun designed for extreme reliability and durability. The gun is popular with collectors but it is still in use. The model comes in a variety of gauges; they include twelve, sixteen, twenty and twenty eight. The civilians used those with larger barrels while the police used the smaller variant an example of a civilian riffle would have been 32” for instance. Trench guns on the other hand were available with a bayonet lag and a heat shield. The Model 12 was used extensively in both world wars and the Korean War. Also, all branches of the United States of America Military had used the model in the early stages of the Vietnam War.

Specifications

The Winchester Model 12 comes in gauges 12, 16, 20, and Model 42 in .410 bore. It machine has a tubular magazine that has the capacity to hold six bullets and interchangeable barrels lengths of twenty eight to even thirty inches. The barrel could also have a length of twenty six inches and are available in the market and come with either blued steel finish or polished-nickel metal. The Model 12 bears a pull of 14” and has an overall length of 49-1/2”.

Conclusion

Some people complain abound handling of the Winchester Model 12 due to its recoil. Some say they are never able to hit a target twenty yards away. However, most shooters love the gun’s power and speed. The Model 12 had one of the longest and most memorable career that ended in the year 2006 after 95 years of operation.