Looks like a model 1911 “widow maker.”  Winchester’s failed attempt to compete with the Browning automatic shotgun.  Browning owned the patent for the bolt handle, so to chamber a round, the Winchester 1911 required pushing the barrel toward the receiver–the reason for the knurled grip section on the barrel.  The reason for “widow maker” is a few heads were taken off while chambering a round.

I was not familiar with this model.  Possibly the worst firearm Winchester ever made?  People are still getting injured or killed using these guns according to Wikipedia article.  Crikey!   

Me thinks that Winchester should have agreed to Mr. Browning’s terms.  Just sayin’

Folks, as I was growing up, I knew of two who hunted with these things.  One was an older man who was a tenet on my grand dad’s farm.  He hunted about anything for the pot, to include deer before there really was a season on them.  He seemed to know what he was doing–but never unloaded the thing.  Our steel sided barn still has a very tight pattern of #2’s where he shot a ground hog from over 50 yards.  The other was a classmate.  We hunted quail once when we were allowed to be on our own (one or the other’s parent took us out and dropped us off).  John had problems with his Winchester model 11 doubling at times.  He didn’t do well working the action to unload at the end, so just fired off the ammo.  Really not a good thing when you are a kid as the shells were still relatively expensive.  I suspect John would pump the barrel when I was not around–likely with his shoulder at least over the muzzle.

Tim Tomlinson

I also had one of these – Winchester Model 1911 12 GA. It was laying around at my Grandfather’s ranch. It was not in working order so I decided to fix it up. Boy – do not try to replace the recoil spring. What a job.  Got it fixed up and shot it a couple of times. This thing wounds on one end and kills on the other. Like pdog I sold it at a gun show or gave it away. I see the guy who bought it occasionally. He has never shot it.   RR