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I just joined this forum and have several Model 12’s.
I recently acquired a Model 12 Trench Gun, serial # 1,033,346. It is parkerized and has U.S. and flaming bomb on right side of receiver. Proper GHD cartouche and crossed cannons on left side of stock. I believe it is 1943 production and I don’t think it saw any use. I would call it 95 % but I really don’t know anything about % grading.
I have read Poyer’s book and the shotgun seems all correct. According to the book, there were about 6,800 Model 12 Trench guns purchased in WWII. Does anyone know how many were originally parkerized?
Thanks,
Bill
Hello Bill,
November 1943 to get you a bit closer, I do not know how many were parkerized, but based on what I have seen, it could not have been very many.
Bert – U.S. Navy, Submariner retired (1979 -2000)
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Originals are fairly scarce. Late serial numbers and machine marks on the receiver will give you a hint. They were very poorly finished. As scarce as they are, the blued ones have a bigger following. The handguard should have a small “W” on it. Like most Winchester Trenchguns, these are very valuable. Big Larry
I believe there were more than 6,800 Model 12 trench guns procured during WWII. Depending on whose estimate you believe, there were anywhere from 60,000 to 80,000+ Model 12 shotguns (riots and trench guns) made under Military contract during WWII. I’ve estimated that about the last 4,500 Model 12 trench guns (give or take 500) were parkerized. The lowest parkerized M12 trench I have data on is 1031555 and the highest is 1035588. If you take Poyer’s estimate of 6,800 trench gun in total being acquired and subtract from that the number of parkerized ones (4,000 – 5,000), that would leave less than 2,000 that were blued. There certainly were a lot more blued ones than that.
Poyers books are full of mistakes. I use Mr. Canfields. He helped me a lot when I was collecting the Martial Shotguns and all US militaria. Not much left of my collection now. I just kept a few. Big Larry
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