Winchester Collector - Forum: Winchester Shotguns

MidwestCrisis on US Marked Winchester 37

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 03:30:42 +0000

TXGunNut said
RIA's description carefully avoids any opinion about the "ordnance markings", merely describes them. Seems they don't believe they're authentic ordnance markings.

Mike

I’ve done enough business with them, their customer service is excellent. However I’ve never been offered a free hat. They shouldn’t have had title say US marked, and then avoided it in the description.

MidwestCrisis on US Marked Winchester 37

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 03:15:30 +0000

Bert H. said
A Winchester Model 37 12-ga in typical used condition is at best a $200 gun. I personally would not spend more than $100 for one of them.

I was leaning that way. I know most sellers on GB are pretty proud of their stuff. Let’s see if that shotgun turns back up in a couple weeks with someone asking you to authenticate it.

MidwestCrisis on US Marked Winchester 37

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 03:11:50 +0000

TXGunNut said

MidwestCrisis said
I did a cursory look on GB. It’s maybe $400-$500 without the ordinance markings. With them I’d say parts -the receiver, $150? Someone is going to pay a lot for a novelty.

Agreed. I like to call them "fantasy items", sort of like the Colt padlock that looks so good on my mantel next to a replica SAA revolver.

Mike

I was in Denver back in 2003 and looked at rack of SAA replicas for longer than I should have. I was 18. They looked really good, and honestly I didn’t know what a replica gun was then. They were $70. I almost bought one. Turns out, the only money I lost at that mall was giving a homeless man a cigarette.

Bert H. on US Marked Winchester 37

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 03:01:28 +0000

A Winchester Model 37 12-ga in typical used condition is at best a $200 gun. I personally would not spend more than $100 for one of them.

TXGunNut on US Marked Winchester 37

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 02:41:45 +0000

MidwestCrisis said
I did a cursory look on GB. It’s maybe $400-$500 without the ordinance markings. With them I’d say parts -the receiver, $150? Someone is going to pay a lot for a novelty.

Agreed. I like to call them "fantasy items", sort of like the Colt padlock that looks so good on my mantel next to a replica SAA revolver.

Mike

MidwestCrisis on US Marked Winchester 37

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 02:35:10 +0000

I did a cursory look on GB. It’s maybe $400-$500 without the ordinance markings. With them I’d say parts -the receiver, $150? Someone is going to pay a lot for a novelty.

TXGunNut on US Marked Winchester 37

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 02:10:11 +0000

RIA's description carefully avoids any opinion about the "ordnance markings", merely describes them. Seems they don't believe they're authentic ordnance markings.

Mike

MidwestCrisis on US Marked Winchester 37

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 01:15:59 +0000

Thanks guys, I knew it couldn’t be real Thought it was a good candidate to share and discuss. Here are the rest of the details. I would assume having fake markings would put it as a parts gun. Like I tend to buy. Without them what’s a 37 in good condition worth? Or what are they going for. I don’t think I’d give $500 for it. That’s what that $350 bid will be at RIA after taxes and fees.

Zebulon on US Marked Winchester 37

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:52:59 +0000

Zebulon said
Here's what Gemini says. Summary: not a real Ordnance mark.

Here's what Gemini says. Summary: not a real Ordnance mark.

Bert H. on US Marked Winchester 37

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:42:31 +0000

99.99% odds that it is a FAKE.

This is what an authentic U.S. Ordnance marking looks like on a Winchester shotgun...

Bert

MidwestCrisis on US Marked Winchester 37

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:03:25 +0000

Could this be real? Would it be a military trap team? Seems strange to me. But former military guys and marking experts please chime in. It’s in the current on time auction at rock island. The bomb and US do not look correct to me.

kem@meyersandshaulis.com on Auction (closed) with more Model 12 Pigeon grade guns than I have ever seen in one place

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:58:22 +0000

The 16 gauge "Standard Trap", the "Trap" and the first Black Diamond look legit (the three barrel set looks refinished)

James W on Model 12"s

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:10:40 +0000

It is so hard to say with the small amount of description you have given. Like for instance, it would help if you told us about the grade of wood. The type of gun. Are they stamped SKEET, for instance? Do the guns have ribs? Are the chokes original? etc. And yes, pictures would really help. But, good luck.

Austin H on Auction (closed) with more Model 12 Pigeon grade guns than I have ever seen in one place

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:26:36 +0000

Nearly all of these were made up guns. Lots of refinishing, re-proofed, re-rolled, etc. I was not impressed in the least.

TXGunNut on Auction (closed) with more Model 12 Pigeon grade guns than I have ever seen in one place

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 13:58:42 +0000

Sounds like the life's work of a discriminating collector. Doesn't quite seem fair to have them all available to the highest bidder at one auction. The collectors who had to invest considerable shoe leather in their collections are leaving us and their prizes are going to collectors sitting at home staring at a screen.

Mike