Winchester Collector - Forum: Winchester Shotguns

Ricklin on Model 12"s

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 16:11:51 +0000

Since they have been reblued a trap or skeet mark may get another hundred bucks or so. The rebluing is the kiss of death for collectors.

Across the pond fine English guns can be returned to the manufacturer to be reblacked and that enhances their value. Here in the good old USA? Colt did offer factory refinishing for many years. I do not know what services for Colt guns are still available. I rather doubt that service is still avalable.

Winchester used different types of finishing process's over their history. That can make determining the originality the task of an expert. Often and expert on that particular model.

Then of course there is Turnbull who can actually make an old gun new. Turnbull now includes internal marks on their gun restorations to keep sellers honest. In most cases a Turnbull restoration is more costly than buying a near perfect example of the same gun. I guess some folks fortunes do change.

Ricklin on Winchester Model 42 .410 Pump Action

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 14:56:32 +0000

Very popular with collectors. Make sure you get all the money. The closed auctions on gunbroker are very useful, the asking prices are often someones fantasy. For common everyday guns closed Gunbroker auctions are practically gospel. For highly collectable guns, not very reliable.

Ricklin on model 37 shootguns

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 14:50:37 +0000

I was looking at the percentage of difference. For another 4 bucks I would get an entire gun. We do not see many guns today with an extra barrel. I would think that there are also cases of an Addl barrel being separated from it's receiver.

Ricklin on Winchester Model 1912 First Year

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 14:44:46 +0000

Your further pictures are much better. Big question mark, perhaps the acid will reveal the numbers.

Bert H. on Winchester Model 1912 First Year

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 02:58:48 +0000

Corey Freeman said
Thanks Bert.
Of course I'll be disappointed, but I'd rather know what I'm dealing with too.
I actually have some the etching acid that's used to raise serial numbers from guns that were... uh... modified for other reasons. I'll give it a shot and see if something reveals itself.

Based on the position of the "44" on the receiver frame, I suspect that the original serial number is actually "44?" (3-digits). Hopefully the acid will reveal the truth.

Bert

Corey Freeman on Winchester Model 1912 First Year

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 01:30:45 +0000

Thanks Bert.

Of course I'll be disappointed, but I'd rather know what I'm dealing with too.

I actually have some the etching acid that's used to raise serial numbers from guns that were... uh... modified for other reasons. I'll give it a shot and see if something reveals itself.

Bert H. on Winchester Model 1912 First Year

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:06:33 +0000

This is what a serial number marking looks like on a better condition Model 12;

Bert

Bert H. on Winchester Model 1912 First Year

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:02:58 +0000

Your last picture shows the take down extension.

I have cropped it and placed a red circle around what appears to be the leading "4" digit stamped on the extension.

Bert

Corey Freeman on Winchester Model 1912 First Year

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 23:54:46 +0000

I'm going to show my ignorance. I'm not sure what you mean by the take down extension.

Hopefully these will suffice. If not, then I'll take some more. Maybe I should have resized them...

Bert H. on Winchester Model 1912 First Year

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 23:29:19 +0000

Corey Freeman said
I'm not sure on the serial number for the barrel, but I will research it further. The serial number does look authentic and not placed there by someone else. The rest of the metal around it is undisturbed.
I can fix the crack. Before I started collecting old guns and fixing them up, I built furniture for my house. Learned from my FIL and he knew more than he could ever teach.

Can you post a clear close up of the serial number and the take down extension directly above it?

Bert

Corey Freeman on Winchester Model 1912 First Year

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 23:27:47 +0000

I'm not sure on the serial number for the barrel, but I will research it further. The serial number does look authentic and not placed there by someone else. The rest of the metal around it is undisturbed.

I can fix the crack. Before I started collecting old guns and fixing them up, I built furniture for my house. Learned from my FIL and he knew more than he could ever teach.

Ricklin on Winchester Model 1912 First Year

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 23:08:18 +0000

Darn sure I hope I am in that kind of shape at that age, shoot just getting that old would be a miracle. That serial number just does not look right to me. Other than the pad it looks like an original honest gun, get with a good stock man before you shoot it. That crack looks deep and is stressed there under recoil. The right man can do a virtually invisible repair. Did Winchester always serialize both "halves" of M 12 guns? I do not see a number at all on the fore end. Every M12 I've seen has the matching number on the fore end.

Jeremy P on Winchester model 50 buttplate

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 22:26:54 +0000

Doug, when I get Zeb's pics, I'll send you a link to the media! There may or may not have been some front sight tappin'...but we did it without injury to anyone or anything!

TXGunNut on Winchester model 50 buttplate

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 20:37:00 +0000

DEEREHART said

Jeremy P said

Zebulon said
I'm bringing my serious camera to photograph the shooting of your 1873.


LOL I just saw these two posts. I'll accept your 375 firing and raise you one 1873 firing with a video. You can use my phone to video since I also owe a video to someone at Wyoming Armory!


Jeremy
I think we all need to see video of the awesome 1873 and her first shots.
Maybe a pic with your dad
Doug

It was pretty awesome, Doug. Handled and shot better than a new gun. There will not be a video posted of the tweaking of the 1873's front sight. Definitely not for the squeamish! For the record I passed on shooting Bill's thumper, he and Jeremy were pleasantly surprised that recoil wasn't as violent as they expected.

Mike

Jeremy P on Winchester model 50 buttplate

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:57:26 +0000

DEEREHART said

Jeremy P said

Zebulon said
I'm bringing my serious camera to photograph the shooting of your 1873.


LOL I just saw these two posts. I'll accept your 375 firing and raise you one 1873 firing with a video. You can use my phone to video since I also owe a video to someone at Wyoming Armory!


Jeremy
I think we all need to see video of the awesome 1873 and her first shots.
Maybe a pic with your dad
Doug

Stay tuned Doug!