1951 Model 12 barrel swap onto a 1917-dated gun?

Clead · April 3, 2008, 04:52 PM

I was wondering if anyone knows whether I can swap a 1951 Winchester Model 12 barrel onto a 1917-dated Model 12? I have a 30" full on mine and wanted to make a trench gun replica, so I've found a fellow across the country who wants to make a straight trade for his 21.5" cyl barrel. I know there were some technical changes somewhere along the Model 12's timeline, but I can't recall when.
Thanks!
Duncan

Clead · April 10, 2008, 03:32 PM

Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

birdshot · April 10, 2008, 07:43 PM

i do not beleive you can swap model 12 barrels with out hand fitting. i was told that was why the after market companies never took up the model 12.

ClarkEMyers · April 13, 2008, 12:53 PM

And the barrel is an assembly for takedown purposes with a headspace adjustment.

Are you planning to swap assemblies or to disassemble the barrels proper from the rest of the assembly?

Brownell's Encyclopedia covers the Model 12 very well indeed.

Either way I'd probably take a pipe cutter to existing barrel.

Hawg · April 13, 2008, 05:08 PM

Swapping the barrel or cutting it will drastically lower it's value.

Clead · April 15, 2008, 11:06 PM

Thanks for the replies folks. I guess I'll just shorten the original barrel to keep the headspace issue at bay.
Hawg Haggen, I have no worries about the value of the shotgun.. it's a plain field grade with little to no bluing left on it, and some pitting. A true beater if there ever was one. It's an ideal candidate for a remake into something else, and I like trench guns.

ClarkEMyers, I was just going to swap the barrel alone into the original mag tube/take-down assembly. I've detail-stripped the assembly before to do a crown cleanup on another Model 12.
Thanks

paul salchow · April 24, 2008, 07:32 AM

For the most part they will interchange with the exception of the adjusting ring and the chamber ring.
There are notches on the adjusting ring to tigthen up the barrel to receiver fit, there are 5 different ones for this depending on the wear of the surfaces, the ones i see now have no numbers on them so it's up to somebody who knows how to tell which is which.
The chamber ring is a nother issue in it's own, you could get lucky and it will fit up good, or you will need to line ream a new one and set headspace, there are special reamers for this to do it as one piece, it's best to do it this way because if done wrong, the fired shell will catch on the part that swells around the chamber ring and you will have to beat the gun open.
Because the barrel you found is not where you are, and there is no way of checking the fit first i would shorten the one you have.
If you need any help let me know, you can get me in my shop.

April 3, 2008, 04:52 PM	#1
Clead Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2000 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 110	1951 Model 12 barrel swap onto a 1917-dated gun? I was wondering if anyone knows whether I can swap a 1951 Winchester Model 12 barrel onto a 1917-dated Model 12? I have a 30" full on mine and wanted to make a trench gun replica, so I've found a fellow across the country who wants to make a straight trade for his 21.5" cyl barrel. I know there were some technical changes somewhere along the Model 12's timeline, but I can't recall when. Thanks! Duncan __________________ "Molon Labe" & "Molon Latte" -I'd rather die than live unarmed and uncaffienated Last edited by Clead; April 3, 2008 at 05:23 PM.

April 10, 2008, 03:32 PM	#2
Clead Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2000 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 110	Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? __________________ "Molon Labe" & "Molon Latte" -I'd rather die than live unarmed and uncaffienated

April 10, 2008, 07:43 PM	#3
birdshot Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2008 Location: north platte nebraska Posts: 344	model 12 i do not beleive you can swap model 12 barrels with out hand fitting. i was told that was why the after market companies never took up the model 12.

April 13, 2008, 12:53 PM	#4
ClarkEMyers Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2004 Location: PacWest Posts: 455	Unlike newer designs the bolt locks to the receiver on the Model 12 And the barrel is an assembly for takedown purposes with a headspace adjustment. Are you planning to swap assemblies or to disassemble the barrels proper from the rest of the assembly? Brownell's Encyclopedia covers the Model 12 very well indeed. Either way I'd probably take a pipe cutter to existing barrel.

April 15, 2008, 11:06 PM	#6
Clead Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2000 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 110	Thanks for the replies folks. I guess I'll just shorten the original barrel to keep the headspace issue at bay. Hawg Haggen, I have no worries about the value of the shotgun.. it's a plain field grade with little to no bluing left on it, and some pitting. A true beater if there ever was one. It's an ideal candidate for a remake into something else, and I like trench guns. ClarkEMyers, I was just going to swap the barrel alone into the original mag tube/take-down assembly. I've detail-stripped the assembly before to do a crown cleanup on another Model 12. Thanks __________________ "Molon Labe" & "Molon Latte" -I'd rather die than live unarmed and uncaffienated

April 13, 2008, 05:08 PM	#5
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	Swapping the barrel or cutting it will drastically lower it's value.

April 24, 2008, 07:32 AM	#7
paul salchow Member Join Date: July 2, 2004 Posts: 64	model 12 For the most part they will interchange with the exception of the adjusting ring and the chamber ring. There are notches on the adjusting ring to tigthen up the barrel to receiver fit, there are 5 different ones for this depending on the wear of the surfaces, the ones i see now have no numbers on them so it's up to somebody who knows how to tell which is which. The chamber ring is a nother issue in it's own, you could get lucky and it will fit up good, or you will need to line ream a new one and set headspace, there are special reamers for this to do it as one piece, it's best to do it this way because if done wrong, the fired shell will catch on the part that swells around the chamber ring and you will have to beat the gun open. Because the barrel you found is not where you are, and there is no way of checking the fit first i would shorten the one you have. If you need any help let me know, you can get me in my shop. __________________ simmons gun repair/law enforcement