Pump Perfection

CERTAIN THINGS BECOME benchmarks of excellence. And these things gain traction through the decades.

For example, if you are talking about something as profound as gospel singing, where do you go from Mahalia Jackson and her rendition of Trouble of the World in the funeral scene of the 1959 film, Imitation of Life?

If you are talking about something as basic as corn chips for snack food, where do you go from the original Fritos made by C.E. Doolin and sold from the back of his Model T in 1932 in San Antonio?

The list of standard bearers goes on and on.

If you are talking about pump-action shotguns, where do you from the Winchester Model Twelve, conceived at the New Haven, Connecticut plant in 1912? To many shooters and collectors, it remains the pinnacle of form and function. It evolved from several previous slide-action guns, most notably the Model 1897 (with its exposed hammer).

The Model Twelve is a trim hammerless repeating shotgun anointed by Winchester as the “Perfect Repeater”—and that advertising hype was pretty much on the mark. Or, perhaps more accurately, in the center of the pattern.

The first guns issued in 1912 were readily available only in 20 gauge. That seems a strange decision by Winchester, given that the 20-gauge was a slow seller. Most of the pump-action shotguns were pointed with heavy loads at waterfowl.

The first 12-gauge and 16-gauge guns were listed in 1913, and available in stores a year later. A few 28s and .410s (built on a smaller frame, dubbed the Model 42, prized by collectors) were later added.

But the 12-gauge field grade with a pistol grip walnut stock and a plain barrel was the huge favorite. Upgraded guns with solid ribs or ventilated ribs as well as select “fancy” walnut and hand-cut checkering were offered on a limited basis.

The run of the Model Twelve lasted until 1964, when Winchester famously and notoriously cheapened many of its popular models. The meticulously crafted Model Twelve became too expensive to produce as a field-grade gun.

Fortunately, almost two million “pre-’64” Model Twelves had already been manufactured.

I realize that the Remington 870 Wingmaster is America’s largest selling shotgun, outnumbering the Model Twelve approximately 5 to 1 since its introduction in 1950, and it is an excellent pump gun.

I’ve owned three Wingmasters. I still have one. But, well, it’s not the “Perfect Repeater.”

Winchester took few, if any, shortcuts in the design, components and construction of the grand old gun—no stamped parts, no plastic do-dads, no pressed checkering, no flashy trimmings.

A book, “The Winchester Model Twelve,” written by George Madis in 1982, details its fascinating history. According to Madis, “a partial list of the tooling for this model includes 271 forging and trimming dies, 427 milling, grinding and edging fixtures and 1,643 gauges.

“Many small parts which could have been made from standard steel stock were forged, trimmed, machined and polished instead of being made in a less expensive manner. This resulted in much higher quality and raised the cost of manufacture.”

Each component was inspected after each operation. According to T.J. Johnson, one of the masterminds behind the Model Twelve, there were an astounding 2,739 separate inspections performed on the parts of each gun before the final proof testing. Mind, this was for the standard field grade, not a special order from a custom shop.

Despite the graceful lines, the Model Twelve was built like a bank vault. Merton A. Robinson, ballistics engineer at the Winchester plant, stated that each Model Twelve was proof tested “with loads 330 percent more powerful than the heaviest factory loads.”

This pump-action gun was made to keep functioning smoothly year after year, decade after decade, and under the most adverse field conditions. According to a Winchester ad in 1943, Robinson grabbed a random gun from the regular assembly line on March 13, 1914.

This gun was used in continual testing for 29 years, firing approximately 1,247,000 rounds. The firing pin and spring were replaced only once, a remarkable record for any “off the rack” firearm.

During the past 50 years I have owned five Model Twelves, two with plain barrels, three with the hard-to-find solid ribs. The newest was built in 1953, the oldest in 1931. I did not have a single malfunction with any of them.

All were fitted with the early “corn cob” walnut slide grip. The grip is slim and cylindrical with a series of 18 deep circular cuts for a secure hold. To my eye, it is the most pleasing of the various fore-end configurations. It (as well as the solid rib) complements the sleek profile.

If a minor drawback exists with the Model Twelve, the typical stock of the earlier guns might be cut a tad short for today’s average man. This is fine for layered-up cold-weather shooting but maybe a bit stubby for shirtsleeve dove work. A quick fix is to have a gunsmith add a narrow black spacer and a red hard-rubber Winchester recoil pad. Looks great, too.

The cost for classic quality keeps increasing. Field grade, 12-gauge Model Twelves in reasonably clean and original condition are selling in the $600 to $1,000 range. Expect to pay more for an upgraded gun or a smaller gauge or an unusual barrel/choke combination—maybe a lot more.

But put your hands on one and you are holding a benchmark. So long as Americans proudly own guns, I’ll bet that the venerable Model Twelve will only increase in value. And I’ll also bet it will keep on shucking long after you and I are gone.

 

Email Joe Doggett at ContactUs@fishgame.com

 

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