Whitey James Posted October 16 Share Posted October 16 Anyone shooting a M1912 in Wild Bunch? Pros and cons? I am currently using a 1887 clone and have been looking for a '97 but see that 12's are legal also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe E.S. Corpus SASS #87667 Posted October 16 Share Posted October 16 Yes; they quickly became popular in Wild Bunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Jorge Posted October 16 Share Posted October 16 Try the Wild Bunch Wire 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L Posted October 16 Share Posted October 16 SASS WILD BUNCH FORUM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
"Big Boston" Posted October 17 Share Posted October 17 The Model 12 is a beast all to it's self. IMHO it is a better choice. First, it's still possible to get nice ones cheaper than an old 1897. It is also a bit smoother action. However, you have to practice operating it, it has it's quirks. Big Boston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted October 17 Share Posted October 17 From the movie, Clarence "Crazy" Lee and his Model 12: I've been a fan of the Model 12 since the late 60's, but only have one of my own ~ but it's interesting: Year of Manufacture 1948 Model 25 type Magazine Tube Clamp For some reason, Uncle Sam favored the less-handy Model 25 type magazine tube clamp over the standard quick-disassembly Model 12 arrangement. Standard Model 12 Magazine Tube Clamp I was with the late Hank the day in 1971 when he bought two Model 12's in San Francisco; the first from the San Francisco Gun exchange - paid, IIRC, $150 for it. The second from F. Bob Chow's shop on Mission St - that one was, I believe, $125. The difference? the Chow gun was marked as a solid-frame Model 25 - but it was in reality another Government Model 12, just like the one above. Takes a screwdriver to break it down instead of just pushing the toggle. Back then, the price difference bought a couple tanks of gas and a couple cases of beer. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted October 17 Share Posted October 17 Coincidentally I am working on cleaning up a Model 12 for my wife’s uncle. I checked the serial number. The one I am working on was made in 1941. It’s a 16 gauge. Pretty sure the lube inside the receiver was dried crusted factory lube. It was pretty bad. Long story short - My wife’s uncle has a gun safe in his basement. A friend of his borrowed a gun and left the safe open. Another friend left the basement door open. All the guns in that safe were exposed to weather for at least a couple of months. They all had mold / mildew and some rusted. 21 long guns and 4 handguns. I finished up 13 rifles and 4 handguns and am now working on the 8 shotguns. Wow! What a job. 2 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted October 17 Share Posted October 17 It's pretty amazing what a bit of neglect can do. But they do look nice after being cleaned back up. That's quite a project you got yourself into! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted October 17 Share Posted October 17 Most folks seem to prefer the M12 over the '97 for Wild Bunch, but I know a few that tried them and went back to their '97's. I snagged this '59 model off Gunbroker in December '19 for $116. The seller listed all the bad things about it, and only two of us bid on it. The mag tube was dented enough in a couple places to prevent shells from going in, one of the end cap screws was missing, the action was gummed up with 60 years of gunk, the stock was speckled with blue paint, a small chip on the left side of the slide handle (cosmetic only, but repaired it anyway), the mag tube was held on with a piece of coat hanger wire twisted around it because it was installed 180 degrees off, the "action slide handle retaining spring" was missing (a completely non-essential part), and the barrel had a discernable bulge about 3" from the muzzle - I was going to cut it and install a new bead anyway, so no big deal. I spent a few hours one afternoon cleaning it up, cutting the barrel, working the dents out of the tube, etc. This was actually meant to be a backup to another one I purchased five months prior, a very nice former Bayside, TX police dept gun, but this ugly duckling has been my main match WB shotgun for five years now, with no problems. I had a key chain fob with three footprints on it, so I personalized it. 3 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted October 17 Share Posted October 17 My dad often hunted with a Model 12 in 16 gauge when we were kids and it was a great gun. One of my brothers has it. Another brother a couple years back had one from a brother in law that he didn't use and he gave it to me. Turned out it was a Model 25, which I hadn't heard of before. The Model 25 were '12s' that lacked the takedown feature and were sold only in 12 gauge, making them a little cheaper to manufacture, and they were sold at a somewhat lower price, apparently to compete with the Remmie 870s. It was a short-lived experiment. I still think of it as a Mod 12..... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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