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Value of pre war Winchester Model 12 in 16 ga?
4/2/2012 1:47:29 AM
I am cleaning up a 16ga Model 12 for a friend of mine that he acquired years ago.
The serial# indicates it was made in 1937
It has good wood, but the bluing is almost all gone.
NO PITTING or RUST... just very little bluing left.
Mechanically, the gun is 100%
It also has a poly choke installed on it... (I have read somewhere that these were a factory option).
Trying to get a value for him, and I have read everything from $200 all the way up to $1000
Any help would be appreciated.
The serial# indicates it was made in 1937
It has good wood, but the bluing is almost all gone.
NO PITTING or RUST... just very little bluing left.
Mechanically, the gun is 100%
It also has a poly choke installed on it... (I have read somewhere that these were a factory option).
Trying to get a value for him, and I have read everything from $200 all the way up to $1000
Any help would be appreciated.
4/2/2012 4:54:45 AM
Check places like Gunbroker and see what they're SELLING for. Local to me I can find 12ga Model 12s in similar condition (good mechanically and good wood but missing most of their original finish) for about $300 or so. Being a 16ga and "less desirable" to most folks out there (not that 16ga isn't great, just not very desirable to most folks - kinda a niche thing - think 41 Magnumn, 10mm Auto etc.) and isn't something special (Skeet or Black Diamond or whatnot) value would be less than a similar 12ga. Now, if it was a 20ga or Model 42 410 that would be a whole different story. I know Cutts compensators were a factory option, but did not know Poly chokes were. Check to see if the barrel is marked for a factory fixed choke (FULL, MOD, etc.) if so, that Poly is aftermarket and will nick the value a bit more.
4/2/2012 2:41:23 PM
Originally Posted By ch139:
Check places like Gunbroker and see what they're SELLING for. Local to me I can find 12ga Model 12s in similar condition (good mechanically and good wood but missing most of their original finish) for about $300 or so. Being a 16ga and "less desirable" to most folks out there (not that 16ga isn't great, just not very desirable to most folks - kinda a niche thing - think 41 Magnumn, 10mm Auto etc.) and isn't something special (Skeet or Black Diamond or whatnot) value would be less than a similar 12ga. Now, if it was a 20ga or Model 42 410 that would be a whole different story. I know Cutts compensators were a factory option, but did not know Poly chokes were. Check to see if the barrel is marked for a factory fixed choke (FULL, MOD, etc.) if so, that Poly is aftermarket and will nick the value a bit more.
Check places like Gunbroker and see what they're SELLING for. Local to me I can find 12ga Model 12s in similar condition (good mechanically and good wood but missing most of their original finish) for about $300 or so. Being a 16ga and "less desirable" to most folks out there (not that 16ga isn't great, just not very desirable to most folks - kinda a niche thing - think 41 Magnumn, 10mm Auto etc.) and isn't something special (Skeet or Black Diamond or whatnot) value would be less than a similar 12ga. Now, if it was a 20ga or Model 42 410 that would be a whole different story. I know Cutts compensators were a factory option, but did not know Poly chokes were. Check to see if the barrel is marked for a factory fixed choke (FULL, MOD, etc.) if so, that Poly is aftermarket and will nick the value a bit more.
Really?... Everything I read seemed to indicate 16ga ADDED to the value, because it's more rare.
The barrel is not marked with a choke designation.
4/2/2012 6:01:06 PM
I think you're getting pretty fair advice from the poster above. It's not at all unusual to see 12 gauge Model 12s with excellent wood and metal for under $400.00 still, so I can't see how a 16 gauge with very little bluing left is going to net you much above $300.00. Unless you're dealing with a special variant that has some collector value - like the Model 42 .410 - these really are still guns that still tend to be priced based on their value as a shooter. Thus, full-choked guns tend to be slightly less desired than the modified-choke variants, that kind of thing.
It is interesting that there's not a choke listed on the barrel. That is somewhat unusual, but I can't see it impacting value all that much.
ETA: You can generally get a little more for these guns by selling it as a C&R and making it clear that you'll ship to a 03 FFL holder. Verify that it is indeed 50+ years of age first, via the serial number.
It is interesting that there's not a choke listed on the barrel. That is somewhat unusual, but I can't see it impacting value all that much.
ETA: You can generally get a little more for these guns by selling it as a C&R and making it clear that you'll ship to a 03 FFL holder. Verify that it is indeed 50+ years of age first, via the serial number.
