Think I know the answer to this one but was there EVER a time when Winchester did not put the little W on the top front of the receiver and rear of the barrel?
Wondering if the real late ones had that. I'm looking at a 1961 that looks right but no stamp
There's something very wrong with that gun. Does it have a plain barrel?
Yep, everything else is perfect, sharp and deep but it looks as if the top of the receiver and rear of the barrel were never hit. Its weird since the rest of the gun looks so good.
Been looking HARD for an honest late 50's, big forend, M-12 16 bore, cant seem to find a legit one.
Winchester began using the definitive proof (superposed WP) on rifles in late 1905. From what I've read a gun without the definitive proofs would never have left the factory. Pics would be very interesting....
My thought is that it would be far more likely that the proof marks were polished off, than it left the factory without them.
Does this gun by chance have a Simmons rib on it???? I have quite a few Model 12's and even some Model 42's...the only ones that do not have the PW mark on neither the receiver nor the barrel is the ones with Simmons ribs. I don't know about "polishing" it off...that proof mark seems like it is stamped extra deep on every Winchester I have. I think if somebody was to polish it off they would really have to be in love with having it gone. So much so that I believe you would almost have to see where the polishing was done. It would be hard to take off that much metal and keep the contours of the barrel and receiver perfect or at least good enough to not be noticeable.
The question regarding the rib was the first thing I thought of. For that reason I asked if the gun had a plain barrel. According to Passport, it does. It's an interesting question, for sure.
Does this gun by chance have a Simmons rib on it???? I have quite a few Model 12's and even some Model 42's...the only ones that do not have the PW mark on neither the receiver nor the barrel is the ones with Simmons ribs. I don't know about "polishing" it off...that proof mark seems like it is stamped extra deep on every Winchester I have. I think if somebody was to polish it off they would really have to be in love with having it gone. So much so that I believe you would almost have to see where the polishing was done. It would be hard to take off that much metal and keep the contours of the barrel and receiver perfect or at least good enough to not be noticeable.
Yep, my thoughts exactly. Especially since the OP indicated that everything else was perfect, sharp and deep and the gun looks so good....
Looked a long time myself for a good clean M12 16. Found 1 early last Dec 885,xxx range 1941 solid rib 28" full choke about 90-95% condition. Got it fairly cheap. When I was at the Sioux Falls,SD gunshow 2 wks a go I saw 4 more 60-95% condition From $700-$1200 price range.The $1200 one was a honey and had a modified choke. I been shooting some 16-23 yd trap with mine. These solid rib models shoot as high as a regular trap gun. goodluck MB