Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Model 12 question and value help

I recently inherited a Model 12 marked Trap with matching serial numbers on the receiver and barrel in the 300,000 range. It has a polychoke on the end. I have no intention to sell or value it. But, it came with a second complete front end (barrel, magazine tube, forearm) that has no serial number or special markings on it. That barrel is marked WS-1 which I understand to be a skeet choke. I am wondering if this second barrel “belongs” with the others as a set, if so I will keep them together. If not, any guidance on the value of the skeet front end? Metal condition and bore is 95% but the forearm is cracked. The forearms on the two barrels are different styles.

Probably $600-$800. The front end with the WS-1 Barrel is indeed a skeet barrel (skeet 1). Value will hinge a lot on the quality of the wood. Presentation grad wood could bump it as high as $1000. I would have a gunsmith check headspace on both barrels. The skeet barrel may not have been fitted to the receiver. If the second front end carries a different serial number it is not factory original.

The second barrel (skeet barrel) has no serial number that I can find, that’s what’s throwing me off a little. The wood on it is not fancy or in great shape (crack), but it is the narrow checkered forearm I see online on some skeet models. Just trying to figure out what I have. Good call on the head spacing, never considered that.

Look on the bottom of the front end where the magazine tube screws into the extension. When the front end is on the shotgun the serial number of the rreceiver and the front end are adjacent to each other.

Years ago I was told by someone who was the local expert on Model 12's that if the second barrel was original to the gun, the serial numbers would all match; the two barrel, magazine and forearm assemblies and the receiver. If there was no serial number on the second assembly, the gun had been fitted by the factory after it had originally been shipped. It may not have actually been fitted at the factory; it may have been done by an authorized repair facility. Of course, if there was a different serial number on the assembly, it had been put together from two different guns. I have had the first two types, and have seen some of the third. The first, is, of course, the most desirable, the second is pretty desirable, and the third is anybody's guess. First and second instance the second assembly would have been fitted to the receiver, the third could be OK, or they could have buggered up the receiver to make everything fit.

That is true^^^^^^. A lot of private “government jobs” walked out the gates in New Haven during the good years there.

The headspace on a M-12 is set within the receiver so front-ends can be swapped with no worries. The adjusting collar on the barrel assembly adjusts to make up for wear, no effect on headspace.

Thanks guys! The original owner was a competitive trap shooter so it’s makes sense based on what bigolddave says that the second barrel was fitted by the factory after the fact. No serial number on it whatsoever. Forearm is different too.

Don't confuse Skeet with Trap, two different clays game, usually shot with two different guns.
A two barrel set could mean the owner shot both Trap & Skeet