Augie
Ultimate Member
Picked this one up the other day, it's a 1954 Winchester Model 12 3" magnum otherwise known as the Heavy Duck.
Designed for waterfowl hunting, length of pull at 13.5" to compensate for heavy clothing,lead weight in the butt to balance the heavy barrel perfectly, balances right at the joint, I like a heavy gun so should be interesting to see how it does on the sporting clays range. Fixed full choke that by many accounts is the best choke ever machined into a barrel ever.
I have been looking for a shooter and most I have found have been overpriced or very poor condition, saw this one at the last minute on Gunbroker and price was still low, knew by the pics it had been refinished which kills its collectors value but the work looked like it had been done very well so I rolled the dice.
Whoever did the refinish did a masterful job, bluing is excellent with little rounding of the corners and they protected all the markings and serial numbers. Wood was refinished better than most, unfortunately it has picked up a couple dings since the work was done. Gun is very tight and appears to have been brought back to like new.
Other forum members that have shot with me know I am addicted to these guns, nothing like getting a simo pair on the clays range with a vintage American pump gun or now with this gun maybe a goose or 2.
Designed for waterfowl hunting, length of pull at 13.5" to compensate for heavy clothing,lead weight in the butt to balance the heavy barrel perfectly, balances right at the joint, I like a heavy gun so should be interesting to see how it does on the sporting clays range. Fixed full choke that by many accounts is the best choke ever machined into a barrel ever.
I have been looking for a shooter and most I have found have been overpriced or very poor condition, saw this one at the last minute on Gunbroker and price was still low, knew by the pics it had been refinished which kills its collectors value but the work looked like it had been done very well so I rolled the dice.
Whoever did the refinish did a masterful job, bluing is excellent with little rounding of the corners and they protected all the markings and serial numbers. Wood was refinished better than most, unfortunately it has picked up a couple dings since the work was done. Gun is very tight and appears to have been brought back to like new.
Other forum members that have shot with me know I am addicted to these guns, nothing like getting a simo pair on the clays range with a vintage American pump gun or now with this gun maybe a goose or 2.