Boy oh Boy- the term: "Caveat Empetor" sure rings true-- This past week-end Son-In-Law Jeff and I visited an area gun show-- On one dealer's table was a 20 gauge M1912 with the tag- Winchester M12- 20 gauge Skeet model- rare-- $1850-- I asked the gent behind the table if I could "take a look" and he said: OK-- Winchester didn't offer the WS-1 and WS-2 skeet chokes until the mid-1930's-- Any Model 12, whether 12-16- or 20 gauge that is stamped M1912 will be an early series, as WRA changed the roll stamping pattern from M1912 to M12 about 1919- This gun had a 4 digit SN.,. Nickel steel barrel marking, and marked Full Choke--and of course, the shorter 2&1/2" chambering:

It was reblued, re-stocked with a Bishop "target grade" buttstock, buttplate and forearm- checkering fair- wood to metal fit did NOT show the "Proud to the steel" that Madis details in his book on the "Perfect Repeater"--

It also had a Cutts Comp. with a spreader tube, front and mid-bead sights on a later styled Simmonds VR-- No "duckbill" ext. and the other clue to me about the gun's vintage was the absence of the milled out groover on the top of the receiver--

A Williams large headed style safety was featured on this "re-worked" M12-- I handed it back to the gent, shook my head, and walked away-

But- does anyone here know of a place that still carries tubes for the Cutts Compensators- ditto the wrenches? RWTF

https://www.corsonsbarrels.com/

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R4...amp;_sacat=7301

What do you need?

Mike

You can find them on EBay all the time.

Sad to see what is passed off as factory in model 12s. Vast majority of the 28’s did not start out life as 28”. Cutts were very popular when I was a kid. Most model 12 had stocks which were nothing to write home about. Upgrades on model 12 just seem to be everywhere. Either the sellers don’t know what they have , they choose to think it’s factory or they just don’t care how original it is. They want rare money for average, tired stuff. I’ve seen reworked guns being passed off as high grade, rare guns when the serial numbers alone tells you it is not original. Buyer beware might be better said don’t be gullible and stupid.

Nothing- I would rather French kiss Monica Lewinski than have a Cutts on any of my prized Model 12's-- ditto the POLLY-WOLLY-DIDDLE-ALL-DAY CHOKES EITHER- &^%$#$% STEAM WHISTLES,as an old time skeet shooter would grumble, as a dude with a so equipped shotgun stepped out onto the skeet field--

But somehow, I have a "as new" Lyman Cutts .410 Full Choke tube- perfect blueing, threads-- etc. And I see that Corson has one for sale at $100.00. Thanks for the tip--

ya know, I never saw a duck hunter drop a poly choke in the water changing chokes.........;>

No sale here- the "9 guns in one" ads for those Poly_Chokes--must have been created by bitter wives who didn't want their husbands owning more than one gun--
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I prefer my M12's for water-fowling with Full chokes, or Imp. Mod. Even with today;s steel load, I like the confidence building sight of a big flight mallard or a big Canada tumbling "ass over teakettle" with a wad of feathers hanging in the air- No- sail offs"--

I only own one shotgun with choke tubes, a Mossenberger 835 Ulti-Mag, and I use the mod. tube in it for waterfowling, and the full tube for turkey hunting, and Winter coyotes.. Once I thread in a tube in that "evil black shotgun"it stays there, I would never carry extra tubes and the wrench into a duck marsh-never.