doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Valmet shotguns, tell me about them..

Looking at a 412 st with 28 inch barrels. Look like very little use. Whats the good, the bad and the ugly?

Lots of good, very little bad. I shot a trap model with 32" barrels for several years before going to a Perazzi.

They are the same design as the Remington 32 and the Kreighoff, and the Tikka.

Tough, long lasting guns.

They are not what one would call, “svelte” or, “wand like”. Pretty substantial 12 gauge guns. Trap, like Stan did, cool. Woodcock in the Adirondacks, not so much.

Good luck.

Best,
Ted

The one thing i could never get to suit me on mine was the trigger. But, I admit to being anal about triggers. They have to be right or they're down the road. I had it worked on but no one could ever get it right.

But then, I didn't know about Phillip Crenwelge at the time.

Savage 330 20ga is one of the best bargains out there. Sears Roebuck Ted Williams 400 was the other bargain option.

The 412 is a very strong and well made gun. It often comes up in conversations about under rated guns or guns that people once owned that they wish they hadn't sold.

The only commonly mentioned problem is broken ejectors caused by the overpowered ejector springs. This is easily remedied by shortening the springs by a few coils.

I've owned a few of the Savage imports but never owned a 412. That will change tomorrow as I'm going to pick up a 30" barreled 412S I purchased on line. Additional choke tubes are available from Trulock.

I have been shooting a Valmet 412 for years -- decades actually -- mostly for skeet. They are strong, reliable and do not shoot loose. After thousands of target loads, mine has broken one ejector which was easily replaced. The best thing about them is the interchangeable barrels. I bought mine with 12 gauge skeet barrels -- no tubes. I've added a set of 12 f/m, 20 gauge with skeet tubes, and a 12/.308 -- I bought a double-trigger action and stock for that set, as well as the scope mount. It's obviously the Finnish solution for the man who can have just one gun. They were later sold as the Tikka, but discontinued when Beretta bought the company. A real shame IMO.

Nowadays, as I just turned 90, I mostly shoot the 20 gauge barrels for casual practice and change to the 12 gauge for what little competition I still shoot. IMO, you can't go wrong with a 412 -- as long as the gun fits you well. Mine has a slightly raised comb, and back when Stoeger imported them I bought a straight competition forend to replace the original fish-belly style. The Remington 32 lock-up is distinctive and give makes the action much slimmer than clunky-looking Brownings and the like. I've had more than one shooter ask me "what model Krieghof is that?" LOL!

For extra barrel and parts, check out https://doublegunhq.com/ (no relation to this site despite the similar name).

I shoot a 212 combo gun 12ga/222 Rem with a set of Savage 330 that fit it. Great little travel gun and great for coyote and other preds. I can swap in the shotgun barrels and have dove and quail for camp dinner.