I have heard about the Madis book and I own the other. I will track down the Madis book to be able to converse a bit more intelligently on this subject matter. I am fairly confident that Mr. Fox is right, a blindfolded comparison between nickel steel guns and Proof Steel would likely only confuse me further. What I can say is that when I was looking for the lightest Model 12 I could find, the nickel steel guns being advertised were noticeably lighter (by several ounces). Now, as it has been pointed out earlier on this post, the early guns very likely had less-dense wood and perhaps shorter dimensions. This would affect overall wight and perhaps handling as well. Winchester has always been famous for building very durable products out of the finest steels available and I'm sure Proof Steel only contributed to that very fine reputation.
Very sage observations, Sir. The first series Model 1912 and Model 12 shotguns had a shorter 14 ring corncob forearm, and as WW1 and the Springfield 1903 rifle was made for the "Average" man- 5 ft. 9" and 160 lbs-LOP on the earlier guns also meant less weight in the butt stock as well-less weight in hand-No American gun maker, IMO- had done more with basic metallurgy and various means of both heat treatment and blueing that WRA did--the main reason the Model 12 was dropped from the product line in 1963- and replaced by the POS model 1200 pumpgun was not so much mfg. costs as lesser demand- I'll wager that from 1914 to 1963--most of the Model 12's sold were 12 gauge field grade guns, 28" or 30" and either Full or Mod- and they never wore out if given reasonable care, and were passed down from one generation to the next-- The Model 12 Pigeon grade Trap, Skeet,and 28 gauge skeet guns- were losing their favored positions (1930's to 1950's) on the Trap and Skeet fields in favor of the Browning O/U and the Japanese Winchester clones- the 101-- now we have SC, choke tubes, etc. I have always wanted to shoot high driven pheasants in Europe- with my "pet" Model 12- 30" 12 Full solid rib Tournament Grade- with the magazine plugged to 3- against some Duke of Earl with his matched pair of British bests and with the loader, 4 shots to my three- most birds killed for the fewest number of shells used wins--Bless Limey engineer and gun writer Gough Thomas- he knew what a well-used Model 12 could do in the hands of an experienced wingshot--
