I don't want to offend anyone involved here, but based on what I've read, I'd like to add a lttle info. Your older Model 12's had a fairly high polish to the receiver, less on the rest. The barrels were typically rust blued,mag tubes the same. The receivers were heat blued, with a charge used that to my knowledge was proprietary. The finish on the receiver can be pretty closely copied by nitre bluing. If you're getting a gun refinished, and they're completely hot tanking, it may look good, but it's not even coming close to original.This information was gotten through two close friends who are often involved in the appraisal of large estate collections. Both have been in the gun business for years and are very good at spotting refinishes, frauds, etc.
Once again, not trying to offend. Just sharing what I deem to be accurate info on the subject.Since having this discussion with them, I've looked very closely at older Model 12's, and what they've told me seems to hold true.
Luck,
Jim
If you are at the point of re-bluing an early model 12, I have some news for you-it isn't close to being original, anyway. There are some of us who simply want the gun to have fresh blue on it to keep our hands from getting rusty handling the gun. My very last concern was that it look "original" after the job was done. My second to last concern is whatever Winchester did to them back in the day, because a simple hot blue will hold up longer in actual use, which, is what I hope to do with my gun. I'm not out to fool anybody, and anyone who has ever handled my refinished gun was told (or, should have known) it was refinished. The wood was replaced at the same time, with an original looking pump handle, and an Italian reproduction butt stock that just happened to fit me better than the original. Lefty safety installed. It's all good, for actual use in the field.
There is a place for a perfect, original, first year model 12, but I'm afraid it isn't in my gunsafe.
Best,
Ted
