In the middle of a small gun project here (a good mid-winter project). A hard-used M12 in 16 that was inherited by a family member after years of neglect and apparently... careless use. A circa 1927 gun that still has the nickel steel moniker (& accordingly, the 2 5/8 16-gauge chamber) that I first saw several years ago (8 now?) hanging out in the back of a closet. I mentioned then that it was well-worth cleaning up and how parts were readily available. Fast forward to now, it's still in need of a deep cleaning (still the old story of dust mixed with lubricants sludging things up) and a more-careful examination of things reveals a 28-inch, still full choke barrel with a significant crack (at the 9 o'clock position). A 1/2-inch piece of the toe of the stock has also been gone so-long the break was smoothing out and rounding-off at the edges from continued use, the wood all dry and pale as the almost non-existent finish now only hints at what it once was. The work I suggested all those years ago appears to have been at-least started at some time in the intervening years, as the magazine tube is now secured and the little spring under the take-down pin has been replaced. It actually pumps now as well. It may well cost me my little 1913 25-inch barreled M12 20-bore (that was tendered as a filler gun), as I do seem to have a soft spot for these early M12 16s (that little 20 is too-darn petite to fit me well anyway). Built on the smaller 20-frame, these early 16s are intriguing to me for a number of reasons, build quality and then weight and balance being the biggest part of all that.

Addendum: An associate from my former gunshop days is a wizard with these old American hunting artifacts, and he has already fitted an original take-off red Winchester pad (not a repro!) that gains about 3/4 of an inch of LOP for me, carefully reshaping the stock to fit (and blending -in the damaged toe section in the process). He has also competently cut the damaged barrel back to about 26 1/2 inches and re-set the bead (eliminating the damaged section and leaving me with a tight IC choke). I'm done sanding the last of the original finish off-of the stock and have started back with the 2nd coat of a spar urethane finish. I'm presently torn about re-bluing things or just leaving it as-is. I'm also considering a Williams "Big-Head" safety to help me remember how to efficiently use a right-hand safety (as a south-paw). Not exactly sure who I'm doing this project for just yet. After a trip to the range I'll probably have a better idea. Restoration was never the plan here, just making it useful again for a start, with perhaps a nod to making it pleasant to look at as well, going foreword.