For anyone that read "Dad's Gun's" in the classifieds may remember I ended up keeping his 1941 Winchester Model 12, 12 ga. shotgun. I don't hunt ducks and these old guns aren't built for steel shot, as well as having a full bore choke. I therefore decided to redo the gun into something I could actually use- a really great home defense shotgun yet still retain the look of the older classic shotguns. After 2 1/2 months I finally got the gun back from the gunsmith.
The barrel has been cut down from 30" to 18.5", and crowned. The new overall length is now 39". The metal was polished to 400 grit, re-blued, and a gold sight bead was added as well as a NOS butt plate. The wood was in good shape, and I wanted to keep some of the original character, so nothing was done with those pieces. When I got it back from the gunsmith it had been oiled and looked ok, but not the look I wanted. I rubbed off the exterior oil, then put on 3 coats of liquid automobile pure carnuba wax. That made all the difference. As I'm sure with most pictures of blued guns, they look much better in person and so does this one.
Just wanted to post this as a way of saying thanks to all the members that expressed their thoughts after my dad passed away. It was very much appreciated.
The barrel has been cut down from 30" to 18.5", and crowned. The new overall length is now 39". The metal was polished to 400 grit, re-blued, and a gold sight bead was added as well as a NOS butt plate. The wood was in good shape, and I wanted to keep some of the original character, so nothing was done with those pieces. When I got it back from the gunsmith it had been oiled and looked ok, but not the look I wanted. I rubbed off the exterior oil, then put on 3 coats of liquid automobile pure carnuba wax. That made all the difference. As I'm sure with most pictures of blued guns, they look much better in person and so does this one.
Just wanted to post this as a way of saying thanks to all the members that expressed their thoughts after my dad passed away. It was very much appreciated.
I much prefer the classics and it's always nice to use a gun with personal history. It's always special when I take my dad's guns out.
