A Brief History of Winchester Guns and the Model 1912 Shotgun

Winchester Rifles and Shotguns was established by Oliver F. Winchester on February 20, 1866. The first model produced under his name was the Model 1866 lever-action rifle .44 caliber rimfire. There had been earlier rifles using lever action including the Rocket Ball and Volition Repeater in 1848, Jennings Rifle (patent 1851), Smith and Wesson pistol, and Volcanic Repeating Arms (New Haven Arms Company and Henry Rifles). When the design was improved by B. Henry Tyler (shop foreman at the New Haven Arms Company), the .44 caliber metalic rimfire cartridge became powerful enough to compete with the single shot rifles of the day. Winchester Repeating Arms Company established itself as one of the world's leading firearms manufacturers of the world, and the subsequent rifles produced by Winchester are highly prized by collectors today.

About Model 1912 Winchester Shotgun
The Model 1912 (or as it is more commonly known-- 'Model 12') was Winchester's first slide-action hammerless shotgun. It was designed by T. C. Johnson, utilizing a strong frame and a hidden hammer. The chamber was made longer for the 2-3/4 inch shells in 1927, then later for 3 inch shells. This shotgun was available in many barrel lengths, all possible chokes, numerous gauges and 11 different models (also called 'configurations'). The pre-64 Model 12 Winchester was designed in 1912, with actual production from 1914 through 1963. During that 51-year period, there were over 1,900,000 guns sold. Production, clean-up and special orders of the Model 12 continued until serial number 2,027,500 in 1980. THIS APPRAISAL COURSE WILL PROVIDE VALUES FOR ONLY PRE-64 'Model 12' WINCHESTER SHOTGUNS.

For a complete outline of the history of Winchester Guns
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Appraisals
To determine the value of your firearm, you must first analyze it carefully. There will be sufficient information in this course to accurately price and date your pre-64 Model 12 Winchester SHOTGUN. As you go through the process fill in appropriate boxes in the right-hand column by clicking the mouse-pointer on the open circle that is most appropriate.

There are 11 distinct Model Configurations of Model 12 Winchester shotgun, and they can vary a great deal in value. In appraising your gun, you must initially determine your Model Configuration. After selecting the appropriate Model, you will be guided through the many possible variations, then condition rating, to the final value range. There are also additional informational pages on the history of Winchester firearms. Recognize that the final value of your gun can be greatly influenced by special order features.

There are 4 steps to this process as you enter your Data.

Step 1: Determine the Model or Configuration of your gun
Step 2: Determine Model Variations
Step 3: Determine your Firearm Condition
Step 4: Determine the Value and Manufacture Date of your Gun