Must have pictures of the gun and the box to ascertain value. Is "Super Field" marked on the end of the box? Is the wood checkered? Does the bbl have a rib? These are all questions that are best answered by good pictures.

You should repost this in the Winchester section below.

 

Walt,
I wasn't able to post pictures with my message.
I don't have box but determined grade from another website. Yes it has upgraded wood, ventilated rib, and checkered stock. Here are pictures:

http://uploadingit.com/file/view/ben4s41fpafkj2kn/P51
http://uploadingit.com/file/view/msesgaqntfbaxc88/P5
http://uploadingit.com/file/view/tuik7qxgzttjywcr/P5170
http://uploadingit.com/file/view/ci0yvro42ppdnm8h/P5
http://uploadingit.com/file/view/znefghdddspzocve/P5
http://uploadingit.com/file/view/fbdfnkxs9lil9pai/P5170
http://uploadingit.com/file/view/mlssxg60asmnfpkk/P5
http://uploadingit.com/file/view/h4ngyo ... 170133.JPG

 

Your Model 12 is not a Super Grade Field Gun. It looks much more like a very late Model 12 Trap Gun, missing the recoil pad.

The Model 12 Super Grade Field Gun was introduced in 1955 --

Dec. 15, 1956 --

Jan. 2, 1958 --

1959 --

As you can see, the Super Grade Field Gun came with a solid rib, and was only offered 1955 to 58. Your gun 1,948,7** would be a 1963 vintage gun. Should have the very late style Pachmayr Winchester Whiteline recoil pad on it.

 

At recent gun show I looked at a similar gun with the pad, asking price was $1200. Did not sell.

 

As far as I know, the 1964 date had nothing to do with the Winchester Model 12 shotgun. It affected the Model 70 and Model 94 rifles only.

 

As far as I know, the 1964 date had nothing to do with the Winchester Model 12 shotgun. It affected the Model 70 and Model 94 rifles only.

Ned, there were model 12's made after 1964. Y model 12's, late limited production Winchester model 12's, and the Browning marked model 12's.

 

Thanks for all the responses and excellent information.
I always believed my father took the original butt-plate off to have a recoil pad installed by a gunsmith. I looked around and couldn't find it.
He was a small man, so what he must have been actually planning was to have a regular butt-plate installed so it would fit him without cutting the stock.

I just joined this forum and didn't realize that there was a specific Winchester heading (I didn't look all the way down the list of topics). As Walt suggested I'll re post there and see if I get any more info. Thanks again.
Joseph

 

Thank you, yes I'm aware that the Model 12 was made after 1964. Again, the only guns affected by the production changes implemented in 1964 were the Model 70 and Model 94 and the changes made according to some affected the original quality of these rifles only.

 

Sorry, Ned, you are very incorrect. Post 1964 Model 12s are very diffenent from pre 1964 guns. They are different in quality and in collector value. You are getting your information from flawed research vehicles and you should not be giving advice on gun values.

 

Indeed, Model 12s were on the chopping block just like the Model 70 and 94. All Winchester guns were effected. Indeed there were custom shop Model 12s after '63. .22 rimfire were effected as were everything else with a Winchester Trademark. Thank Procter & Gamble for that.

Later the Y model showed up. While a nice gun in its own right was/is not a pre-64 Model 12. The Browning Model 12s are just that, Browning Model 12s. They are very similar to the Winchesters but Winchesters they are not. They were made by Miroku just as all the after Belgium Brownings are. There are a few limited runs of Winchester. Model 12s such as 20 ga DU guns. I believe they too are Miroku built clones of the. Brownings. As of 1963 the Model 12 as we knew it ceased to exist. Heck you can still get a high end Superposed made by FN and the Supers ceased in about '69.

I've got both kinds of Model 12 and 42s. Had rimfires and Model 70s bought new in. '64 and '65. Bought these from a friend gun dealer who at that time was the largest hi grade Browning dealer in the US. Sold a ton of them as well as Winchesters out of the basement of his house. He knew guns, Winchester and Browning in particular.

BP

 

For 1963, the full line of Model 12s were still regular Winchester catalogue offerings. For 1964, only the Model 12 Skeet Gun, Model 12 Trap gun and the Model 12 Pigeon Grade were offered. 1964 also saw the introduction of the Hydro-Coil stock option. Beginning in 1965, only the Model 12 Super Pigeon Grade was offered from the Custom Shop and only in 12-gauge. The gun control act of 1968 required the addition of the Y prefix to the serial numbers on the Model 12 Super Pigeon Grades.

The 1972 Winchester catalogue announced the return of "The Perfect Repeater" in a Field, Trap, and Skeet versions in 12-gauge only. The new Model 12s had a number of investment cast parts. By 1976 only the Model 12 Trap Gun was being offered. The Model 12 Trap Gun remained in the catalogue offerings through 1978.