A loose barrel assembly on a Winchester Model 12 is a pretty common problem,
but there's an easy fix, let me show you how it's done. The Winchester Model 12 is
one of the most popular pump shotguns ever made as over 2 million were produced before
production finally ceased in 1980s. The Model 12 was originally known as a model 1912 for its year
of introduction and was first offered only in 20 gauge followed by the 12 16 and 28 gauges.
It was the first hammerless pump-action shotgun produced
by Winchester as the Model 1897 had an external hammer.
This is an early 12 gauge made in 1915. It has the first style buttstock as the pistol grip
became more pronounced in the mid-1930s and forend styles also changed during production.
Field grade stocks were not checkered, but the stocks of trap and skeet guns typically were.
This gun is in solid mechanical condition but the barrel is slightly loose on the receiver.
The lock pin in the front end of the magazine tube is pushed in. Now using the pin as a lever
the magazine tube is rotated 90 degrees. Pushing forward on the action slide handle
causes the magazine tube to slide toward the muzzle until the stop lug on the magazine
tube contacts the magazine band. The barrel assembly is rotated 90 degrees and removed
from the receiver. The loose fit between the barrel assembly and the receiver is easy to
see and hear. This early 20 gauge retains its original factory fit and the barrel assembly
makes firm contact with the receiver. The adjusting sleeve threaded on the back of the
barrel compensates for wear. The sleeve is held in place by the adjusting sleeve lock.
Removing this screw and disengaging the teeth of the lock allows the adjusting sleeve to be
turned counterclockwise. Turning the sleeve two or three teeth is usually all it takes,
I'll start with two. The lock is slid back into position making sure the teeth engage
the sleeve. The lock screw is tightened and the barrel assembly reattached the receiver.
Looks like it needs to be adjusted one more tooth. With the gun tight
it's ready to take to the field, but first I'll need to make a magazine plug. A plug
takes up space in the magazine and prevents the gun from holding more
than three rounds of ammunition. Two in the magazine and one in the chamber.
The total capacity is often limited by game laws when guns are used for hunting.
I'll make the magazine plug from a wooden dowel,
it needs to be long enough to prevent the magazine tube from holding a third shell.
With a gun in a padded vice, both magazine plug screws are removed.
The magazine lock pin is removed by compressing the lock pin spring and it's pulled from the
magazine tube while holding the end cap in place. Now the plug and spring can be removed.
I insert the plug inside the spring then slide both into the magazine tube.
The pin and cap are reinstalled.
Using dummies, the magazine will now hold only
two rounds limiting the total capacity of the gun to three.