Just checking to see if anybody has owned/used a Winchester Model 25. I don't know much about them. From searches, I've heard them been referred to as a "poor man's Model 12," so wondered if their quality is up there.

I own a 1931 Model 12, but have been looking at a few used Model 12s and 25s that I think seem like good buys.

Maybe it's that you can't use steel shot, but at sometimes 300 or less for ones in decent shape they seem hard to pass up. Does nobody use the old pump actions anymore?

The Model 25 is an excellent pump shotgun.
It looks quite a bit like the Model 12, but only a very few of the internal parts betw the 2 will interchange.

The 25 gives good service and if it needs repair it can usually be done with little need for expensive rebuilds or new parts.

They will handle current steel loads just fine just like most any other shotgun on the market.
The current mfg steel loads are using a HD plastic wad that protects the bore from the old problem of the steel pellets scrubbing thru the wad on it's travel down the tube and scratching/scoring the bore.

But,,the usual exception with all steel loads still applys.
That is that they should not be fired in bbl's with Full chokes as that can bulge the muzzle and sometimes split the bbl as the less compressable shot payload of steel can't make it thru the heavily constricted choke as easily as lead can.
Something has to give and it's the bbl that suffers.

Many shooters won't use steel loads in a Modified choke either just to be on the safe side.
I/C an less.
Thus is the nature of steel shot loads.



Any of these up for sale it's a good idea to have a few Dummy rounds available to run thru the action to check and make sure they load, feed and eject OK.
Just manual operation alone can feel nice and smooth. But with Dummy rounds that have at least 1oz of shot in them, functioned thrugh the action can show a number of problems expecialy balky feeding.

Make sure the seller realizes and OK's what you are wanting to do with the Dummy rds before going ahead with it!!!

The Model 25 is very similar to the Model 12.
A major difference is that the 25 does not break down like the Model 12. The barrel of the 25 is removable. The barrel and slide action and forearm come off the Model 12 in one unit.

Thanks for the info, Lawdog. That's a good idea with the weighted dummy rounds. I didn't test function at the time on the 25. It wasn't as slick as my old Model 12, but maybe they need to wear in.

All said, I decided to go with another Model 12 circa 1950. Has nice original finish remaining with a few nicks, but for 229 bucks I didn't want to pass it up. It has a mod stamped barrel, so will fit in well with the full choke one I have.

I hope to get it afield in a couple weeks to see how it shoots.

Can't beat that for a decent Model 12!

If you do ever get into a Model 25, Numrich does have a some of the Model 25 specific parts for the gun.
Plus they list a few of the Model 12 parts that will interchange with the M25 which is handy.
Though a couple of their listed 'interchangeable w/ M12 parts ' I'm not so sure are just that!

Most people would buy the Model 12 at $230 instead of a non T/D Model 25 if priced the same or nearly so.

Nice all around use bbl choke too.

2152hq,

That's good to know. I wondered how much parts interchanged between the two. The Model 25 I looked at was in excellent shape, but somebody must have dropped it on the toe and a 3 inch section of the stock was splintered/repaired. I'm sure it's perfectly functional, but it certainly hurt the value.

When I was a teenager back in the '60s I had a Model 25, 12ga full choke.

Probably paid less than $50 for it.

I was told by the seller that the 25 was just a Model 12 that didn't have the takedown feature.

Sadly, I sold or traded that gun many years ago.

Having looked at a few examples over the last couple weeks, I think the 25 is as Nitro described. The finer condition ones I looked at were a bit stiffer to cycle, but I associated that with the possibility that they weren't used much.

I don't have a like new Model 12 to compare that to, though.

What I don't understand is how the takedown feature on the Model 12 leads to marring the receiver where the barrel mates. Seems like assembly/disassembly is pretty straight-forward. I don't get how that happens.

The marring of the receiver on M12's is usually the fault of the operator who allows the forearm to slide back while they are assembling the barrel to the receiver.

As for the M25, they are good, solid guns and are a bit heavier than most M12's because they used the same barrel thickness as the 3" M12 guns.
Most M 25's are not as smooth up as M12's simply because they were cheaper and received less attention when made. But with use they smooth up as nicely as M12's

I have been a model 12 owner and shooter for 53 years.

The model 25s I have handled are not as nice.

Yes the marks on the receiver are from the action bar.

Hard to find one that has been use that doesn't have them.

quote:

I don't have a like new Model 12 to compare that to, though.

I have and it is just as smooth as a well used one