I combed the local gun show yesterday and found a few likely candidates but the one I settled on was a clean, late '50s Model 12 in 16 gauge, 28" modified choke.

Took it straight to the skeet field for a tryout and loved it. Starting with a low gun, I broke 15 birds, almost what I'd do on a good day with a 12-gauge Beretta 390 Sporting & skeet choke. Balances great for me.

Unfortunately, my joy is dimmed by two significant functioning problems.

1. Ejection is spotty. I'll rack it to the rear, start forward, and found myself bound up by a fired shell in the ejection port. These are a bear to get out. If I just rack it to the rear, it works better--am I just short-stroking slightly? Never had this problem with a Mossberg 500 or Rem. 870.

2. More serious: Today, I took it out again and couldn't get a shell to stay in the magazine. Somehow, overnight, the shell stop quit working--it seems to be in the "release" position all the time. All I did last night was take the barrel off, put it back on, and squirt a couple drops of Break Free on the bolt and action bar. Can't imagine how that took it from working fine, to not working at all.

I figured all it needed was a good cleaning and lube job but no way, no how, can I seem to get the trigger group out. And none of the other bits are accessible without doing that.

HELP!

I believe you would be well advised to take the gun to a competent gunsmith and have all parts checked for wear..

From your description, it sounds like this gun has been shot a bit more than you may think and some parts need to be replaced or the problems will just repeat themselves.

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

The ejector is probably worn or the little leaf spring is broken. Do you have a 2 3/4" gun?, many were 2 9/16". If if is the short size, you need to have the port opened up. Check the extractor for dirt and spring tension. It is a one piece thing with many critical surfaces effecting tension, angle, and retention. They are nearly impossible to make and hard to buy, don't loose it! To get at the ejector and clean the action the trigger group must be removed:
Remove the barrel and forend in the usual way.
Remove the screw behind the triggger guard. Lift up on the tigger guard. It will come out easily.
The ejector will be peaking out behind the bolt. It looks like a lolly pop. Lift it up with a small screwdriver and move it to the rear. These are tricky to get back in. Make not of how it sat in there before you remove it.
The bolt is next. There is a teeder todder thing on the side of the bolt. Flip it with a screwderver. The bolt will now go to the rear and drop out. If it doesn't remove the butstock and soak the works in oil. There is probably some rust holding things up.

You are right you should clean it well before assesing any mechanical problems.

Hope this helps, if not find an old timer gunsmith. M-12s were THE shotgun for many years

Thanks all,

The ejection port is on the small size--but it's a 2 3/4" gun, says so on the barrel and the s/n indicates 1959 mfg.

I tried to pull on the trigger guard but...nothing doing. Jack Belk on HuntAmerica suggested someone might've tried to glass bed the stock (why?) and gotten bedding compound into the receiver--ow!

I ordered the Model 12 book and video from Nu-Line Guns -- at the very least I should be a more educated customer for my gunsmith!

John

You have one of the greatest guns ever made and you have recieved some good pointers. When the gun is upside down sometimes if you push the trigger group forward as you are pulling it out (up) the group will usually come out. They can be a very tight fit. The video you are talking about is pretty good primer on 12's and also good info about checking wear items. I would also highly recommend Stu Wright of Wright's Mod 12 shop. Incredibly friendly folk that really know 12's. 618-357-8933 Good luck

Hmmmm, sounds like the mag tube may be assembled wrong. Does the arrow on the mag tube line up with the figure eight piece that holds the barrel/magazine assembly together??? You can install the tube 180 deg. out of phase. It will cause some perplexing problems. As far as not locking up right, there may be some wear on the operating rod, release lever, or locking shoulder. This kind of thing is best handled like the pros mentioned above. They will spot thes problems in a second.
As I re-read your original post, I think you have a dirty gun. Take the butstock off, grease the screwdriver as no to chew up the pad. Use a big flat blade screwderiver to remove the through bolt. Sit down, put the gun between your knees muzzle up. Wack the butstock bbetween your hands with an upward motion. Sort of like clapping. The stock will come off. Now, take out the trigger mechanisin screw. Use a brass or aluminum punch to tap it up and out. Hose the wole thin out with carb cleaner or gun scrubber. Blow it clean re-oil and re assemble. I bet that will fixi it.
I think you have the best pump gun ever made, no contest. I own several. They are not appreciated right now. Consequently baragians are to be had. Take advantage! In the future, I believe the value will rise again. If you really like your gun send it to somone who can restore it to like new functioning. You will enjoy it for years and so will your kids, and maybe their kids too!

[This message has been edited by scot (edited 09-18-2001).]

If the butt stock is screwed on really tight it will "bind" on the trigger guard, and make it very difficult to remove the trigger group. I agree that is sounds like your EJECTOR is wore out. The feeding problem stems from not having the magazine tube back in place, as was suggested take it apart and try again, some times they can be real difficult to get back in place.

I can't help you with the shell release problem but I had a similar problem with a model 12 20ga i bought recently. It turned out the Remington shells I was using were just a little too long after they were fired. The Winchester and Federal shells worked fine. Hope this helps.

I did manage to get it apart last night.

The stock bolt had been tightened by Conan the Barbarian after a rough day at the office.

The trigger assembly was wedged so tightly between its front "stop" in the bottom edge of the receiver and the tang that I had to pry it out, and tap it back in with a hammer and block of wood when I was done.

My findings were that the gun was pretty dirty, probably not dirty enough to be causing these problems, though. The shell stop doesn't seem to be moving as freely as perhaps it should -- I don't know.

The reason it worked the first day and not the second is that on the first day I somehow managed to snag the head of every case on the front edge of the shell lifter. This works, but not in the way intended. D'oh!

My conclusion after cleaning and lubing everything was that I have just enough knowledge now to really screw it up. So I'll wait for the Nu-Line book and video--come on, UPS! If they don't give an obvious answer--off to the smith.

Thanks all for the advice and assistance.

John