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SmithCorona03A3
Posts: 138 Member
A Model 12 Heavy Duck paired with recoil pad legal legal wars
SmithCorona03A3
Posts: 138 Member
Ok so this is an odd combo of subjects. This past Saturday I rescued a Winchester model 12 "Heavy Duck" model from a local auction. I over paid for it I sure, but the time was right and I've always wanted one, especially since selling my standard M12 a few years back. Didn't want to be limited to 2 3/4", but thats a story unto itself for a different time & place.
So I've got this Heavy Duck, & conflicting sources put it at either a 1951 or 1954 vintage. There's a vented recoil pad on the butt that reads "White Line" trade mark by Mershon Company based out of LA California (gross). The rubber is still somewhat pliable, but not to the extent I'd like to have if I want to actually use/shoot it. But it's fit to the stock absolutely perfect, and I'm curious if it is original to the gun. All I've read about the Heavy Duck says it should have a red recoil pad.
I have never heard of Mershon, so when I punched it into google I found that way back in the 40s & 50s Mershon was involved in a series of unsuccessful lawsuits with Pachmayr over the use of a white line spacer recoil pad. Mershon was pretty proud of its white lines, evidently. But nowadays, Pachmayr is still a houehold name. So I can see how that turned out. Is my pad an original Winchester part or not?
So I've got this Heavy Duck, & conflicting sources put it at either a 1951 or 1954 vintage. There's a vented recoil pad on the butt that reads "White Line" trade mark by Mershon Company based out of LA California (gross). The rubber is still somewhat pliable, but not to the extent I'd like to have if I want to actually use/shoot it. But it's fit to the stock absolutely perfect, and I'm curious if it is original to the gun. All I've read about the Heavy Duck says it should have a red recoil pad.
I have never heard of Mershon, so when I punched it into google I found that way back in the 40s & 50s Mershon was involved in a series of unsuccessful lawsuits with Pachmayr over the use of a white line spacer recoil pad. Mershon was pretty proud of its white lines, evidently. But nowadays, Pachmayr is still a houehold name. So I can see how that turned out. Is my pad an original Winchester part or not?
Formerly known as SmithCorona03A3, back in the old forum days
Replies
Winchester liked their name in big bold print. But that pad looks good and has a cool history.
Popular guns. This thread should sprout wings before long.
"Heavy Duck Gun, chambered in 12 gauge only with 30" or 32" round barrel with plain, solid, or ventilated rib, plain walnut pistol-grip stock fitted with Winchester solid red rubber recoil pad, plain grooved slide handle. Built from 1935 to 1963".
Connecticut Shotgun carries reproductions of the red Winchester pads: https://connecticutshotgun.co/search.php?search_query=recoil pad&section=product
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Herb Parsons was the Winchester rep way back when. I can't see the pad on his model 12 on my small screen. Too much clay dust maybe?
― Douglas Adams
How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and [how] hard it is to undo that work again! -- Mark Twain
They made grip adapters for revolvers also.
I know some of those leather strap-ons (easy now) look kinda nice, but the length of pull as it sits already is all the farther I want to go. That short skinny fore-stock sure looks nice but it's a reach even with a 13 1/2" +/- LOP!
Herb Parsons was nuts. Seen a few of those vintage videos over the years. I had the pleasure of seeing Tom Knapp in action 3 times. For a few years he had annual stops in my neck of the woods. Pretty wild what those guys could do not only with a shotgun but even rifles on aerial targets. He made those Benelli's sing!