Remington Model 12A .22 cal with 18" octaganol barrel q

[rfly2dive]

I am new to this forum and would like to ask the help of any of our .22 cal Remington pump experts out there. I recently bought this rifle and it is a puzzlement to me. The serial number is on the bottom by the trigger guard and is: 300746.... RW is stamped just above the number.... on the left side of the barrel-just before the receiver is a capital P over a stamped line under which is a capital I... Now the interesting thing about this rifle is that it was sold to me as a "short barrel model 12A"... The octagonal barrel measures just over 18" but appears to have been cut down by a lathe at the last 1/4" .... so the last 1/4" of the barrel is round and only about 1/8" across. The gentleman who sold it to me said that he was selling off a wife's estate of her deceased husband and that it was in his gun safe 'forever.' He also said that he had been told that at one time there might have been available--through Remington or Aftermarket--a 'silencer' that could have been added/attached to the end of the barrel if somebody wanted to shoot rats, etc. I never heard of this but then he went on to say that after silencers became 'illegal' it was probably removed/destroyed and that is why the barrel looks as it does. Any info, guess on value, mfg. date, etc. would be appreciated...About 65-70% blue remains, average condition, but stock was carved on where someone drilled 9 holes in a circle with one in the middle to be covered by a now lost brass cover plate to hold 10 long rifle cartridges...Thanks!

[John Gyde]

Dive:

According to factory records, your M/12 was made in 1915. It almost certainly started its life as a 12-C. Who knows what the shortened barrel with the taper at the end means? The Maxim silencer was available without any government rules when your rifle was made. Earlier (c. 1910) silencers were attached by the end of the barrel being threaded by a gunsmith. Later (c. 1912-3) a small drive-on coupling was available through Maxim that did not need any skills to install other than a mallet.

Unless the end of the barrel is threaded (on the outside) my guess is that whoever cut the barrel off took a coffee break and left the lathe running...

John Gyde

[rfly2dive]

The end of the barrel is not threaded on the outside where it is about 1/4" long and 1/8" across and round but the front sight post looks like it is in the original position about 1" from the end of the barrel (the blueing looks original though throughout)...Thanks for the mfg. info it was very helpful. I wonder if this is what was attached as I found it in a Google search for Maxim Silencers...It describes that they were attached by a coupling and available in 'all calibers'????

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-1911-AD-FOR-TH ... dZViewItem

[John Gyde]

Ralph:

Maxim made the drive-on couplings for round barrels as well as octagonal. Maybe the barrel was reconfigured to accept the coupling for a M/12-A??? I checked one of my couplings though and it is 1 1/4" long. It doesn't sound like the rounded portion of your barrel is long enough to accept a Maxim coupling. If a coupling was ever installed it would almost certainly have marred the bluing.

John

[rfly2dive]

Thanks again John....If you want to send me a email address when I get back from a business trip next week I would be glad to send you some pictures of the rifle as well as close ups of the end of the barrel...It certainly is 'different' which might mean modified as I am not aware of any of these guns leaving the factory with a 18" barrel...but either way I plan on keeping it.
Thanks
Ralph

rfly2dive@earthlink.net