Remington M12 "in the white" ???

[ueckhaus1]

I just aquired a Remington M12C mfg 02/1931 that is not blued. Could this little rifle have come out of the factory in the white? Or did they possibly make it in stainless?

I've never seen one quite like it. It's certainly an unusual example. I had been looking for an M12 from the thirties to fill a hole in my little collection, so this one now fills that spot.

If anyone has any info, I'd really appreciate you sharing it with me.

Here's the description from the auction:

...beautiful Remington UMC Model 12 in .22 Short, Long, and Longrifle with an Anchor stamp for witch I’m told is for "U.S Navy" issue. The Rifle has a 24-inch Octagon Barrel (Close inspection of the bore reveals no pitting, damage or Noticeable wear to the lands or grooves and I would moderately rate the bore as being 98%. The Rifles exterior finish is in “White” and has been for the last 30-years that I’ve owned the gun. The previous owner also stated that when he had bought the gun, used, in New York State in the late forties it was also in white? He also stated that the man that sold it to him at a country Store also had bought it in white, according to him? So, go figure? The Crescent Buttplate and the inside of the receiver is beautifully blued, but not the outside? And that’s all I know about the finish. The Serial Number is 8198XX. With stamps of an Anchor on one side of the barrel and an “LZ” and Diamond on the other side of the Barrel. The top of the barrel has patent dates from 1909 to 1912 with “Remington Arms-Union Metallic Cartridge Co. Remington Works ILION N.Y. USA. The Rifle is in great mechanical and working condition and shoots “like they use to” with unbelievable accuracy.


Thanks in advance, Glenn / Appleton, WI

[John Gyde]

Glenn:

I don't believe Remington made any stainless M/12s. With the inside of receiver and the butt plate blued, I would think the rest of the finish was removed. The other possibility is that it had nickel trim. I doubt it because the nickel guns I have seen don't have the bluing you describe. The anchor is an inspection mark & does not indicate Navy use.

Hope this helps.

John Gyde

[ueckhaus1]

The Remington 12C "in white" arrived today. I haven't had a chance to get pictures for you yet, but I did check with a magnet to see if it's Stainless Steel. It seems to have the same magnetic characteristics as my M121 which is the same size but blued.

So ruling out SS, my next guess would be nickel. It is in near pristine condition, with no sign of it EVER having any rust, corrosion, or blue even in the tiny cracks and crevices. The lettering is as nice, or nicer, than any of my other Remmy's, the edges of the receiver, octagonal bbl, trigger guard, etc. all appear to be sharp and original.

I have a friend with a machine company, and I showed it to him this afternoon. He also ruled out SS, but thought some manufacturers were playing with steel alloys that were high in chromium in the early-to-mid 1900's and that such alloys would be quite impervious to the elements.

The metal surfaces do NOT appear to be polished either. I can clearly see graining in the metal that would have easily polished out if that were the case.

The stock has nearly 100% of what I believe to be it's original finish, with a few very light dings. The fit of the stock to the receiver and crescent buttplate are perfect, which would have certainly degraded if it were ever sanded and refinished.

Although the screws are not all perfect, they are nearly so. They appear to be unturned, except for the rear sight screws and the takedown screw.

The INSIDE of the receiver is indeed quite nicely blued, as is the buttplate. It's that high polish deep charcoal blue. I wish some of my newer guns had half as nice a bluing job! Excepting the buttplate, it has no other exterior parts, screws, nothing that's blued.

The takedown screw turns and tightens easily, and the fit of front half to rear half is as though it wasn't meant to be taken down, i.e. perfect, tight, and solid.

The bore is bright, clean, and has perfect rifling. I'd be hard pressed to prove that it's ever been fired, although it's fit and finish just screams to be taken out to the benchrest. I'll probably HAVE TO run some mild ammo through her. The muzzle is crowned in a kind of rounded over inside and outside fashion.

http://nas4.atlanta.gbhinc.com/GB/05892 ... 795391.jpg

Looks like I may have tripped over a nice one here!

I'll get some more pictures posted as soon as I can.

Please let me know if you have any thoughts!

Glenn

"If you know how many guns you own, then you don't own enough!"

[John Gyde]

Glenn:

I have no idea why your M/12 would be in the white. Why on earth would the inside of the receiver be blued??? It's hard to tell from the photo, but the forward part of the lower tang appears to show above the butt stock. That fit should be flush.

I have a M/12 170 serial numbers before yours. It is typical Remington.

Yours is not one of the last 1,000 M/12s. I have some as much as 12,000 numbers higher than yours. Even though the M/121 was started in Sept, 1936, M/12s were made as late as Oct, 1936.

Shoot it and enjoy.

John Gyde

[Spike162]

Hi there, I just bought a model 12 that I think is nickel plated or "white". The fellow I got it from thought that all the bluing had been removed but there is no rust on the gun at all except that the screws on the butt plate have some surface rust on them. This leads me to believe that this gun was never blued because if there is rust on the screws there should be rust on the gun. The gun has been restocked at some time as the pictures I have seen of originals have a different stock than what is on mine. I have fallen in love with this little gem and find it a hoot to shoot. I have found that replacement stocks are avalible and plan on getting an original looking stock for it, I feel this would be worthwile as I picked it up for $75.00 bucks. Any info on "white model 12s" would be great. My serial Number is 162087.
Kevin.