GunSerialsWinchester Model 12 (Model 1912) serial numbers by year
Winchester called this pump shotgun “the Perfect Repeater.” Regular production ran from 1912 to 1963. Later versions included Custom Shop guns, the 1972–1980 Y-series, and a limited run made by Miroku.
- Produced:
- 1912–1963 (regular), 1964–1980 (Custom Shop and Y-series), 1988–1995 (Miroku reissues)
- Action:
- pump-action
New to gun terms? Start here
- Model:
- The name of the gun design, such as Model 94. A model name that looks like a year does not tell you when your gun was made.
- Serial number:
- The number stamped on an individual gun. Include letters that are part of the number. A separate letter stamped above it, like the Model 97's C, D or E, is a different marking.
- Receiver:
- The main metal body just behind the barrel. The receiver ring is its front section, where the barrel joins it.
- Tang:
- A strip of metal extending from the receiver into the stock. The lower tang runs underneath, behind the trigger.
- Stock:
- The part you hold against your shoulder, usually made of wood on older Winchesters.
- Forearm or forend:
- The part under the barrel where your forward hand holds the gun.
- Action:
- The mechanism that loads and removes cartridges. Names such as lever action, pump action, and bolt action describe how it works.
- Caliber or gauge:
- The ammunition size or type a gun is designed to use. This marking is different from the model and serial number.
- Takedown:
- A version designed to separate into major sections for storage. A takedown joint is where those sections meet.
- Proof mark:
- A factory testing mark, such as Winchester's oval WP stamp. It is not a serial number or a date code.
- Peep or aperture sight:
- A rear sight with a small hole to look through. A hooded front sight has a cover around it.
What year was your Model 1912 made?
Need help finding the serial number?
Look up a serial number and print a one-page record sheet: the date and its sources, the status by age, the model in brief, and the auction price range.
Does the barrel say Made in Japan, or does the serial number have letters in the middle? Then it is a modern reissue with its own numbers. How to tell an original from a reissue.
Winchester Model 12 value: what it sells for at auction
Enter your serial number above to highlight the price categories that fit the estimated date and see recent sales of this model in those categories.
These prices come from 467 Winchester Model 12s sold individually at Rock Island Auction Company (74), Morphy Auctions (60), Poulin Auctions (163), Redding Auction Services (95), and Amoskeag Auction Company (75) between Sep 2023 and Sep 2026. The age-group rows use the auction companies' categories: antique, curio and relic, or modern.
The typical price is the middle price, also called the median. Half sold for more and half for less. The middle 50% range leaves out the lowest quarter and highest quarter of prices. The wider 80% range leaves out the lowest tenth and highest tenth.
We leave out listings described as deluxe, special-order, engraved, restored, or commemorative, and other exceptions in the value guide. Commemoratives are priced on their own page. Wear, repairs, original parts, and factory upgrades can make a particular gun worth more or less. These figures are a comparison, not an appraisal of your gun. Age groups below are sporting guns. Trench and riot guns are listed under versions.
| Category | Sales | Middle 50% of prices | Typical price | Middle 80% of prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curio & Reliccollector category, usually 50+ years old | 409 | $423 – $1,210 | $567 | $314 – $3,525 |
Curio & Relic: Rock Island Auction Company typical $2,791 (48 sales); Morphy Auctions typical $660 (53 sales); Poulin Auctions typical $514 (148 sales); Redding Auction Services typical $525 (90 sales); Amoskeag Auction Company typical $453 (70 sales).
Prices by version
Sales whose listing names a version, grouped by that version, such as rifle or carbine (a shorter rifle). These rows combine all ages.
| Version | Sales | Middle 50% of prices | Typical price | Middle 80% of prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field | 278 | $363 – $726 | $466 | $302 – $1,970 |
| Skeet | 47 | $820 – $3,660 | $1,920 | $502 – $5,856 |
| Trap | 43 | $686 – $1,747 | $1,037 | $485 – $3,364 |
| Trench / riot | 42 | $1,720 – $8,150 | $4,003 | $1,062 – $17,272 |
| Heavy Duck | 26 | $629 – $1,120 | $880 | $518 – $1,434 |
Prices by caliber
The cartridge or gauge can change what a Model 12 sells for. These rows use the 178 sales whose listing names one, with old and new names for the same cartridge counted together (the .30 WCF is the .30-30). They combine all ages.
| Caliber | Sales | Middle 50% of prices | Typical price | Middle 80% of prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 gauge | 96 | $450 – $1,194 | $625 | $375 – $2,315 |
| 16 gauge | 34 | $400 – $818 | $512 | $353 – $2,850 |
| 20 gauge | 26 | $552 – $2,766 | $830 | $458 – $4,259 |
| 28 gauge | 22 | $4,186 – $9,319 | $5,829 | $2,673 – $10,575 |
Recent Model 12 auction sales
Sales near the typical price and the newest. Their features and condition may differ from your gun. A lot number identifies an item in an auction.
| Sold | Gun | Auction company | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | Model 12 · Field · 20 | Redding lot 262R | $560 |
| Jul 2026 | Model 12 · Field · 12 | Redding lot 251R | $560 |
| May 2026 | Model 12 · Featherweight · 12 | Redding lot 26R | $575 |
| Aug 2026 | Model 12 · Field | Amoskeag lot 2501 | $169 |
| Aug 2026 | Model 12 · Field | Amoskeag lot 2477 | $193 |
Prices are in US dollars and include the buyer’s premium, the auction company’s fee added to the winning bid, where the house charges one; Redding charges none. They are not the amount the seller receives. A dealer’s offer or private sale price may differ. The full picture, model by model →
Where the serial number is
On the underside of the receiver, just in front of the trigger guard.
Why the sources give different years
The dates for the Winchester Model 12 come from factory record books held at the Cody Firearms Museum, George Madis's reference books, Winchester's customer-service list, and other published references, each named above its table. These sources can give different years for the same serial number. Original records usually provide stronger evidence than later estimates. Check the notes to see whether a source dates numbering, assembly, or another step.
Madis vs. factory dates shows examples from models whose tables disagree on this site.
Sources for this model: Madis / legacy Winchester customer-service year-end table · NRA Museum-published Polishing Room SNA year-end table · Later Y-series
Winchester Model 12 serial numbers by year
The full Model 12 serial number chart, one table for each source available here. Each row gives the numbers that source assigns to a year. Both the first and last numbers are included.
A row marked “sources differ” is a serial range that another table on this page dates to a different year. For the Model 12 that is true of most of the run, so treat any single year as an estimate and read the notes below the tables. A row marked “approximate” is a figure we trust less than the rest of its table: a boundary the sources put a few serials apart, or a figure a later record corrects.
George Madis's published tables
George Madis compiled Winchester reference books years after production. His tables estimate the last serial number reached each year.
Cited as: Madis / legacy Winchester customer-service year-end table
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1912 | 1 – 5,308 |
| 1913 | 5,309 – 32,418 |
| 1914sources differ | 32,419 – 79,765 |
| 1915sources differ | 79,766 – 109,515 |
| 1916sources differ | 109,516 – 136,412 |
| 1917sources differ | 136,413 – 159,391 |
| 1918sources differ | 159,392 – 183,461 |
| 1919sources differ | 183,462 – 219,457 |
| 1920sources differ | 219,458 – 247,458 |
| 1921sources differ | 247,459 – 267,253 |
| 1922sources differ | 267,254 – 304,314 |
| 1923sources differ | 304,315 – 346,319 |
| 1924sources differ | 346,320 – 385,196 |
| 1925sources differ | 385,197 – 423,056 |
| 1926sources differ | 423,057 – 464,564 |
| 1927sources differ | 464,565 – 510,693 |
| 1928sources differ | 510,694 – 557,850 |
| 1929sources differ | 557,851 – 600,834 |
| 1930sources differ | 600,835 – 626,996 |
| 1931sources differ | 626,997 – 651,255 |
| 1932sources differ | 651,256 – 660,110 |
| 1933sources differ | 660,111 – 664,544 |
| 1934sources differ | 664,545 – 673,994 |
| 1935sources differ | 673,995 – 686,978 |
| 1936sources differ | 686,979 – 720,316 |
| 1937sources differ | 720,317 – 754,250 |
| 1938sources differ | 754,251 – 779,455 |
| 1939sources differ | 779,456 – 814,121 |
| 1940sources differ | 814,122 – 856,499 |
| 1941sources differ | 856,500 – 907,431 |
| 1942 | 907,432 – 958,303 |
| 1943sources differ | 958,304 – 975,640 |
| 1944sources differ | 975,641 – 975,727 |
| 1945sources differ | 975,728 – 990,004 |
| 1946sources differ | 990,005 – 1,029,152 |
| 1947sources differ | 1,029,153 – 1,102,371 |
| 1948sources differ | 1,102,372 – 1,176,055 |
| 1949sources differ | 1,176,056 – 1,214,041 |
| 1950sources differ | 1,214,042 – 1,252,028 |
| 1951sources differ | 1,252,029 – 1,290,015 |
| 1952sources differ | 1,290,016 – 1,328,002 |
| 1953sources differ | 1,328,003 – 1,399,996 |
| 1954sources differ | 1,399,997 – 1,471,990 |
| 1955sources differ | 1,471,991 – 1,541,929 |
| 1956sources differ | 1,541,930 – 1,611,868 |
| 1957sources differ | 1,611,869 – 1,651,435 |
| 1958sources differ | 1,651,436 – 1,690,999 |
| 1959sources differ | 1,691,000 – 1,795,500 |
| 1960sources differ | 1,795,501 – 1,800,000 |
| 1961sources differ | 1,800,001 – 1,930,029 |
| 1962sources differ | 1,930,030 – 1,956,990 |
| 1963 | 1,956,991 – 1,962,001 |
| 1964–1966sources differ | 1,962,002 – 1,970,875 |
- 1964–1966: Guns built from leftover parts in 1964–1966 ended at 1,970,875. The last entry in the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum is 10 numbers higher, so the two sources conflict here.
Factory records (Cody Firearms Museum)
Drawn from Winchester's original factory records. Numbering records date when serial numbers were stamped. The gun could be finished or shipped later; see this model's notes.
Cited as: NRA Museum-published Polishing Room SNA year-end table
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1912sources differ | 1 – 9,266 |
| 1913sources differ | 9,267 – 49,344 |
| 1914sources differ | 49,345 – 110,370 |
| 1915sources differ | 110,371 – 143,142 |
| 1916sources differ | 143,143 – 157,861 |
| 1917sources differ | 157,862 – 191,510 |
| 1918sources differ | 191,511 – 196,269 |
| 1919sources differ | 196,270 – 230,343 |
| 1920sources differ | 230,344 – 281,302 |
| 1921sources differ | 281,303 – 303,678 |
| 1922sources differ | 303,679 – 333,678 |
| 1923sources differ | 333,679 – 379,021 |
| 1924sources differ | 379,022 – 417,326 |
| 1925sources differ | 417,327 – 462,132 |
| 1926sources differ | 462,133 – 498,101 |
| 1927sources differ | 498,102 – 541,109 |
| 1928sources differ | 541,110 – 594,589 |
| 1929sources differ | 594,590 – 637,335 |
| 1930sources differ | 637,336 – 673,015 |
| 1931sources differ | 673,016 – 684,476 |
| 1932sources differ | 684,477 – 698,596 |
| 1933sources differ | 698,597 – 698,662 |
| 1934sources differ | 698,663 – 704,074 |
| 1935sources differ | 704,075 – 723,448 |
| 1936sources differ | 723,449 – 749,429 |
| 1937sources differ | 749,430 – 788,635 |
| 1938sources differ | 788,636 – 813,810 |
| 1939sources differ | 813,811 – 849,225 |
| 1940sources differ | 849,226 – 888,006 |
| 1941 | 888,007 – 903,580 |
| 1942sources differ | 903,581 – 1,002,163 |
| 1943sources differ | 1,002,164 – 1,034,440 |
| 1944sources differ | 1,034,441 – 1,042,155 |
| 1945sources differ | 1,042,156 – 1,060,683 |
| 1946sources differ | 1,060,684 – 1,092,085 |
| 1947sources differ | 1,092,086 – 1,145,110 |
| 1948sources differ | 1,145,111 – 1,218,845 |
| 1949sources differ | 1,218,846 – 1,281,025 |
| 1950sources differ | 1,281,026 – 1,354,540 |
| 1951sources differ | 1,354,541 – 1,418,315 |
| 1952sources differ | 1,418,316 – 1,477,650 |
| 1953sources differ | 1,477,651 – 1,568,660 |
| 1954sources differ | 1,568,661 – 1,635,300 |
| 1955sources differ | 1,635,301 – 1,684,790 |
| 1956sources differ | 1,684,791 – 1,727,280 |
| 1957sources differ | 1,727,281 – 1,784,325 |
| 1958sources differ | 1,784,326 – 1,837,879 |
| 1959sources differ | 1,837,880 – 1,887,319 |
| 1960sources differ | 1,887,320 – 1,917,780 |
| 1961 | 1,917,781 – 1,932,638 |
| 1962 | 1,932,639 – 1,942,598 |
| 1963sources differ | 1,942,599 – 1,968,260 |
| 1964approximate | 1,968,261 – 1,970,885 |
- 1941: This figure is copied from the NRA Museum's published factory table, which ends 1941 at 903,580. The Cody Firearms Museum lists its surviving Model 12 records as 1 to 903,579 and 966,819 to 1,970,885. That is a one-number difference in where the two draw the 1941 line, not a conflict about the year. The figure does not show that the Cody records survive all the way through 903,580 to 966,818.
- 1942: This figure is copied from the NRA Museum's published factory table, which ends 1941 at 903,580. The Cody Firearms Museum lists its surviving Model 12 records as 1 to 903,579 and 966,819 to 1,970,885. That is a one-number difference in where the two draw the 1941 line, not a conflict about the year. The figure does not show that the Cody records survive all the way through 903,580 to 966,818.
- 1944: The gap between the 1943 and 1944 year-end numbers is 7,715 serial numbers stamped. It is not 87 guns, and it is not a count of guns shipped.
- 1964: The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum end at serial 1,970,885 on May 28, 1964. That is 10 numbers higher than where the older published tables end the leftover-parts production, so the two sources conflict here.
Later Y-series
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1972 | Y2,000,100 – Y2,006,396 |
| 1973 | Y2,006,397 – Y2,015,662 |
| 1974 | Y2,015,663 – Y2,022,061 |
| 1975 | Y2,022,062 – Y2,024,478 |
| 1976 | Y2,024,479 – Y2,025,482 |
| 1977 | Y2,025,483 – Y2,025,874 |
| 1978 | Y2,025,875 – Y2,026,156 |
| 1979 | Y2,026,157 – Y2,026,399 |
What to know about Model 12 serial numbers
- The two published sets of numbers do not agree with each other. Do not mix them together.
- The NRA Museum publishes a column taken from the factory records. It gives the date the serial number was stamped, not the date the gun was assembled or shipped.
- The surviving Model 12 factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum cover serial numbers 1 to 903,579 and 966,819 to 1,970,885. The NRA Museum's published factory table ends 1941 at 903,580, one number past the Cody coverage, which is only a difference in where the line is drawn. The 1941 and 1942 values are marked with a dagger. Do not read them as proof that the Cody records cover 903,580 to 966,818.
- The gap between the 1943 and 1944 year-end numbers is 7,715 serial numbers stamped. It is not 87 guns, and it is not a count of guns shipped.
- Regular production ended in 1963. Guns built from leftover parts after that were still being given serial numbers through 1966.
- Y numbers are a separate later series. They are not ordinary serial numbers in the 2,000,100 range. You must include the Y when you look one up.
- The highest serial number is not the number of guns made. Some numbers were skipped, and the Y series did not start over at 1.
- No Model 12 is old enough to be an antique under the pre-1899 antique cutoff.
Related models, and why
These models share a number sequence, replaced this model, or look similar. Each link explains the connection.
Winchester shotguns usually made without serial numbers
These models usually have no serial number. Their pages explain the exceptions and how their features may help estimate age.
Need more detail? Check for factory records
The Cody Firearms Records Office can check for surviving records for your serial number. For a fee, it can issue a letter reporting what they say. Some records contain only dates; others also describe the gun’s original features.
The office’s May 2024 coverage sheet lists these Model 12 serial numbers: 1–903,579; 966,819–1,970,885. Check current availability with the office before ordering; a listed range does not guarantee a record for every number.
Order a factory letter from the Cody Firearms Museum →What a factory letter shows, and when one is worth ordering →