The Model 12 is one of the all-time classic shotguns, along with the Winchester Model 1897, Remington Models 31 and 870, and the Ithaca Model 37. Designed by John M. Browning, it used, for the time, a rather unique take down system wherein both the barrel and the magazine tube were attached to the same forward assembly and attached to the receiver by a rotating thread system. To remove the barrel, a pin at the end of the magazine tube was pushed to one side, and then the tube was rotated until the its threads no longer interlocked with the receiver threads, at which point, the magazine tube was pulled forward. With the forearm pulled all the way to the forward position, the entire assembly was rotated until the barrel threads no longer interlocked with a second set of receiver threads. The entire assembly could then be removed. This made it possible for a hunter or other sport shooter to switch the Model 12 to another barrel in a relatively short period of time (less than a minute). The Featherweight model however used a more conventional takedown wherein only the barrel was removed by turning it. This allowed for a much quicker barrel change. Winchester ceased production of the original Model 12 in 1963. The Model 12 here has a Lyman Cutts choke. The Cutts system works by unscrewing the current choke and replacing it with another, much like modern chokes, only these are external rather inside the front of the muzzle. The current choke fitted is a Modified choke. The stock retains its original butt plate instead of having been cut short and a buttpad installed. The finish on this shotgun is quite beautiful though with a little wear in a couple of spots due to use. The finish on the wood is excellent and there are virtually no dings or scratches in the wood. The bore is in excellent condition. The serial number dates this Model 12 to the year of 1961, making this shotgun 58 years old. Undoubtedly, it works just as well as it did when it when it left the factory.