Like the Model ’97, the Model 1912 was not originally produced with a disconnector, meaning that a shooter can hold the trigger down and fire the gun by simply operating the slide.

Winchester’s subsequent ads christened it “The Perfect Repeater.” Brought out in 1913 as the Model 1912 and priced at $20, the name was shortened to Model 12 in 1919.

Johnson’s creation, the Model 1912 Winchester, better known as the Model 12, was machined from the finest steel available at the time. It had that special, indefinable something that makes ...

It also provides a neat demonstration of how to build a cutaway model out of an older rifle. This Winchester was produced for 52 years beginning in 1912, and became a popular choice for gun owners.