| Shown here is the standard model 12 with octagon barrel |
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Remington Model 12 variations 22 RF |
FIREARMS INFORMATION
| Shown here is the standard model 12 with octagon barrel |
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This firearm was introduced in 1909, discontinued in
1936
Originally this model was designated "The New 22
Repeater" and did not have an actual model number assigned. Most
people simply refer to this gun as the model 12, and do not add the sub model
letter suffix code, which basically designates the barrel length and caliber
variations.
Under s/n 650,000 +-
In addition to model variation letters, there were different grades of high grade versions relating to engraving and wood quality in A,B,C, and D, which creates some confusion as to relationship to the versions.
(12A) is 22 S, L, LR with a 22" round barrel, using a single magazine band
and
had a straight grip on the buttstock.
(12B) is 22 short
only with a
24" octagon barrel, & has (2) magazine bands. Usually had a pistol
grip buttstock.
(12C) is 22 S, L, LR 24" octagon barrel, which has (2) magazine bands.
Usually had a pistol grip buttstock.
(12C NRA) is 22 S, L, LR 24" octagon barrel, and has (2)
magazine bands. Always had a pistol grip buttstock. (Limited
production)
(12CS) is 22 Remington Special 24" octagon barrel, has (2) magazine bands. Usually had a straight grip buttstock.
Firing Pin
(#220) is flat
Ejector Spring
(#36) is a flat "Vee" screwed
into the upper TG from the rear.
Cartridge Stop
(#15) has round body
Carrier (2 types)
Early style carrier has no slot cuts visible on RH side when assembled in TG and will have a lightening relief on LH side.
Later style carrier has milled dog relief cuts visible on RH side when assembled
in the TG.
Action Bar has differences for different cartridges
lengths and carrier dogs.
Action Bar Plunger
(#2), which is the round
plunger in the action bar immediately behind the forearm , is used for disassembly ^ removal of breech bolt from receiver.
Carrier Dog (2 types) held in by cross pin and lays at a downward rear angle.
Early one has a double angled Ell forming the dog at rear tail
Later ones has a single angled Ell to form the dog, straight when viewed from
the side.
Breech Bolt (#407) has a square shoulder milled off .140 lower than the body approx. 3/4" behind the lug
Locking Lug
is
small squared, narrowed on sides.
Approx
7/32" (.225") front to rear, & 13/32" (.395")
wide.
Trigger Guard is a straight lower tang
Cartridge Retainer (#57) is a (2 1/4") long thin
tailed spring
Forearm Screws have 2 variations. The early forearms utilized a simple round headed screw to retain the wood to the metal action bar. Later, which we have not been able to come up with any exact serial numbers as yet, but the new screws have 4 scallops on the edges, & utilize a small retainer or lock screw to keep the screw from loosening. The early plain screws have a part number of #27, while the scalloped use #27S.
Magazine Outer Tube has been made in 2 or possibly 3 different lengths. The round barrel used a shorter tube than the octagon barreled guns. Also in the many years these guns have been in existence, the outer tubes may have been changed, even to a 121 type, thereby requiring matching inner tubes.
Inner Magazine Assemblies will match the outer tube
lengths.
| Here is shown the model 12C NRA version with target sights | ||
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These guns are essentially the same as the early guns with the following exceptions
Firing Pin (#149) is round and is the same as found in the later model 121. With possibly the exception of the 12CS which we have seen use the older #220 flat firing pin at s/n 805, 000 as this caliber was not that common and it possibly took longer to use up the existing 22 Remington Special breech blocks.
Ejector (#??) is a coil spring loaded, round plunger
type, encapsulated in a case that is held in place in the
TG by the stock, when assembled.
Cartridge Stop (#215) has a flat square body that
rides in a matching groove in action bar, is the same as
the model 121.
Carrier is the same as the previous later style
Carrier Dog (#412) is a round short plunger held in
by the spring
Carrier Dog Spring (#19640) is flat & held in by a
screw (#121)
Breech Bolt (#507?) And locking lug is the same size
as the early version but has a ribbed tail approx 1/4" wide extending almost to
the rear of the bolt.
Has no
Action Bar Plunger
Receiver had changes to accommodate new type carrier
dog and bolt.
Relief cut in top of
receiver at the rear
to accommodate the
1/4" tail of the breech bolt.
And
there is a milled slot
on RH inside
below the ejection port.
Trigger Guard has visible changes for the new style
coil spring ejector case, and a milled out circular section forward, below of the
hammer bushing hole (TD) and is about equal in length as the hole, to clear
the carrier dog.
Trigger Guard still has a straight lower tang
Cartridge Retainer (#257) is a (1 1/2") long with a
angled bullet guide leading into the chamber and is the same as used on the model
121.
Forearm Screws have 2 variations. The early forearms utilized a simple round headed screw to retain the wood to the metal action bar. Later, which we have not been able to come up with any exact serial numbers as yet, but the new screws have 4 scallops on the edges, which utilize a small retainer or lock screw to keep the screw from loosening. The early plain screws have a part number of #27, while the scalloped use #27S.
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"Late Transition Guns"
The following is apparently the only change made.
Ejector Plunger Case is screwed in from the front
behind the hammer with one screw on top center of TG
unit.
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Model 12, 22 Remington Special (same cartridge as the "Winchester" 22 WRF and slightly shorter but less power than the 22 Win Magnum RF)
(12S) straight grip, hard rubber butt-plate, round barrel
(12CS) pistol grip steel crescent butt-plate, octagon barrel
All the above 22 RF changes apply to the 22 Special guns,
except for the following.
Barrel bore diameter is larger by about .002
Breech block (#607) has larger cuts to accommodate the larger
and thicker
rim of the cartridge.
Action bar (#) has no cartridge stop but has a larger
and longer recess for
the cartridge to pass upwards into
the
chamber.
Magazine Inner Tube is a larger inside diameter, while maintaining the same outside dia. Some 22 Special tubes have a grooved "Vee" ring in the knurled magazine plug.
Carrier (#) is flat on RH side with a small half
moon notch in front of the hammer bushing visible on RH
side when assembled in TG.
Cartridge Retainer (#91) is basically the same (2
1/4") configuration as the early 22 RF (#57) except it is made of 2 parts
riveted together, one being thinner sheet steel with “wings” protruding slightly
on both sides
Forearm Screws again have more 2 variations.
The early 121 forearms utilized the scalloped type screw of the model 12, but
longer to accommodate the thicker forearm. Later, and again we have not been
able to come up with any exact serial numbers. The later ones used a large
plain headed screw that utilized a castellated lock washer under the head.
Initial disassemble, Location and installation of the cartridge retainer. The model 12s have a small button on the bottom of the action slide metal behind the wood forearm. This is a stop button which needs to be pushed in which then allows the action slide and the magazine tube to be retracted far enough to disconnect the breechbolt from the action bar, and allow the forearm to move slightly forward, disconnecting the action bar from the breechbolt. Remove the breechbolt up and out of the now upside down receiver. Now remove the forearm screws, withdraw the action bar/magazine tube unit out the rear of the receiver. These cartridge retainers lay between the barrel and receiver, and is secured by it's notch that goes over the front of the receiver that is protruding downward. So when the action bar unit is removed the retainer will fall out and you probably did not realize where it came from. Remove the forearm screws and the action bar unit can be withdrawn out the rear of the receiver.
In reassembly have the rifle upside down, place the
retainer as shown in the LH photo below. There is a slight shoulder of
material of the receiver on the underside of the barrel that the retainer
straddles and keeps it in place front/rear. The magazine tube and action bar
need to be inserted into the receiver from the rear. The action bar has a
shallow groove in it that accepts the retainer in this position.
Now to install the breechblock, with the forearm pushed
forward, (while still upside down) you will need to place the breechblock into
the receiver whereby the forward section, (locking block) is inserted into place
with this locking block area resting into the milled out recess of the rear of
the receiver. This breechblock will now be about 3/16" farther rearward
than it normally would be when operating the firearm. Now if your
model has the
You can n
| Here the model 12 retainer is shown in place before sliding in action slide from rear | Retainer shown in a flat position | Retainer shown in position between barrel & action slide |
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The model 121 bullet guide (#257) is assembled in
basically the same manner as the model 12 shown above except it will not have
the small retainer button in the action bar.
| Remington model 12 & 121 bullet guides |
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The Model 121 is a whole different serial number
range.
This gun is essentially spruced
up late model 12 utilizing a 24” round barrel, a larger longer fatter forearm
AND
a modern pistol grip buttstock.
Magazine Outer Tube and corresponding inner tube is longer
To find the date of manufacture of Remington firearms, they have a barrel date code starting in 1920, CLICK HERE
Method of Operation, Simplified; Withdraw the inner magazine tube from the outer tube, insert the ammo in the outer tube's slot and push the tube back in until you can latch the two together. On these models the outer magazine tube is attached (threaded) to the action bar that houses a cartridge stop. The breech bolt face is made (on the lower to mid section) so the cartridge rim feeds in from the bottom, BEHIND LIPS ON BOTH SIDES, which assist pulling the round rearward, (at the top, the outside there is no RH lip for ejection). In the bottom center of the frame / trigger guard assembly is carrier that lifts the round up on the forward stroke of the action bar.
Between the barrel and the forward section of the action bar is a cartridge retainer (or bullet guide) which guides the nose of the bullet into the chamber. This action bar is made so it provides a somewhat loose connection for the breech bolt, which upon moving fully forward into the firing position, this breech bolt tips up on the front (from a caming action of the action bar) locking the breech bolt in place in a recess in the upper inner part of the receiver.
Upon firing, the firing pin goes forward striking the cartridge rim, The firing pin's function as a dual purpose, (1) firing pin. (2) as an ejector. As the action bar is moved rearward by the operator pulling the forearm rearward, the firing pin's rear tail hits a spring in the rear of the action, pushing it forward, hitting the LH side of the fired case, ejecting it out the ejection port.
For the model 12, which uses the
flat firing pin,
if it does not eject and the case hangs up inside, (it could fire however) the
usual problem is the rear tail of the firing pin has become broken off.
This is what causes the firing pin to also eject the fired case. In
replacing this firing pin, be careful and OBSERVANT when you drive the retainer
pin out. This pin has one end tapered. Inside the slot is a plunger
captivated by a spring. The plunger’s front is slightly radiused to
facilitate the reassembly. These have to go back in the new firing pin
in the same relationship as the old one. AND the pin has to also be inserted
with the taper down so that it slides in front of the spring's plunger.
Also fitting may be needed when installing a new firing pin. This will usually be at the center LH side angle, which may need to be filed of a bit to give clearance with the front guide pin, so the spring can retract the firing pin.
On this model the actual
firing pin surface is not the longest part but the inner partly tapered 1/2.
Also about centered on the outside is a inward taper (as seen above).
During the ejection cycle, this taper rides against another front pin in the
breech block, forcing the firing pin out as the tail is bumping the spring in
the rear of the receiver. This combination of moves forces the longer
outer front section forward AND OUT, pushing the fired case out from the breech
bolt and out the ejection port.
The carrier dog slides in a slot on the outside
of the carrier, in position it is what raises the carrier on the forward motion
of the action bar/forearm. Being spring loaded at the end of it’s
(the dog) upper movement, it is forced out of the slot (which has a taper on the
end). This now disengages the dog from the carrier so that it can now be
lowered and in position for the next round.
Moving the action slowly could create a problem
as if things get worn inside, they may need a faster movement to function.
If the gun is not feeding the last round,
possibly the magazine inner spring may be weak or gummed up (OR the inner tube
dented) not pushing the last round far enough out of the magazine to feed, but
has enough power to push numerous ones except the last one.
If the gun is assembled and you get a slight
resistance at the rearward part of the stroke, (1) the first would be the breech
bolt riding over and cocking the hammer. (2) would be at the far rearward of the
movement, which would be the firing pin ejector tail coming against the flat
ejector spring mounted in the upper front of the receiver.
The author does not have any source of parts for any of the firearms listed above
Copyright © 2004 - 2023
LeeRoy Wisner All Rights Reserved
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Originated 05-17-04 Last updated 04-13-2023
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