Valmet 312
Valmet Oy · Shotgun · Discontinued · 1974
Also known as: Valmet Model 312, Valmet 312 O/U
Overview
The Valmet 312 is a Finnish 12-gauge over/under sporting shotgun built on a robust monobloc steel receiver with blued steel barrels chambered for 3-inch shells. A break-action stack-barrel design with a single selective trigger and ventilated rib, it was offered for trap, skeet, sporting clays and field hunting, and served as the immediate predecessor to Valmet's modular 412 shooting system.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3200 g (112.9 oz) |
| Barrel Length | 705 mm (27.76") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 2 rounds |
| Effective Range | 40 m (44 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 12 Gauge · primary — also known as 12GA, 12 Bore
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Break Action
- Safety mechanisms: Automatic Safety
- Features: Over Under, Single Selective Trigger, Ventilated Rib, 3 Inch Chamber
Production
Production years: c.1974-1980
Superseded by the Valmet 412 around 1980; total production not published.
Origin
Country of origin: Finland
Discontinued: 1980
Notes
Direct forerunner of the Valmet 412; late-production 'transitional' guns share features with the early 412. A commemorative 50th-anniversary (of Valmet's 1926 founding) variant was produced around 1976. Barrels typically encountered in the 26-28 inch range (about 27 3/4 inch). Exact weight and full dimensional specs are not published by the maker; the empty-weight figure is an estimate for a 12-gauge steel over/under of this class.
Background
Marketed as an affordable, ruggedly built Finnish over/under, the Model 312 was the stepping stone to Valmet's famous 412 'shooting system' - a 50th-anniversary edition marked Valmet's half-century since its 1926 founding as a state arms and machinery works.