Fiberglass Barrel

texastweeter · February 11, 2008, 11:01 PM

My fater has a winchester semiauto 12 ga with a fiberglass barrell. took it to the gunsmith and he had to call winchester to find anyting out on it. it was made circa 1950 and was supposedly manufactuired in limited quantities. anyone know anything about these guns?

J F Cooper · February 12, 2008, 06:05 AM

That would be a Model 59, with the Win-Lite barrel,a variation of the Wincheter Model 50, It had a barrel of thin steel, with miles of a thin fiber glass wound around it. Winchester made about 82,000 of them, starting in 1961.. JFC

Ruger4570 · February 12, 2008, 09:24 PM

I don't know if it was so much limited quantaties or lack of interest with the "glass barrels" They certainly seemed to work, they just never got popular like so many innovations of Winchester and Remington.

texastweeter · February 13, 2008, 12:35 AM

No, I think (and I may be wrong) that the gunsmith that I talked to said that this particular one has a solid fiberglass barrel, and it also has a numbered medallion in the stock. Ill check next time i go see my father and see if you are correct. thanks for the input.

ebutler462 · February 13, 2008, 09:19 AM

I have one of those lightweight wonders. It is indeed a thin steel wrapped barrel. The main reason I don't use it is that it is unbalanced with the light barrel. It is very reliable, never failed me the few times i used it. Methinks I gave it to my son last year.

I would not be afraid to shoot heavy loads in it except for the recoil.

Dave McC · February 13, 2008, 09:47 AM

The Model 59s still out there have lots of happy owners.

Many of those owners hunt grouse and woodcock in tight cover. Often that cover occurs on steep hillsides. A 6 lb shotgun that points quick works better for many of us than a more traditionally balanced repeater.

Enjoy yours.....

February 11, 2008, 11:01 PM	#1
texastweeter Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2008 Location: East Texas Posts: 115	Fiberglass Barrel My fater has a winchester semiauto 12 ga with a fiberglass barrell. took it to the gunsmith and he had to call winchester to find anyting out on it. it was made circa 1950 and was supposedly manufactuired in limited quantities. anyone know anything about these guns? __________________ "I do not need salvation. All I need is the freedom to face my destiny with courage and honor."

February 12, 2008, 06:05 AM	#2
J F Cooper Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2007 Location: Southern Ohio Posts: 125	Win-Lite That would be a Model 59, with the Win-Lite barrel,a variation of the Wincheter Model 50, It had a barrel of thin steel, with miles of a thin fiber glass wound around it. Winchester made about 82,000 of them, starting in 1961.. JFC

February 13, 2008, 12:35 AM	#4
texastweeter Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2008 Location: East Texas Posts: 115	No, I think (and I may be wrong) that the gunsmith that I talked to said that this particular one has a solid fiberglass barrel, and it also has a numbered medallion in the stock. Ill check next time i go see my father and see if you are correct. thanks for the input. __________________ "I do not need salvation. All I need is the freedom to face my destiny with courage and honor."

February 12, 2008, 09:24 PM	#3
Ruger4570 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 2,136	I don't know if it was so much limited quantaties or lack of interest with the "glass barrels" They certainly seemed to work, they just never got popular like so many innovations of Winchester and Remington.

February 13, 2008, 09:19 AM	#5
ebutler462 Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2007 Location: NC Posts: 437	I have one of those lightweight wonders. It is indeed a thin steel wrapped barrel. The main reason I don't use it is that it is unbalanced with the light barrel. It is very reliable, never failed me the few times i used it. Methinks I gave it to my son last year. I would not be afraid to shoot heavy loads in it except for the recoil.

February 13, 2008, 09:47 AM	#6
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	The Model 59s still out there have lots of happy owners. Many of those owners hunt grouse and woodcock in tight cover. Often that cover occurs on steep hillsides. A 6 lb shotgun that points quick works better for many of us than a more traditionally balanced repeater. Enjoy yours.....