Yet another dumb purchase...Winchester 1300

Oleg Volk · January 19, 2000, 05:32 PM

Just picked up a Lady Defender (Winchester 1300 in 20ga.) with a Tru-Glo front sight. Will see how well it would work for trap shooting. The joke is that I can't find out till late spring...too much snow on the ground for skeet right now. At least it seems that I got an OK price on it ($269 new).

Any hints and tricks relevant to 1300s are appreciated.

------------------
Oleg

http://dd-b.net/RKBA

[This message has been edited by Oleg Volk (edited January 19, 2000).]

Glenn E. Meyer · January 19, 2000, 06:06 PM

I have the 12 gauge and took a shotgun class with it. Nice gun. Tru-glo is a neat sight.

Enjoy. With tactical buck and slugs, the
12 isn't that hard on the old bod.

ModIMark0 · January 21, 2000, 03:49 AM

Oleg,
If I am correct about the Defender/Lady Defender series of Winchesters, the bolt will unlock partway after a round is fired, which also forces back the fore end (which can be a surprise). Anyone else reading this please correct me if this info is wrong.

Shok · January 25, 2000, 11:21 PM

I recently bought a 1300 Shadow 12guage. Yes it does open after you fire it. The bolt face locks into the barrel and the recoil unlocks it. The stress is on the barrel and bolt face instead of the linkage. There is also a button that allows you to empty the tube without chambering any shells.

Shok

Futo Inu · January 29, 2000, 01:10 PM

Oleg, what happened to the other 1300 that wouldn't feed?

Let me say that I like the pump action release button LOCATION on the 1300 (behind the triggerguard) much better than the forward location on a Rem 870, for example. The former is much more natural and intuitive, because when you shift your right hand forward to release the action on an 870, not only does it take you longer to get your hand back to firing position, which could be detrimental in a defense situation, but by releasing your shooting hand grip, this changes the center of gravity balance of your left hand, which then has to be shifted further back to steady the shotgun, so you can release the action. Course, none of this applies (viz a viz defense scenario) if you keep it chamber loaded.

Oleg Volk · January 29, 2000, 01:25 PM

I expect my one and only non-functional 1300 to be back from Winchester within a week. Rough chamber and poorly manufactured slide release.

I was in the room when a friend was cycling shells out of a 20ga 870 and his hand slipped from the slide release to the trigger...blam!
I like the 1300 location of the release better. The gun is comfortable and the glow sight works great. I still have a bead to fall back on if the glow sight falls off. Just wish the damn shotgun functioned...have no trust in its reliability at this point.

cjb · January 29, 2000, 05:56 PM

I have owned a 1300 win. for years now.Mine is the N.W.T.F gun with the multi-colored laminated stock.I love it.It replaced an 870 express that just wasnt much of a shooter. Many people dont like the 1300's aluminum reciever,but I have never came across a bad one in our gunsmithing shop.You already have heard how the bolt works so I'll leave that one alone.Why did you buy the defender model to shoot trap with?That gun has no rib and is cylinder bore choked.A rib and choke tubes would have been much better,unless the gun is for home defense and you are just messing around shooting trap.By the way, the one minus on the 1300 is the WIN-CHOKE system.I have run across a few that were so tight the cheap spanner wrench from winchester would not remove them.The remington,and mossberg system works much better.I suggest buying a mossberg choke tube wrench and cutting a slot in the tubes with a dremmel tool. Thats what I did with mine.

Oleg Volk · January 29, 2000, 06:04 PM

The reason for shooting skeet is to get used to operating the shotgun. Shooting at static targets isn't all that educational.

I prefer that any gun I own be usable as either a defense tool or a training tool. I am not fond of pump shotguns (or 5-speed manual transmissions) but I recognize that they are very common and knowing how to use them may come in very handy.

I know that using an HD pump in 20ga will handicap me at skeet but I am not competing against pros with more experience and $5K O/U rigs...I am trying to improve my own skills.

Now if I could only find inexpensive 20ga buckshot for practice...

------------------
Oleg

http://dd-b.net/RKBA

January 19, 2000, 05:32 PM	#1
Oleg Volk Staff Alumnus Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 7,022	Just picked up a Lady Defender (Winchester 1300 in 20ga.) with a Tru-Glo front sight. Will see how well it would work for trap shooting. The joke is that I can't find out till late spring...too much snow on the ground for skeet right now. At least it seems that I got an OK price on it ($269 new). Any hints and tricks relevant to 1300s are appreciated. ------------------ Oleg http://dd-b.net/RKBA [This message has been edited by Oleg Volk (edited January 19, 2000).]

January 19, 2000, 06:06 PM	#2
Glenn E. Meyer Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 20,064	I have the 12 gauge and took a shotgun class with it. Nice gun. Tru-glo is a neat sight. Enjoy. With tactical buck and slugs, the 12 isn't that hard on the old bod.

January 21, 2000, 03:49 AM	#3
ModIMark0 Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Minneapolis,MN, U.S.A. Posts: 243	Oleg, If I am correct about the Defender/Lady Defender series of Winchesters, the bolt will unlock partway after a round is fired, which also forces back the fore end (which can be a surprise). Anyone else reading this please correct me if this info is wrong.

January 25, 2000, 11:21 PM	#4
Shok Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2000 Location: IOWA USA Posts: 204	I recently bought a 1300 Shadow 12guage. Yes it does open after you fire it. The bolt face locks into the barrel and the recoil unlocks it. The stress is on the barrel and bolt face instead of the linkage. There is also a button that allows you to empty the tube without chambering any shells. Shok

January 29, 2000, 01:10 PM	#5
Futo Inu Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 1999 Location: Oklahoma City, OK, USA Posts: 3,624	Oleg, what happened to the other 1300 that wouldn't feed? Let me say that I like the pump action release button LOCATION on the 1300 (behind the triggerguard) much better than the forward location on a Rem 870, for example. The former is much more natural and intuitive, because when you shift your right hand forward to release the action on an 870, not only does it take you longer to get your hand back to firing position, which could be detrimental in a defense situation, but by releasing your shooting hand grip, this changes the center of gravity balance of your left hand, which then has to be shifted further back to steady the shotgun, so you can release the action. Course, none of this applies (viz a viz defense scenario) if you keep it chamber loaded.

January 29, 2000, 01:25 PM	#6
Oleg Volk Staff Alumnus Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 7,022	I expect my one and only non-functional 1300 to be back from Winchester within a week. Rough chamber and poorly manufactured slide release. I was in the room when a friend was cycling shells out of a 20ga 870 and his hand slipped from the slide release to the trigger...blam! I like the 1300 location of the release better. The gun is comfortable and the glow sight works great. I still have a bead to fall back on if the glow sight falls off. Just wish the damn shotgun functioned...have no trust in its reliability at this point.

January 29, 2000, 05:56 PM	#7
cjb Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2000 Posts: 265	I have owned a 1300 win. for years now.Mine is the N.W.T.F gun with the multi-colored laminated stock.I love it.It replaced an 870 express that just wasnt much of a shooter. Many people dont like the 1300's aluminum reciever,but I have never came across a bad one in our gunsmithing shop.You already have heard how the bolt works so I'll leave that one alone.Why did you buy the defender model to shoot trap with?That gun has no rib and is cylinder bore choked.A rib and choke tubes would have been much better,unless the gun is for home defense and you are just messing around shooting trap.By the way, the one minus on the 1300 is the WIN-CHOKE system.I have run across a few that were so tight the cheap spanner wrench from winchester would not remove them.The remington,and mossberg system works much better.I suggest buying a mossberg choke tube wrench and cutting a slot in the tubes with a dremmel tool. Thats what I did with mine.

January 29, 2000, 06:04 PM	#8
Oleg Volk Staff Alumnus Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 7,022	The reason for shooting skeet is to get used to operating the shotgun. Shooting at static targets isn't all that educational. I prefer that any gun I own be usable as either a defense tool or a training tool. I am not fond of pump shotguns (or 5-speed manual transmissions) but I recognize that they are very common and knowing how to use them may come in very handy. I know that using an HD pump in 20ga will handicap me at skeet but I am not competing against pros with more experience and $5K O/U rigs...I am trying to improve my own skills. Now if I could only find inexpensive 20ga buckshot for practice... ------------------ Oleg http://dd-b.net/RKBA