which choke came on the winchester ranger 120?

Astocks2622 · December 12, 2014, 02:38 PM

I am looking at buying a youth model winchester ranger 120 20 ga locally for my wife & kids to use. the current owner got it from his father & doesn't know what choke it has. it's a fixed choke barrel obviously.
Just wondering if anyone knows what they came with originally. Down the road I can pick up a winchoke barrel for it for turkey & such, but just curious about whats on the gun now.

Astocks2622 · December 14, 2014, 12:43 AM

ok, looks like it is a modified choke. also, I got about 150 shells with it, including some really old winchester loads. about half of the winchester stuff has small splits about 1/4" long about 3/8" back from the crimp. is that stuff all a loss, or is it safe to shoot?

Dreaming100Straight · December 14, 2014, 03:32 AM

Were these shells factory loads?

Astocks2622 · December 14, 2014, 10:17 AM

yeah, they are winchester 3" #4 20 ga. the plastic hull on a bunch have 1-2 small lengthwise splits. maybe i can get some pics up after church this morning.

FITASC · December 14, 2014, 05:54 PM

Those are gonna HURT!

As far as the wife and kids, remember that a lighter 20, especially with some heavy loads can have MORE recoil than a heavier 12, so get light target loads to start.

Dreaming100Straight · December 14, 2014, 06:02 PM

^ Especially if that is buckshot instead of bird shot, and it sounds like it is buck

I don't know enough about ammunition to opine as to safety, but I wonder whether those splits in the casing could result in a failure to load or eject. That may turn on the cause of the tears and even the hulls composition (paper or plastic). I wouldn't risk them in a defense gun, and perhaps not for hunting, but blowing up targets why not.

Virginian · December 14, 2014, 07:00 PM

I would bet money those are reloads. I had shells with no powder in them, but never splits in new factory W-W shells, and I have some that are probably 50 years old. Had a lot of reloads split.

Astocks2622 · December 14, 2014, 10:17 PM

Ok, here are some pics. the ones that are split are definitely factory. don't know of any home brew crimps like this...

however, looking more closely at some of the other ammo I got with the deal, I'm pretty sure there are some reloads in there. some look like they've got a few drops of candle wax or something over the crimp...
anyway, these won't be the ones that the wife or kids will touch off first. was planning on some 2 3/4" 3/4 oz 7.5 shot loads for that.

Dreaming100Straight · December 15, 2014, 03:23 AM

Those look like they should, if they are 3 inchers, be factory loads with 1-1/4 ounce of #4 birdshot. I would use them for practice only. You could hunt with them, if they don't fail to feed or eject, but unless you have no other option I would go with new ammo for that. I wouldn't use it for defense for two reasons. That is when you don't want a failure and most would agree that #4 bird shot is a poor home defense or tactical round.

Virginian · December 15, 2014, 05:13 AM

Well, that one you're holding sure looks like a factory crimp. I believe I'd follow Dreaming's advice.

Astocks2622 · December 16, 2014, 12:11 AM

No chance i'd use them for defense. the remington 1100 w/ 20" barrel & 00 Buck gets the nod in the home, along with a sidearm. mostly was trying to see if they were still safe to shoot up. I can get some decent #6 loads for grouse/rabbit & #1's for defense (couldn't find any 20 ga shells with larger shot than that).

Dreaming100Straight · December 16, 2014, 04:42 AM

Using google you should be able to find 20 gauge up to 00 BS.

December 14, 2014, 07:00 PM	#7
Virginian Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: Williamsburg, Va. Posts: 1,528	I would bet money those are reloads. I had shells with no powder in them, but never splits in new factory W-W shells, and I have some that are probably 50 years old. Had a lot of reloads split. __________________ What could have happened... did.

December 15, 2014, 05:13 AM	#10
Virginian Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: Williamsburg, Va. Posts: 1,528	Well, that one you're holding sure looks like a factory crimp. I believe I'd follow Dreaming's advice. __________________ What could have happened... did.

December 12, 2014, 02:38 PM	#1
Astocks2622 Member Join Date: February 1, 2014 Posts: 97	which choke came on the winchester ranger 120? I am looking at buying a youth model winchester ranger 120 20 ga locally for my wife & kids to use. the current owner got it from his father & doesn't know what choke it has. it's a fixed choke barrel obviously. Just wondering if anyone knows what they came with originally. Down the road I can pick up a winchoke barrel for it for turkey & such, but just curious about whats on the gun now.

December 14, 2014, 12:43 AM	#2
Astocks2622 Member Join Date: February 1, 2014 Posts: 97	ok, looks like it is a modified choke. also, I got about 150 shells with it, including some really old winchester loads. about half of the winchester stuff has small splits about 1/4" long about 3/8" back from the crimp. is that stuff all a loss, or is it safe to shoot?

December 14, 2014, 03:32 AM	#3
Dreaming100Straight Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2013 Posts: 1,235	Were these shells factory loads?

December 14, 2014, 10:17 AM	#4
Astocks2622 Member Join Date: February 1, 2014 Posts: 97	yeah, they are winchester 3" #4 20 ga. the plastic hull on a bunch have 1-2 small lengthwise splits. maybe i can get some pics up after church this morning.

December 14, 2014, 05:54 PM	#5
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	Those are gonna HURT! As far as the wife and kids, remember that a lighter 20, especially with some heavy loads can have MORE recoil than a heavier 12, so get light target loads to start.

December 14, 2014, 06:02 PM	#6
Dreaming100Straight Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2013 Posts: 1,235	^ Especially if that is buckshot instead of bird shot, and it sounds like it is buck I don't know enough about ammunition to opine as to safety, but I wonder whether those splits in the casing could result in a failure to load or eject. That may turn on the cause of the tears and even the hulls composition (paper or plastic). I wouldn't risk them in a defense gun, and perhaps not for hunting, but blowing up targets why not. Last edited by Dreaming100Straight; December 14, 2014 at 06:08 PM.

December 14, 2014, 10:17 PM	#8
Astocks2622 Member Join Date: February 1, 2014 Posts: 97	Ok, here are some pics. the ones that are split are definitely factory. don't know of any home brew crimps like this... however, looking more closely at some of the other ammo I got with the deal, I'm pretty sure there are some reloads in there. some look like they've got a few drops of candle wax or something over the crimp... anyway, these won't be the ones that the wife or kids will touch off first. was planning on some 2 3/4" 3/4 oz 7.5 shot loads for that.

December 15, 2014, 03:23 AM	#9
Dreaming100Straight Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2013 Posts: 1,235	Those look like they should, if they are 3 inchers, be factory loads with 1-1/4 ounce of #4 birdshot. I would use them for practice only. You could hunt with them, if they don't fail to feed or eject, but unless you have no other option I would go with new ammo for that. I wouldn't use it for defense for two reasons. That is when you don't want a failure and most would agree that #4 bird shot is a poor home defense or tactical round.

December 16, 2014, 12:11 AM	#11
Astocks2622 Member Join Date: February 1, 2014 Posts: 97	No chance i'd use them for defense. the remington 1100 w/ 20" barrel & 00 Buck gets the nod in the home, along with a sidearm. mostly was trying to see if they were still safe to shoot up. I can get some decent #6 loads for grouse/rabbit & #1's for defense (couldn't find any 20 ga shells with larger shot than that).

December 16, 2014, 04:42 AM	#12
Dreaming100Straight Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2013 Posts: 1,235	Using google you should be able to find 20 gauge up to 00 BS.