Winchester 1400 Ranger?

sks · March 9, 2011, 08:57 PM

Anyone have any experience with the Winchester 1400 Ranger in .20 gauge? How does it fare with different loads? Reliability?

Thanks.

Slugo · March 10, 2011, 06:04 AM

here is my 20ga Winchester 1400 Ranger. Far from one of the best autoloaders. The bean counters at Winchester recommended a cheaper entry level auto, this was it. Lots of plastic and cheap pot metal parts. The crappy plastic bolt release is an example. Don't ever break it, for there are no replacements! Shoots OK, but mine suffers from light firing pin strikes. A few misfires now and then. It's been relegated to the safe as an example of how not to build a shotgun...

sks · March 10, 2011, 10:04 AM

Slugo: Thanks for the reply. I saw one at Cabela's that I could get for $180.00 and thought about getting it but will save my $$ and get a better one later on.

I've got three 12 gauge guns and a single shot 20 but none are semi auto and I was looking at a little 20 semi auto. Guess I'll keep looking for now.

Thanks again.

Slugo · March 10, 2011, 12:19 PM

I would recommend a tried and true Remington 1100, but that's me. Don't mean to downgrade the 1400 Ranger, but I have one and I'm speaking from experience. Take your time and get something that you really like...

seansean1444 · March 10, 2011, 04:28 PM

slugo must of got a bad one because i absolutely love mine and is my ONLY 12guage i use for white tail deer. shoots straight and goes boom do ya need anything more??

Tim R · March 10, 2011, 04:34 PM

Yeah, I bought a Winny 1400, it's a deluxe, when I was in High School in or around 1970. I don't shoot shot gun much anymore but last year for a friends B/D party we went to a trap range. The old 1400 had not been fired in years. No problems though, ran like a champ and killed some clays.

Slugo · March 10, 2011, 04:53 PM

the standard 1400 is a much better gun than the 1400 Ranger. The Ranger substituted good steel parts with cheap pot metal and plastic, a real junker...

Creek Henry · March 10, 2011, 07:37 PM

I have a standard 1400 and like it a lot. It's not a X2 and never will be but with good ammo and if you keep it clean, it's works great.

I concur that it's probably a better range gun than a field gun, but mine's killed a lot of dove so far.

March 9, 2011, 08:57 PM	#1
sks Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2000 Location: Williamsburg, MO Posts: 944	Winchester 1400 Ranger? Anyone have any experience with the Winchester 1400 Ranger in .20 gauge? How does it fare with different loads? Reliability? Thanks. __________________ Guns don't kill people; bullets kill people!

March 10, 2011, 10:04 AM	#3
sks Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2000 Location: Williamsburg, MO Posts: 944	Slugo: Thanks for the reply. I saw one at Cabela's that I could get for $180.00 and thought about getting it but will save my $$ and get a better one later on. I've got three 12 gauge guns and a single shot 20 but none are semi auto and I was looking at a little 20 semi auto. Guess I'll keep looking for now. Thanks again. __________________ Guns don't kill people; bullets kill people!

March 10, 2011, 04:34 PM	#6
Tim R Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2004 Location: God's side of Washington State Posts: 1,601	Yeah, I bought a Winny 1400, it's a deluxe, when I was in High School in or around 1970. I don't shoot shot gun much anymore but last year for a friends B/D party we went to a trap range. The old 1400 had not been fired in years. No problems though, ran like a champ and killed some clays. __________________ God Bless our Troops especially our Snipers.

March 10, 2011, 06:04 AM	#2
Slugo Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2001 Location: Central PA Posts: 1,007	here is my 20ga Winchester 1400 Ranger. Far from one of the best autoloaders. The bean counters at Winchester recommended a cheaper entry level auto, this was it. Lots of plastic and cheap pot metal parts. The crappy plastic bolt release is an example. Don't ever break it, for there are no replacements! Shoots OK, but mine suffers from light firing pin strikes. A few misfires now and then. It's been relegated to the safe as an example of how not to build a shotgun...

March 10, 2011, 12:19 PM	#4
Slugo Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2001 Location: Central PA Posts: 1,007	I would recommend a tried and true Remington 1100, but that's me. Don't mean to downgrade the 1400 Ranger, but I have one and I'm speaking from experience. Take your time and get something that you really like...

March 10, 2011, 04:28 PM	#5
seansean1444 Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2010 Location: ithaca, new york (home of the ithaca shotguns!) Posts: 395	slugo must of got a bad one because i absolutely love mine and is my ONLY 12guage i use for white tail deer. shoots straight and goes boom do ya need anything more??

March 10, 2011, 04:53 PM	#7
Slugo Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2001 Location: Central PA Posts: 1,007	the standard 1400 is a much better gun than the 1400 Ranger. The Ranger substituted good steel parts with cheap pot metal and plastic, a real junker...

March 10, 2011, 07:37 PM	#8
Creek Henry Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2009 Location: Dallas Posts: 514	I have a standard 1400 and like it a lot. It's not a X2 and never will be but with good ammo and if you keep it clean, it's works great. I concur that it's probably a better range gun than a field gun, but mine's killed a lot of dove so far.