Winchester 1300

What do you want to know? The Winchester 1300 is one of the top 4 best "modern" pump action shotguns made in the USA. The other three are the Remington 870, the Mossberg 500 and the Ithaca 37. My opinion, of course.

As Dave (r.i.p.) used to say, BA/UU/R, or buy ammo, use up, repeat. Can't give you any better advice than that.

There is a BIG gap between the other three and the Winchester 1300. The Winchester 1200 was one of Winchester's first reduced cost guns after the changeover. They had a multitude of issues, not the least of which was breaking parts. The 1300 was better, but still far from perfect. Then followed the next design, the Speed Pump, and now we have the SXP - made in Turkey. With every iteration they have changed/upgraded some parts. The Remington, Mossberg, and Ithaca have been virtually unchanged action wise for over 50 years. There is a reason for that. With pumps you do not have any of the load flexibility or reliability issues you may have with an autoloader, and you don't change parts if it works and keeps working.
If you have a 1300, and you love it, and it has been trouble free, good for you, and I'm glad you are happy. But, that still does not change their history. To me they do handle and shoot well, and they don't look bad either.

Over the years no problems to report with my Model 1300 and it fits me better than a comparable Remington Model 870 or a Mossberg Model 500.

What do you want to know? The Winchester 1300 is one of the top 4 best "modern" pump action shotguns made in the USA. The other three are the Remington 870, the Mossberg 500 and the Ithaca 37. My opinion, of course.

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Hmm, IMHO, the Browning BPS beats up on ALL of those.

I like the 1300, though. Ex SIL had a couple. I have its semi-auto brother, the 1400. Don't like the safety, prefer the tang safeties of my Mossbergs which the BPS also has. but I did put a lefty safety on the gun available through Numrich arms. I like it a lot better, now and often take it duck hunting as it attenuates the recoil of heavy steel loads so well.

it fits me better than a comparable Remington Model 870 or a Mossberg Model 500.

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Yes, me too. My 1400 needed no adjustment right out of the box. I've had to shim both my Mossbergs to lower the stock, increase drop at comb, but they're great, now, too. As was, they beat me up pretty well and didn't point where I looked, but a little pop bottle plastic in the right places improved matters a lot. I do, however, seem to have better out of the box fit with Winchester/Browning.

this older win 1300 turkey shotgun is my favorite bad weather shotgun, useing a .640 choke and a federal controll wad shell it accounted for my longest turkey shot 56 yds, 9 pellets in the head. it has worked with out muss or fuss,tho it doesn,t have a high round count as i only use it on bad weather hunts. but it does the job. eastbank.

I remember my grandfather used that for pheasant hunting allway's took those birds heads clean off talking 30/40 yard shots.

I've had one, known others who have one. Probably on the bottom rung on the ladder of acceptable options. They work, but I'd much prefer Remington or Ithaca if it has to be American made. Mossberg and Winchester are both acceptable, but neither would be my preference.

If you include foreign made, the BPS is probably on the top of the heap and Benelli would rank up there too.

Nothing wrong with the 1300 for me. I haven't seen a worn out one yet! Well used maybe, but not worn out. As a matter of fact, if you turn out not to like that defender, I would like it buy it off you! That is the exact model and setup I have been looking for while a while now.

I bought mine used 20 years ago...still works great and has taken out many a dove.

lonestardiver said:

I bought mine used 20 years ago...still works great and has taken out many a dove.

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Ditto, but going on 30 years for my 1200. Not a hiccup.

The worst problem that the 1200/1300 shotguns had was being compared to the M-12 they replaced. Comparing apples to oranges.
The only real issue I see with them is the plastic feed throat. Eventually it will wear and/or break and replacements are not readily available. The ones I have seen damaged had been used extensively in very gritty environments with no cleaning. With care your 1300 should last many trouble free years.

That is a sexy scattergun.

I love my 1300 and one of my sons loved mine so much I got him one for Christmas a couple of years ago. I really like them. As others have said, parts can be hard to come by. Barrels are nigh unto impossible to find. It's usually cheaper to find another 1300 than to find a standalone barrel. I actually like the forend on yours more than the checkered longer forend on mine, but both work.

The only problem with mine was that it didn't quite fit me as well as I would have liked. A little redneck adjustment (craft foam and vet wrap) and it fits nicely. Mossberg 500s fit me almost perfectly out of the box so that might be my next beater pump shotgun.

Matt

The mossberg 500 line is good...maverick 88 is basically that. I think the 835 is also closely based on the 500.

So how does the SXP compare to the 1300? Are they basically the same?

I have the identical shotgun and really like it. I've tried the 870, and I find the action a little gritty and heavier than the 1300. Mine is exceptionally smooth, but a bit too long LOP. Very handy size, looks right compared to the competition.

elkhunterCO said:

So how does the SXP compare to the 1300? Are they basically the same?

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I haven't shot the SXP, but they're supposed to be extremely similar. Same rotating bolt breech, same "speed pump", but enough differences so that parts don't interchange. I wish they did.

Matt

I have the Winchester 1300 Defender. It is an absolute workhorse. Solid build. The action is smooth. I've run hundreds of shells through it and its reliability makes it a devastating HD/SD weapon.

I've had a 12ga for 20 years and a 20ga for about 15 years. Their just as good as any think else. Like the post above says, the worst thing wrong with them is being compared to the guns they replaced.

I like the guns - they point well for me and the action is pretty slick.

The only real issue I see with them is the plastic feed throat. Eventually it will wear and/or break and replacements are not readily available.

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And this is why I got rid of my 1200 and 1400. But if treated well, they should last you a good long while.

My 1300 defender is my favorite pump shotgun. It's lighter than my 870 and it's action is much smoother. I have countless rounds through both and have never had a failure with either.

I own both. I'm kind of mixed on the SXP. I bought one 2 years ago to be my all around shotgun. My 1300 is actually a 20ga 120 ranger (sort of like an express vs a wingmaster in 870 world). I wanted a 12ga version and getting a new SXP was way easier than tracking down a used 1300.

The SXP fits me fine and I hit things just fine with it, pheasant hunted for 2 seasons with it. However, it behaves a little different. It has a bad habit of not releasing the next round from the magazine tube and I have dry fired it a number of times at birds. I am sure it is me working it incorrectly due to the way the bolt unlocks and pops back after each shot. It is most definitely not a HD shotgun for me!

The 20ga 120 has been perfectly reliable for me except with 3" shells. The ejection port is just a little short so a fired 3" shell rubs a little on eject. As long as you really pump it with authority it is fine, but a slow deliberate pump with a 3" shell will hang up every time. 2 3/4" have never been a problem at all.

I've semi-retired it and moved onto a Beretta A400 XPLOR auto which I really like so much so I own 2 now - 20ga and 12ga. I keep the SXP as an adult loaner and backup shotgun. If I get back into waterfowl and the weather was going to be really nasty, I'd bring it out for that too.

Have two one I bought off a police boat when they were going to Bernelli M-4's. Both are great shooters and look great too.

The Defender shined during the Joe Horn shootout with three burglars in Pasadena, Tx 2007 . Two were dead as far i can remember.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOP2TuanjMA