Winchester 1300 Defender questions and price check...

[Glock Hoss]

Visiting one of my local pawn/gun shops, I think I may have found a little treasure. A Winchester Defender with wood stocks (kind of a light color wood), showing very little wear and very smooth. The only thing I do not like is the little front gold bead sight. I believe it is an 8 shot (it does have an extended tube).

I have only owned Remington shotguns so I do not know exactly what to look for when checking out the Winchesters. This would make a great beater gun because of the price. My questions are: 1) How old do you guys think this gun is? It is my understanding that wood stock are no longer stock and the gold bead sight is not longer used, so I have heard. In other words, when did Winchester start using synthetic stocks. 2) How easy will it be for me to change out the stocks. Or, if it is a much older gun, will newer parts work for it? 3) The price out the door is $140. What do you think?

Thanks for the help guys. I have some budies that rave about their Winchesters, but they are out of the country and I can not ask them. Thanks again.

Hoss

 

[Fred Fuller]

Age matters less than mileage. If it is lightly used and has been well cared for, a $140 price tag around here would be a good buy.

What were you wanting to swap out stocks to? No sense in getting a good buy on a piece and them pouring money into it by changing out parts that are perfectly serviceable as is, IMO. If it is a question of shortening length of pull or adding a recoil pad it is easier to do with a wood stock than with most any synthetic. If ya gotta gotta have black furniture spray paint it.

Main difference is the Winnies use a rotating bolt- make sure the action runs smoothly. Winnies are OK, I have a 12 and a 20 but I still prefer an 870 just on GP (my fingers know where everything is on the Remington).

lpl/nc