Winchester 1300 Defender

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Barry the Bear

Barry the Bear

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Went into the LGS about a month ago, they had a used Winchester 1300 defender with the wood furniture on consignment for 500 bucks... I thought that was a little steep even though the gun was beautiful with the wood stock, cue a couple days ago I went to another gunshop farther away, an old man was trying to trade in an all black Winchester defender for a handgun, the shop only offered him 175 and not enough for a handgun. He was grumpy and took off with his gun. I walked out and said what are you looking for ? He said a cheap carry gun either a GX4 or the Ruger Max 9 I said I have a Taurus GX4 I'd trade him. We exchanged contact info and met later that day. Great deal for me I feel, back when Winchester was American made IMG_20220227_170838212_HDR.jpg
 
I have always liked the Defenders even if I did not particularly like the sporting 1300s. The 1300 is a pretty polarizing shotguns for various reasons both real and imagined. I never payed much attention to that though even though I do have an opinion on them. I like them for what they are.

The wood ones really had nice lines and I liked the corncob fore end on them.

Cool gun.
 
A good shotgun and the alloy receiver makes it easy on the shoulder too
Click to expand...

The alloy makes the gun almost a full pound lighter than an 870. Easy to carry, but harsh to the shoulder. Perhaps he meant easy on the shoulder when carried with a sling.

That said I like the older 1300's much better than a Mossberg 500. I picked up a used one recently for $250. I didn't really need it, but $250 was too good to pass up.

IMG_1750.JPG
 
jmr40 said:
The alloy makes the gun almost a full pound lighter than an 870. Easy to carry, but harsh to the shoulder. Perhaps he meant easy on the shoulder when carried with a sling.

That said I like the older 1300's much better than a Mossberg 500. I picked up a used one recently for $250. I didn't really need it, but $250 was too good to pass up.

View attachment 1063776
Click to expand...
I want the turkey special one with the 21 inch barrel that nutnfancy has on his videos, I may end up splurging on the set stock and foreend for this thing though.
 
The bolt unlocks under recoil and sometimes the pump will move up to halfway back enabling it to be shot quicker than most shotguns.

-Stan
 
stanley_white said:
The bolt unlocks under recoil and sometimes the pump will move up to halfway back enabling it to be shot quicker than most shotguns.

-Stan
Click to expand...
And that’s exactly what I disliked about the one I had. Seemed it was snatching the forearm out of my hand forcing me to either grip more firmly than I liked to hang onto it or otherwise forcing me to regrip. Either way I disliked it. I really liked everything about that gun except for the “speed pump” feature because it slowed me down and distracted me. Shooting clays I was too worried about how I was going to work the action, and shooting at game I only got my first shot off at a flushing quail or flying dove. That gun went to a really good friend of mine who was wanting to buy a shotgun and who was not familiar with other pumps. He didn’t have to unlearn anything and he did pretty good with it.
 
I have a couple of 1300 speed pumps as well. As much bitcing as I sometimes see, I still prefer them over a Mossberg, The one in this picture is the SXP which replaced the 1300 defender. Much about it is the same. Wish I had the wood version instead for nostalgic reasons.
IMG_5021.JPG IMG_2333.JPG win1300.JPG
 
Heck yeah, I have one just like it Barry the Bear!
Points pretty well and is pretty smooth and fast. I like it almost as well as my model 12.
Haven't had any issues that the internet warned me about either (but keep an eye on it)
 
Barry the Bear said:
Went into the LGS about a month ago, they had a used Winchester 1300 defender with the wood furniture on consignment for 500 bucks... I thought that was a little steep even though the gun was beautiful with the wood stock, cue a couple days ago I went to another gunshop farther away, an old man was trying to trade in an all black Winchester defender for a handgun, the shop only offered him 175 and not enough for a handgun. He was grumpy and took off with his gun. I walked out and said what are you looking for ? He said a cheap carry gun either a GX4 or the Ruger Max 9 I said I have a Taurus GX4 I'd trade him. We exchanged contact info and met later that day. Great deal for me I feel, back when Winchester was American madeView attachment 1063752
Click to expand...
Good deal for both parties. The 1300 has a super smooth action.
 
I like mine.

IMG_20220305_092236_906.jpg

I started using it for 3 Gun around 20 years ago. Since then I've taken it hunting and learned to shoot trap with it. Although I don't shoot trap with it regularly anymore, it can still hold its own.

Enjoy your gun.
 
I have a 1300 “Defender” model, the one with the pistol grip. It’s regulated to HD duties.

I’d really like to find a birds head grip to replace the pistol grip - but years of looking have failed to yield one.
 
Anchorite said:
I have a 1300 “Defender” model, the one with the pistol grip. It’s regulated to HD duties.

I’d really like to find a birds head grip to replace the pistol grip - but years of looking have failed to yield one.
Click to expand...
Nobody makes one or plans to. If you really want one you can get a beat up wood stock and cut/sand it down to a shockwave-style grip. You’ll have to figure out a different bolt.
 
Just FYI...There are different generations of the bolt assembly on the 1300. All of them will work, but there were differences over time. The newest and last bolt is the one without the screw on the left.
1300-37JPGa.jpg
 
Blkhrt13 said:
Because the bolt in a full size stock will be too long if you cut the stock length into a bird head.
Click to expand...

You sure caught me not thinking. I kept thinking you meant the bolt in the receiver. :)

You are correct about the bolt holding a birds head stock. Maybe a decorative stainless would be nice and compliment a nice wooden piece.
 
You can play games with stainless and use a torch to gently color flash it. That would add a case hardened look to the metal. If you move right you won’t really affect the integrity of the metal. Not to be done after installation. You could inset some flat discs done the same way in the pump and grip. Maybe use stainless pins for a palomino effect.
 
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