Deltaboy1984
Member
Dad 1200 is still going and he had it since 1972.
Winchester 1300 Pros and Cons
- Thread starter MotorCraft
- Start date
- Status
az_imuth
Member
I bought my Defender in the early eighties. It has some features of the 1200 and some of the 1300, so I guess it was made during a transition period. It's been used a lot over the years with all kinds of ammo (with the exception of those mini-shells that I hear work well in this model). At a buck less than $200 when new, I realize it's a cheap shotgun, but it's never failed me once and has never offered a hint of trouble. Given its record over the first 32 years, I'll just pretend that there's nothing wrong with it and keep shooting it until it breaks. Like they say, ignorance is bliss.
Virginian
Member
Only Hollywood can change history.
1KPerDay
Member
What are the features of the 1200 vs 1300?
Barry the Bear
Member
Like i said , I think it was my particular shotgun that had issues , Im unsure of whether others are affected but it has left me ill-willed towards a winchester when for the price the mossberg and remington offerings are just as good if not better.
eastbank
Member
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2009
- Messages
- 5,021
i got this 1300 turkey shotgun from a friend who needed money and use it for a bad weather turkey shotgun and loaner to friends young hunters just starting to hunt turkeys. tho i don,t clean it to much or baby it, it patterns 2 oz #6,s federal flite control wads for a sure kill 40yd turkey shotgun. not one problem yet. eastbank.
Attachments
scribble0073300
Member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2011
- Messages
- 40
My friend and I both got a Savage 320 HD from a gun show 2 weeks ago.
So far I have put about 400 wal-mart fed bulk bird-shot through mine. 300 of them were done Saturday. About 150 through his so far. And haven't had any problems. Or real problems I should say, I'm new to shotguns, so I thought the bolt auto ejecting shells was an issue, but I guess not, cause its a "speed pump". And it hasn't caused any real issues.
300 rounds in about an hour and half seems like a pretty good torture test. It was a lot was fun.
My only regret now is that I got the 18" barrel, and not the combo (wasn't an option, bought the first sub 200$ shotty I saw)
Trap seems like something Id like to get into, so that my only hang up after purchase.
If I can't get a LGS to thread the barrel for choke, I'll likely replace it with a Mossberg 500 combo from Big 5.
So far I have put about 400 wal-mart fed bulk bird-shot through mine. 300 of them were done Saturday. About 150 through his so far. And haven't had any problems. Or real problems I should say, I'm new to shotguns, so I thought the bolt auto ejecting shells was an issue, but I guess not, cause its a "speed pump". And it hasn't caused any real issues.
300 rounds in about an hour and half seems like a pretty good torture test. It was a lot was fun.
My only regret now is that I got the 18" barrel, and not the combo (wasn't an option, bought the first sub 200$ shotty I saw)
Trap seems like something Id like to get into, so that my only hang up after purchase.
If I can't get a LGS to thread the barrel for choke, I'll likely replace it with a Mossberg 500 combo from Big 5.
MotorCraft
Member
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2014
- Messages
- 75
Just ordered the Savage 320 12ga combo.
oneounceload
member
SO? The Turks can (and DO) make excellent guns - that said, they also will build a gun to the quality level the customer is willing to pay for. Folks selling cheap guns also have them built cheaply to sell at a particular price point.
You DO get what you pay for; and for anyone who shoots even a modest amount, the gun is the least cost in the equation.
rklessdriver
Member
1300s are great shotguns. Light, reliable and smooth action.
Only downside is that they are no longer in production.
Will
Only downside is that they are no longer in production.
Will
SwampWolf
Member
QUOTE: Personally, shotgun or pistol, my trigger finger is extended along side the trigger guard when not ready to shoot.
Same here-which makes a front located cross-bolt safety more ergonomically "instinctive" to employ as compared to a rear mounted cross-bolt safety. Imo, a tang mounted safety is the fastest and easiest to use but a close second would be the unique, behind the trigger guard safety as found (only) on the long discontinued Browning Double Auto shotgun.
Same here-which makes a front located cross-bolt safety more ergonomically "instinctive" to employ as compared to a rear mounted cross-bolt safety. Imo, a tang mounted safety is the fastest and easiest to use but a close second would be the unique, behind the trigger guard safety as found (only) on the long discontinued Browning Double Auto shotgun.
Barry the Bear
Member
My father had a 1300 defender which had that rotating bolt that I believe benelli has in their shotguns. However unlike benelli this defender was very unreliable. That word is uncommon in pump shotguns but my father's was terrible. It only reliably fed birdshot and if you put in high brass loads it would attempt to double feed into the receiver and that would result in a jam. And this thing was supposed to defend the roost? I inherited the gun when my father passed and I traded it for a mossberg 590 never looked back. The gun was terrible and if my father wouldn't have gone suddenly he would've traded it himself.
The 1300 was very popular with some deer hunters.
Around the turn of the century, the 1300 Ranger Compact became quite popular along the Gulf Coast for many women hunters participating in Traditional Southern Dog Drives. The Winchester 1300 Ranger Compact model was the only readily available 12 gauge pump set up for shooters of smaller stature. Federal's Premium 9 pellet 00B loads seemed to be the round of choice with most of the ladies. They were serious deer hunters!
http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/historic-detail.asp?family=012C&mid=512036
Around the turn of the century, the 1300 Ranger Compact became quite popular along the Gulf Coast for many women hunters participating in Traditional Southern Dog Drives. The Winchester 1300 Ranger Compact model was the only readily available 12 gauge pump set up for shooters of smaller stature. Federal's Premium 9 pellet 00B loads seemed to be the round of choice with most of the ladies. They were serious deer hunters!
http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/historic-detail.asp?family=012C&mid=512036
The primary negative...
...is the 1300 was discontinued some 9 years ago and spare parts are becoming harder to find. The Turkish and Chinese variations, now manufactured, are apparently not direct copies, so parts interchange with the 1300 is problematic at best.
...is the 1300 was discontinued some 9 years ago and spare parts are becoming harder to find. The Turkish and Chinese variations, now manufactured, are apparently not direct copies, so parts interchange with the 1300 is problematic at best.
Last edited:
The only upside is they're cheap to buy.
Deltaboy1984
Member
I'm looking on getting another.
Be sure to check...
...the extractor slot along side the chamber in the 1200/1300 series and its design descendants. With use, the wide slot needed for the extractor in the rotary bolt system will wear to a sharp edge and may develop cracks.
...the extractor slot along side the chamber in the 1200/1300 series and its design descendants. With use, the wide slot needed for the extractor in the rotary bolt system will wear to a sharp edge and may develop cracks.
Last edited:
entropy
Member
You either love 'em or hate 'em; My Dad loved 'em for an issue squad car gun, but owned either 100's or 870's. I inherited the 1300 my Dad bought for his, and promptly traded it for an 870 for my son.
- Status
