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Thoughts on Winchester 1300 20 ga. pump?

12K views 28 replies 11 participants last post by  andrew 
#1 ·
Was looking for a used 1200 12 ga. and happened upon an immaculate 1300 20 ga. for $200 locally. I've wanted to upgrad my old single shot 20 ga. used for huns and doves but was going to do it after I picked up a new 12 ga. pump.

I've never shot the 1300 20 ga., have you? What are your opinons?

Thanks,

Sam
 
#7 ·
The only restriction necessary with a 20 gauge is on the person using it. Keep your shooting to targets that are in range and you'll kill as many birds, or more, than the the hunter using a 12 bore. There are also a number of benefits to using a 20 including reduced recoil, (something that is very important in dove shooting), less weight to carry, and usually less expense in shells. I think the best part of using a 20 is being able to accuse 12 gauge users in dove shoots and grouse and quail hunts as being over gunned and uncouth. That 's what my hunting partners get anyway. Now, if you want to take it a bit farther, there is the argument that semi-automatics and pump shotguns are also uncouth and less sporting but maybe that is fodder for another thread.

Do take your new 20 gauge to a range a few times to get yourself ready for the upcoming seasons. There is a difference in range and maybe pattern for 20's depending on the chokes in your new gun. Good luck and I hope you'll post accounts of your 20 gauge adventures.
 
#9 ·
Ken, Philster thanks for the thoughts. I've shot a few birds with my old 20 ga., learned the hard way about taking shots out of range. Nothing takes the fun out of shooting light like seeing wounded birds. Would love to find a 16 ga. over and under for smaller game as well.
 
#10 ·
I've slayed mountain quail, valley quail, and grouse in Southern Oregon with a Win 1300 hundred for years, and since I've been in Washington I've nailed a few grouse with it. I absolutely love that gun. I never understood why the comparable 870 is more popular. If you don't buy it, tell me where I can!
 
#12 ·
$200 for a winchester 1300 20 gauge is an outstanding value. if you look on guns america or similar sites you will find used 20 gauge 1300's going for $300 to well over $400 depending on condition.

I have shot a 1300 and couldn't find anything to complain about, other than it didn't have two barrels.

upton... have you ever patterned a shotgun before?
you can always wound a bird, but you can't make one too dead.

a twenty gauge is great for anything from geese and ducks over decoys to little tiny doves.
 
#15 ·
$200 for a winchester 1300 20 gauge is an outstanding value. if you look on guns america or similar sites you will find used 20 gauge 1300's going for $300 to well over $400 depending on condition.
A lot of that has to do with the fact that the 1300 was discontinued, and it has become the darling of the Zombie Gun/Tactical shotgun fans, because :

A: You can't buy a new one, and

B: It truly is one of the smoother and faster cycling guns on the market.

As I said in my post, I do think they are a good gun. I just don't value things based on market value. Look at the aftermarket parts and accessories, different barrels available, etc. for 870s, Mossbergs, even Benellis. I like having a gun I can throw a trap barrel with choke tubes on, then a 24 inch field barrel, a slug barrel, and maybe a 18.5 inch shorty for camping/boat. And with a Mossberg those barrels are about half the price or less than a remington barrel.

You want a fast upland bird gun, go for it. As others have stated, it'll do the job and you certainly aren't getting ripped off. I like multi-taskers. A used benelli Nova, or Mossberg will go for about the same.

And in my mind the only reason to shoot a 20 at a duck, let alone a goose, is because it's the only gun you own.
 
#16 ·
hopefully I am not dissuading a potential wingmaster sale for the sake of argument; but after factoring in all the complications philster mentioned the gun is not a beater and it only costs $200! its hard to walk away from deals like that even if you don't subscribe to market value.
that being said; $300 for a used wingmaster is one hell of a good deal too. I would buy both.

as far as waterfowl goes I am a heavy gauge fan through and through, I am even trying a ten gauge this year - mainly because i am looking for a shorter shot string, more pellets and a square load. however with the advent of non toxic heavy shots there is absolutely no reason not to take on waterfowl with a twenty gauge. I wouldn't use it for pass shooting but as I stated above, for decoying birds it would fit the bill quite nicely. you might have to let a few go by with out shooting, but like fly fishing thats where a blood sport becomes art.

Upton- i couldn't agree with you more. just because I prefer the larger gauges doesn't mean I can deny the effectiveness of a twenty in skilled hands.
 
#13 ·
Han, I pattern all of my shotguns using all of the different chokes, if interchangeable, as well as all of the different loads I shoot through them. I didn't own a 12 gauge for 10-12 years and shot everything, including waterfowl,with my Browning Superposed Lightening 20 gauge. With the advent of steel shot I switched to a 12 gauge even though all of my duck and goose hunting is done over decoys. I think Sam is going to enjoy the fun of small bore hunting and it sounds like the 1300 is an excellent firearm in spite of holding three shells and having only one barrel.
 
#14 ·
To your question: if it's as described, great deal. Buy it. It will work fine for you.

Regarding 20 vs 12: age old debate. I prefer the 12 because if I want(ed) less recoil, like a 20, I'd use a lighter 12 ga load. IMHO, it's a more versatile gauge. But, that's only experience gained from being raised in and a family whose dad is a gunsmith and owns a gunshop and literally has worked on and sold thousands of guns over the last 30+ years, and whose brother later was a gun buyer for Sportsman's Warehouse and . . .
 
#20 ·
My last gun was an 870 express with synthetic stock. Was a solid gun but I'm looking for something with more soul. I've shot a couple Benellis but most of their line up was overkill, out of my price range, or didn't have the right feel (nova) for me.

I still shoot my old single shot 20 and love the simplicity, used to jump ducks with it growing up and hope my future kids will use it too. I've never tried a 20 ga. on pheasants, figured that I couldn't effectively knock them down with the smaller gauge.

Question for you all: what shells do you use for 20 ga pheasant shot?
 
#21 ·
My last gun was an 870 express with synthetic stock. Was a solid gun but I'm looking for something with more soul.
You want soul? Go to a great big real gun shop that has lots of used guns. Ithaca 37 or Winchester model 12. Both of them are in the 'Retha Franklin and James Brown category of soul. Probably between 350 and 450 depending on condition. You want an auto go for a Browning A5. Patented in 1900 and was in production until 1998... John Browning was a freakin' genius
 
#23 ·
A model 12 is kind of like a 1911 pistol. If you're at all serious, you almost have to own one at some point :rofl: I'm fortunate in that 20 or so minutes from my house there's a gun shop that has soooo many used shotguns. Any day of the week there are probably 10 A5s, 15 model 12s, a handful of 37s. BPS are very nice guns as well. Fit and finish is beyond the 12s, but a nice 37 is hard to beat for elegance. But BPS don't have the "soul" of a 37 or 12. A friend of mine recently showed me a 1950 era model 12 riot gun. I've touched Parker side by sides, and shot $8000 tricked out trap guns. That damn Model 12 was one of the most real objects I've ever seen. It was so simple yet so beautiful.
 
#27 ·
Sporting clays with an 8 station course.

Just a little more than 2 months to go until bird season kicks off here (dove starter). Have a 14 month old lab with ~ 20 days on birds, training program starting up, and an urge to point at birds, rabbits, and cow shit ready to go. He put up a covey of huns just a few weeks ago. With these high flows bird hunting is about all I'm excited about.

 
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