I have owned a 1100, 11-87 and Benelli Super Black Eagle and think the 390 is by far the best of all the autoloaders. Since you didn’t steer me wrong with the Beretta I would value your opinion about the Winchester 101’s. I own a 12 gauge Model 101 XTR lightweight with 27″ winchoke barrelsweighs about 7 lbs. Feb 12, 2019. Winchester model 101 for sale and auction. Buy a winchester model 101 online. Sell your winchester model 101 for FREE today on GunsAmerica! Field grade means it was made to be used- it will be the cheaper version. But- as already said if it was made by Winchester the value goes up, even on a field grade if its in good condition. If it was made by Nikko- its still a valuable gun, but not as much. Nikko not only made the later model 101 Winchesters, but they also made the Golden Eagles. Trigger guard for pistol grip stock on Winchester 101, Nikko, & Golden Eagle O/U shotguns. Silver Nitride finish, with hand engraved trigger guard screw. For pistol grip stocks only; will not fit straight grip stocks. Engraving pattern is 101 Diamond grade or late Pigeon grade.
I own four shotguns. I have two pump actions and two semi-autos. Each of them has a use and a reason I own them. Some are for hunting or for shooting clays and others are for home defense. Something I have heard over the years from many types of people is that you want a pump action for home defense. The reason for that is because of the sound the shotgun makes when you chamber a round. This sound is what would scare off a would-be burglar.
The reverse side of that coin is the joyful feeling I get when I eject the spent shells from an over-under. If you haven’t experienced an over-under, you are missing the feeling you get when you eject the spent shells and they are still smoking. It is a pretty badass thing to watch.
It is even more badass when you dust two clays in a row, you stand there and hit the lever while someone who saw the whole thing watches the shells fly. Sorry, where was I? Right, the Winchester Model 101 Over-Under.
Why I like Over-Unders
I believe there are three gun staples that anyone who likes guns should have. My list if three guns that all gun owners should have.
- A Shotgun
- A pistol
- GAU-8 Avenger
I will stick to my beliefs that any respectable “Gun Guy” will own all three.
I have been shooting Over-Unders for years and there is something about the simplicity of them that makes them so beautiful to me. I love modern firearms and the ability to customize and tacticool-out your firearms and make them fit a need. With a gun like this, I just want to preserve the history of them.
The Craftsmanship
I have spent about five months with the Winchester Model 101. The more I have shot the 101 and the more I have looked at it, the more it has called me back to our roots in shotgun history.
Playmemories camera apps downloader for mac. The price is $1800 for the Model 101. On the surface, this seems steep, but when you look at the craftsmanship and detail of the firearm it is hard not to respect it. Over the years at SHOT Show®, we have stopped by booths with high dollar shotguns and I thought man if I had a half-million dollars I would never spend it on a four-piece shotgun set. When you sit down and take a look at why they do cost much, you can really understand that these are the work of masters and are truly pieces of art.
The Winchester Model 101 isn’t going to set you back $352,300. It is however beautiful enough to mount in your study or on the mantle in the living room while still being a firearm you feel comfortable enough to take down and go bird hunting with.
Final Thoughts
The Winchester Model 101 has been a true joy to shoot. There are just some things in life that cause bliss and shooting the Winchester Model 101 has been one of those moments. It takes me to a place of a simpler time where you don’t have to listen to someone trying to make their AR sound full auto. If your AR or AK is Rock and Roll than the Model 101 is Classical, and I sure do love classical.
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Dear Technoid,
I took your advice and purchased a Beretta 391 about 8 months ago….very satisfied! I have owned a 1100, 11-87 and Benelli Super Black Eagle and think the 390 is by far the best of all the autoloaders. Since you didn’t steer me wrong with the Beretta I would value your opinion about the Winchester 101’s.
I own a 12 gauge Model 101 XTR lightweight with 27″ winchoke barrels…weighs about 7 lbs. I have owned this gun for about 10 years and have not used it very much. I thinking about having the stock fitted and using the gun for dove, quail and pheasant hunting (my Beretta 391 is a synthetic stock version and is a bit heavy for upland bird hunting).
Anyway, I have checked the archives and have not found any letters concerning 101’s….look forward hearing your opinion.
Dear Reader,
I have mixed opinions about the 101. My opinion, and that of most of the other shooters I know who have put a bunch of rounds through them, is that they are absolutely the hardest kicking O/U ever made. In my experience, nothing else has ever come close. I think that I still have the Winchester logo imprint in my shoulder from my time with a 101.
101 reliability under the constant stress of clay target shooting is varied. Most people could not stand to shoot them enough to really test their structural integrity. Those who did found them to be about average. Lots of loose ribs, plus bits and pieces breaking here and there. The gun was not as reliable as its contemporary Charles Daly (now Browning Citori) if you were going to shoot it a whole bunch. It was not in the same league with the Belgian Browning.
That said (fudge factor coming to preserve my life and limb), the 101s that I had (a couple of three barrel sets and a 12 gauge very early Winchoke model), were absolutely first rate as field guns. The were nicely balanced- even the first Winchoke guns- which is a long way from many of the nose heavy factory screw choke guns of today. I have always thought that the Winchester pistol grip was the best in the business. My three barrel sets (built on the 20 gauge frame) were little beauties, ideal for field, but too light for serious target. The sub-gauge 101s are commanding a very nice price on the used market- far better than they did when new. Split and concat mac download.
I think that your 101 would be just great for wild quail and pheasant. They are great in the field and adequately light for a good bit of carrying. Personally, I would prefer the long sighting plane of your 391 for dove, but you may hunt them a bit differently than we do. I would definitely NOT take the 101 dove hunting in Colombia where you can shoot up to four cases a day. It will pound you into the ground like a tent stake. The 391 is built for that sort of shooting.
Bottom line: For many types of upland hunting, your Winchester 101 is just about ideal and would certainly be worth proper fitting. I do not consider it an all around clays and game gun, but that really doesn’t matter just as long as it does its primary field job well.
Winchester 101 Or Nikko West
Best regards,
Bruce Buck
Shotgun Report’s Technoid
Bruce Buck
Shotgun Report’s Technoid