doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Winchester 101 - Best reference book.

Originally Posted By: Replacement
I think I know that there was some confusion about the Mod 101 skeets, with a designated "Skeet Grade" as well as field grades that were choked skeet/skeet and sometimes confused with the "Skeet Grade" guns (usually by sellers).

I posted this on the Model 21, 30" Skeet thread to answer the above statement, and though it should be here too.


As to Model 101 Skeet Guns. From the time the 20 gauge Skeet guns were first introduced in 1967, they were offered in 26 1/2", 3" and 28", 2 3/4" guns. The 20 gauge Field guns were offered with the same barrel lengths and chambers, but not with Skeet Chokes. However, both Skeet and Field Guns looked the same(blued engraved frames and no special wood for Skeet). The catalogs listed Field, Skeet, and Trap models. They were not called Grades.

The 20 gauge 28" gun was dropped in 1971 and was available only in the three gauge Skeet Set after that time through 1977. The 26 1/2, 3" gun was dropped after 1977. They still all looked the same.

Now, in 1976, the 20 Gauge Pigeon Grade Skeet with 27" barrels was added. So in 1976 and 1977 there were two grades, if you will, the Standard(Field) Skeet Gun with 3", 26 1/2 " barrels and the Pigeon Grade Skeet Gun with 2 3/4", 27" barrels. The Standard Skeet Set was dropped in 1977 and the Pigeon Grade Skeet Set with 2 3/4", 28"was added in 1978.

It stayed like that until 1982 when the Pigeon Grade Skeet was dropped and the Grand European (20 gauge, 2 3/4", 27" barrels) and the Diamond Grade(20 gauge, 2 3/4", 27 1/2" barrels) were introduced. The Grand European Skeet was dropped in 1986 and the Diamond Grade remained until the end of production in 1988.

In 1973 I picked up a 20 ga at the Izmir Rod & Gun Club, Izmir, Turkey while stationed there in the USAF. It has a very plain piece of wood, looks to be quarter sawed, very straight grained, plain but ok. About the same time I got a Ithaca SKB 200e in 12 with a drop dead gorgeous piece of wood. Paid about $ 200 each at the time.

JDW, I have one about 2,000 earlier than yours.

My choice, back in 1972 at the Rod & Gun Club, Navy base in Rota, Spain, came down to an SKB 150 for $162 or a 101 for $190. Always wanted a sxs, and I got the chokes I wanted (IC/M) in the SKB. It was a 12; could've had the 101 in 20ga, but only M/F.

Larry,
When mine was ordered right from the factory, I specified 26" barrels imp.cyl/mod.

JD, aren't you barrels 26 1/2" and 3 " chambers?

Mine's also IC/M, 26". All the Rota Gun Club had in stock when I bought, however, was 28" M/F. And I was working in the Embassy in Morocco, which meant I had to catch a somewhat infrequent USAF hop to get to Rota--and hunting season was fast approaching.

Don,
I'm guessing the barrels are 26 1/2", I will measure them. The chambers are 3".