doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 'Identifying Winchester Model 101'

I'm hazy on the details (what's new?) but I recall that The 101's were produced (probably simultaneously) in a "skeet grade" with skt/skt chokes, and also in a field grade with skt/skt chokes. They seem to be confused, often by sellers who expect skeet grade prices for their field grade guns. If yours has really nice wood, it's probably a skeet grade, but I think the dedicated skeet guns were built with 2-3/4" chambers in those days.

If you are interested in a Field Grade Gun, in some ways I think an Early 101 is finished a little nicer than a Superposed of the same era. I have never owned a later model 101, so I can say for certain about those 101s.

Personally, I prefer a Super to a 101, but it is nothing but personal preference, not based on anything substantive.

I own an early 101, and a few Supers, both are great guns, and you cannot realy go wrong with ethier model. Look at and handle a few and decide for your self.

Yes.

The early skeet guns were made with 26 1/2", 3" chambered barrels and with 28", 2 3/4" chambered barrels.

Cowboy,

The barrels are indeed 26 1/2". I find no model designation on the barrels.
This wood is far nicer than what you commonly see.
I have a digital camera. Am I able to post pics for you all?

What is the significance of the 26.5" barrel length?

john

We'll see if this works. If not, you can go to the site and watch the slideshow.

Tucker is 12 weeks old and learning very quickly. I have great hopes for him.

john

[img]http://web.mac.com/jmcg9/iWeb/Site/winchester.html[/img]

The early guns(before Pigeon Grades) had no model designation stamped on them(except "Model 101". Many of the early Pigeon Grade guns did not have "Model 101" stamped on the barrels.

Don't know that there was any significance to the 26.5" barrels.

This one is stamped Model 101 on the barrel.

Sure appreciate all the info.

john

Except for the recoil pad, that looks like a field grade from the ones I've seen--not sure if the pad was original, all the ones I've seen had a plate. I have a 1968 20 ga 101 field in skt/skt that I think handles very well to my plebian tastes...it managaged to scratch down a wily late season partridge just this afternoon! Yours has a little more contrast to the wood but it's in the ballpark of others I've seen. IMO the newer 101's with the choke tubes (and all the citoris I've handled) don't handle anywhere nearly as well--these seem much livelier and quick to me.

David, I am looking at a 1968 Calalog. The field guns were not choked Sk/Sk. However, at that point in time, the Field guns and Skeet guns both looked the same(There was no grade designation). There were no grades as such before the introduction of the Pigeon Grade in 1974.