doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Help with a loose Win. 101

Unless the gun looks heavily used this condition might be normal. Just examine NEW Ruger O/U. Better ask Don Moody, he is out Winchester expert.

I just got out my old, well used, Model 101, 20ga. late '60s Skeet gun. Took the forearm off and there is NO wiggle at all. It does open very easily, as most well used ones do, however that does not mean they are loose.
If the gun in question is truly loose, it must have been abused a lot by slamming it shut! A lot of people have no respect in how they handle and close a O/U or SxS.
If it is tight when the forearm is on, then shooting it will not do any damage.
You might check for wear on the locking plate.
If your still afraid of it, have a GOOD gunsmith, repeat, GOOD gunsmith, look at it.
I respect eightbore's opinion, but I would not suggest putting it in a vice and squeezing the sides together.

They tighten Browning and Winchesters up regularly by welding on the barrel lug so that it will cause the forearm to push the barrel back. If it is tight with the forearm on don't worry about it.

You can get a rebuild kit from Midwest Gunworks for $125 (they list on gunbroker.com). It includes firing pins, two sets of beads (pigeon and field), a locking plate and some other parts I don't remember. Midwest will also rebuild the action for you.

From your description it is most likely wear on the locking plate.

If it holds a dollar bill when closed, I would not be afraid to shoot it. I don't think that you would cause any additional damage at this point.

I would purchase the rebuild kit, use it for the rest of the season and have it rebuilt during the off season.

Are you all sure of that dollar bill test? That seems a bit generous. I had always heard that the cellophane from a cigarette package was the test. I don't smoke cigarettes, but used a piece of plastic shopping bag. My 1922 Fox Sterlingworth and late 1960s Browning superposed 20ga will hold the shopping bag.

I agree. A dollar bill is pretty thick and a gun that barely pinched it may rattle like a '73 pickup on a dirt road. Cigarette pack, or more contemporarily, CD pack cellophane, would be my choice of a feeler if I didn't have a .001" metal feeler. But I do.

Thanks guys. Great information.
I agreed on the dollar bill. I used some very thin (don't have a micrometer,
but I'd guess half as thick as paper money) tracing paper that I had laying
around and I could not budge that out either.
I feel comfortable enough to take it afield this weekend.
Now the trick is to find a good 'smith in my area...

Try Ahlmans Gun shop in Morristown, Mn. South of the twin cities west of Faribault.

Ahlmans is OK. I've used them on my 101 3-barrel skeet set. They did a fine job. Also up in Spicer MN is the excellent Pat Laib, and down in Hillsboro MO is Art's Guns, arguably the best on Superposed and 101's.

shootingsioux and oldhunter,
Thanks for the local knowledge. Just what I was looking for.
Nobody in town(twin cities) that you would deal with on this?