Author Topic: which shotguns to keep?? (Read 568 times)

lubbockdave · « **on:** November 07, 2004, 03:06:39 PM »

which is a "better" gun

Winchester model 50 or a winchester model 1400--both 2 3/4 inch 12 gauge's

Remington 1100 or remington sportsman 58--both 2 3/4 inch 20 gauges

I can only keep one 12 and one 20-so putting condition aside rigth now-lets assume both are NIB just for argument sake, which would y'all choose? and why?

Thank you

Dave

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** November 07, 2004, 09:19:06 PM »

The models 50 and 1100.

The old 58 is a nice gun but is way old and parts support is iffy. Same could be said for the model 50 but it is such a nicer gun than the 1400. I just wouldn't keep a 1400 personally but that's always a personal matter isn't it.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #2 on:** November 08, 2004, 04:46:47 AM »

Dave: Got to agree with Graybeard on this one.

I have my Dad's sportsman 58 that he bought new in the 50's which he used to hunt ducks in the fly ways of south east Missouri and Arkansas during the hey day. The stories he told of Stugart in the 50's...... I used it exclusively from the mid sixties until dad died in 1993. It has had thousands of rounds put through it over the years, has killed every type of small game and varmits I can think of, and has been rock solid in reliability. I took it out after not using it for several years, and after a round of sporting clays the bolt wouldn't stay open after the last shot. While I didn't have a problem getting parts the gunsmith did say that parts were getting short for the 58. For that reason, unless, like me, there is a sentimental reason, I would keep the 1100.

The winchester 1400, at least the one I had, always had a feed problem.

lubbockdave · « **Reply #3 on:** November 08, 2004, 02:15:03 PM »

OK,
I hear what y'all are saying on the model 50-I figured to keep that one anyway but did not know much about the 1400's-I did like the fact the 1400 was lighter, but I have done a lot of work on the 50 to get it "right".

On the 58 vs the 1100-I also hear what y'all are saying on the comonality of the 1100 vs the not so common 58 as far a parts go, but I am still having a hard time with this one so let me give more details...

My 1100 is a gun bought for me by my dad about a year or so before he passed-it is a well used gun with a little bluing wear on the reciever. I had to take it to a gunsmith last year to give it a thorough cleaning-gunsmith said it was probably it's first cleaning..ever. I took it in because the action was so "gummed up" that it would not feed in shells 2 and 3, so essentially it was a single shot. It now works fine. I have also bought a modified barrel so now I can hunt dove/quail with the mod barrel and ducks/turkey with the full choke barrel.

The 58 is a gun my dad also bought with in a year or so of passing on. He bought it to go dove hunting with me-it is a little lighter and has a vent rib skeet barrel, which I figure would do just fine for dove. I could also look for a modified barrel, but I don't figure they are too comon. This gun is in better shape as far as the metal/blue but the wood has some of the glossy finish coming off, but nothing real bad. it is hardly noticable really until you run your hand over it.

Of the two the 58 is in the best shape really. I also have an old savage 311 20 gauge that has a modified and a full choke barrel that I can use to chase ducks, quail, pheasants and take long shots on dove with and use the model 50 12 gauge with a full choke to hunt turkey and a mod choke to hunt everything else just about (I had a thin wall choke system installed) so versatility is really not a problem with what I have right now. So maybe keeping the 58 would be the thing to do and use the skeet barrel for hunting dove, maybe quail??

I guess it boils down to quality--which one is in the best shape and built the best?? I am kinda leaning towards holding the 58 and selling the 1100 with the 2 barrels...

thank y'all for letting me talk this out and any other comments are welcome...

Dave

mjbgalt · « **Reply #4 on:** November 08, 2004, 02:26:31 PM »

i dont mean to pry....but maybe if we knew something else we could help in some other way....why do you have to choose between them?

-Matt

lubbockdave · « **Reply #5 on:** November 08, 2004, 02:40:54 PM »

matt,

naw, you are not prying...i even thought the about keeping both also, but we is poor folk. my brother is loosing a room mate and needs the $$. I have a limited amount of space and $$ for "excess" so everything I have needs to fit a niche right now which bugs the crud out of me as I would like to keep 'em both-my kids will one day need a shotgun to break in on-what better than a gun passed down from a grandfather?? But I am also working to keep a ruger 77 .243 and a 22lr from the same batch that will be functional as hunting arms and heirlooms. There is also a ruger 77 in 270 my dad bought for me, but I now hunt with my fathers same model ruger 77 .270 so keeping 2 77's in .270 does not really fit a need right now and may not in the future either. I would rather keep the gun my dad hunted with for 15 + years than one he bought 2-3 years before passing on for me to hunt with. That and I just don't have the funds to pay my brother what all these guns are worth.

Who knows, I just might work out a way to keep 'em both, but before I asked, I did not know the 1400's were inferior guns and knew very little/nothing about the 58. I was not sure if the 58 was worth keeping really.

hope this helps

Dave

mjbgalt · « **Reply #6 on:** November 08, 2004, 02:56:43 PM »

actually the 1400, if anything like the other winchester shotguns, isnt a bad gun. take em all out and shoot em and see which one fits and that should be the deciding factor. youre going to keep them for a memory of your dad but if you want to use them make sure you can shoot em well. otherwise theyre a wall hanger.

-Matt

victorcharlie · « **Reply #7 on:** November 09, 2004, 03:34:33 AM »

Dave: I'd probably keep the ones my dad hunted with the most. That's why I took my 58 to the clays range. Kinda like taking dad along with me. Keep the faith, your situation will surely improve, hopefully soon!

Doc T · « **Reply #8 on:** November 09, 2004, 05:44:05 AM »

Personally, I would keep the 58. You wont wear it out. It would be more PRACTICAL, though, to keep the 1100. You could get a newer barrel with choke tubes for it. I love the 58s. If you decide to sell it, let me know.

Ramrod · « **Reply #9 on:** November 09, 2004, 12:20:12 PM »

I had a 20 gauge 1400 bought new that I knicknamed the "jam-o-matic" cause thats all it did. Keep the 50.
Given your situation, I would keep the 58, also, even though the 1100 is a better gun. Later on when things improve, you will find the 1100 easier to replace if you miss owning one.
And but the way, don't ever get rid of that 311, you will hate yourself if you do. I have had mine, (20 gauge also) since 1972.