FN Winchester 101

[RugerOldArmy]

I picked up one of the Belgian FN Winchester 101(s) CDNN has.

My take? Built very solid. Great as an upland bird hunting gun...too light for trap, skeet, or sporting clays. Nice fit & finish.

It isn't a Browning Superposed...but as a hunting gun, it would be almost as nice.

 

[Mitlov]

Absolutely gorgeous gun! I always thought the Winchester 101 was a real looker.

 

[RPRNY]

Excellent summary and a very nice field gun. The newer ones like yours seem to have much improved stock dimensions and are a broader fit for people. The wrist on yours is very elegant.

 

[bannockburn]

RugerOldArmy

Great looking shotgun and at a very affordable price! Should make for a decent upland game gun. Sounds like a win/win to me.

 

[Captcurt]

I wonder if they are identical to the old 101's. I had a pair of 20 ga's that were nice. Never shot either one. At the time I had 7 o/u's and always grabbed my Beretta.

 

[CoalTrain49]

The old Olin-Kodensha guns weren't that great. The top rib had a habit of separating from the barrel. I've had several, actually still have one I bought new in 1970. Not sure why. I'm pretty sure the new ones are better in almost everyway. The one thing that the old ones had was gorgeous wood but a lot of guns did 50 years ago.

Nice shotgun.

 

[cdb1]

Was it the old 101's that had a reputation as hard kickers due to the stock dimensions?

 

[muzzleblast...]

My O/Us include Beretta, Remington, Ruger and Weatherby as well as the RN Winchester 101, which is quite nice, but seemingly under appreciated.

 

[RugerOldArmy]

Was it the old 101's that had a reputation as hard kickers due to the stock dimensions?

So some say, CDB1. I've read that opinion. I've know people with the Old 101(s) that didn't fit them.

I have a different take on that, but it is just my opinion: It was due to the design having a low rib, and being a bit lighter than the B-Word shotguns.

Mine is 6 lbs 12 oz. Great for the field, where I'll take it through Oak scrub in search of pheasants. You notice it is lighter with a bit of recoil, but it points well for me, and in the shorter barrel setup it is fast-handling.

I shot it a few times now. Recoil isn't bad. It wouldn't be my first choice for clays due to the weight and barrel length. I still think it is about perfect for my use as a field gun though.

 

[entropy]

Nice! I had a 101 years ago, it was a great pheasant gun. The price on those isn't bad at all, considering they have screw-in chokes.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Was it the old 101's that had a reputation as hard kickers due to the stock dimensions?

The stock dimensions on the old 101 are what I would call modern although somewhat lower than what is being sold today. Probably the reason most people feel more recoil. Those dimensions fit me pretty well and I never noticed the recoil.

When a person buys a shotgun they need to know their stock dimensions. It's an easy thing to lay a shotgun upside down on a table and measure the stock dimensions. It's a line projected from the top rib across the top of the stock. You can also hold the barrel with the muzzle about 4" from your eye (make sure it isn't loaded) and look down the rib to see if there is cast off/on or none. Most shotguns sold today are one size fits all which of course they don't. Stock dimensions are drop at comb, drop at heel, length of pull and cast on or off. Most competitive shooters know their stock dimensions like their SSN.

Any good shooting instructor will check to see if your gun fits. If he/she doesn't find another instructor fast.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Nice! I had a 101 years ago, it was a great pheasant gun. The price on those isn't bad at all, considering they have screw-in chokes.

I don't know what the price was but I do know Beretta prices have gone stupid in the last 10 years. There is a market for a good O/U under 2K. Beretta was always my favorite but I'm not sure many people can afford those these days. I sold all of mine for about what I paid for them after years of use..

 

[RPRNY]

I don't know what the price was but I do know Beretta prices have gone stupid in the last 10 years. There is a market for a good O/U under 2K. Beretta was always my favorite but I'm not sure many people can afford those these days. I sold all of mine for about what I paid for them after years of use..

CZ (Huglu) and Weatherby (also Turkish made) are the only marques offering a good o/u field gun under $2K today. And there is no target gun under $2K. This is really the Turk's game. They can make a good Brescia style over under and are really filling in where the Italians and then Spanish used to fit. The question is whether a US importer or a marque with the money and distribution will commit to a price point at which the Turks can make a decent gun. $1500 retail should get a very solid Turkish over-under. Webley & Scott have done so quite successfully with AKAS - makers of the very nice S&W Elite Gold and Kimber Valier sidelock guns nearly a decade ago - in the UK. Lanber in Spain, had they ever had the money and a solid importer, could have filled this role too.

Still, the "new" FN 101 is about the best value for money gun seen in some years.

 

[RugerOldArmy]

If they made a 20 Ga version, I'd buy another.

 

[CoalTrain49]

CZ (Huglu) and Weatherby (also Turkish made) are the only marques offering a good o/u field gun under $2K today. And there is no target gun under $2K. This is really the Turk's game. They can make a good Brescia style over under and are really filling in where the Italians and then Spanish used to fit. The question is whether a US importer or a marque with the money and distribution will commit to a price point at which the Turks can make a decent gun. $1500 retail should get a very solid Turkish over-under. Webley & Scott have done so quite successfully with AKAS - makers of the very nice S&W Elite Gold and Kimber Valier sidelock guns nearly a decade ago - in the UK. Lanber in Spain, had they ever had the money and a solid importer, could have filled this role too.

Still, the "new" FN 101 is about the best value for money gun seen in some years.

I have to agree. FN is a good company. They have made some inroads into the US market. I'm not sure Beretta cares that much about the US market. They used to build some inexpensive entry level o/u guns but have concentrated on the >2K market for awhile now. The quality is there but you pay for it. I think FN also builds the new model 70 rifle. My neighbor has one and it's a pretty nice rifle.

Ruger tried to compete but finally gave up.

 

[cdb1]

Since FN owns Browning and Winchester and has for some time I'd say the've definitely made inroads into the US market.

 

[cdb1]

I own Browning, Winchester and FABARM shotguns. I also own two Turkish shotguns - Weatherby semi's. You still see denigrating remarks frequently about Turkish shotguns. For the most part those making the remarks don't know what they are talking about. Turkish shotguns are here to stay and most of them are pretty good.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Since FN owns Browning and Winchester and has for some time I'd say the've definitely made inroads into the US market.

No, FN doesn't own Winchester or Browning.

The Winchester brand is owned by the Olin Corporation and the name is used under license by two subsidiaries of Herstal Group, FN and Browning.

WRA is a trademark name, not a company. The American company doesn't exist anymore.

 

[Blkhrt13]

Pretty

 

[cdb1]

FN is a subsidiary of the Belgian Herstal Group, which also owns U.S. Repeating Arms Company (Winchester) and Browning Arms Company.

Happy now?

 

[RugerOldArmy]

IMG_0307

• RugerOldArmy
• Jan 24, 2018

Winchester 101

Just a follow up report on this Winchester 101. I absolutely love it! I think the recoil criticisms on the old 101s do not apply to these. It is perfectly comfortable for trap and skeet. A few thousand shots in, and it has only exceeded expectations.

What a great option if your budget is a tad below that Browning Superposed! Zero regrets!

 

[ChanceMcCall]

Was it the old 101's that had a reputation as hard kickers due to the stock dimensions?

That seems to be the common comment. However, I own a 1966 101 trap gun and I have never noticed any significant recoil problems. I also own a Browning Citori with 26' barrels made in the 1980s and it seems to have more recoil to me with the same shells.

Recoil I suspect has something to do with how well the shotgun fits you in the first place.

Some of the quality issues that get discussed here, and elsewhere, about over/unders may have a lot to do with the fact that very few owners do much to clean their guns other than wipe the externals and run a rod down the barrels despite the fact that clay shooters (like me) shoot more rounds in a week than hunters normally do in a year.

 

[Captcurt]

I have had a CZ Redhead 28ga that was decent but I would take a Fausti over it. Then there is always used guns. I I have picked up a few SKB's and a Beretta BL-3 at prices low enough to make a profit on GB. At the time I had the 2 101's I also had the CZ, Beretta BL-3, Ruger Red Label, Verona 501 2 bbl set, and a SKB 600 Skeet. I only have the Beretta and Verona now.