New (to me) Winchester 1400

[chas08]

I have recently obtained a "new to me" Winchester 1400. Does anyone know where I can get a reproduced owners manual or a PDF file, to aid in the full disassembly and cleaning of my new toy. I'm not very familiar with Winchester semi-auto's. I have ran a few rounds through it just for a function check and I must say, It's the "softest on the shoulder" 12 ga. I've ever fired, even beating out a recently purchased 1187 SP. I think it and my arthritic shoulder are going to become "great duck hunting buddies" Not bad for $225 + shipping.

 

[41magsnub]

Owner's manual:

http://stevespages.com/pdf/winchester_1400_winchester.pdf

 

[chas08]

What service!!!! Thanks 41magsnub. If any of you out there have any owners advice for me I'd be happy to hear it.

 

[unlearned69]

My advice is that if you have some cycling problems to take off the end cap and pop out the spring and piston. Place the barrel back on and make sure that the holes in the barrel line up with the holes in the mag tube/ action tube. I've seen two that were both misaligned and required mag tube movement. That solved cycling problems.

 

[chas08]

I dont have any cycling issueswith it. It functions fine. I shot it six times with three different ammos and it never missed a lick. Which in itself is a testament to the design given how "Dirt Road Filthy" the action and gas cylinder and piston were. Its "Boot Camp clean" now with the exception of the mag tube and follower. Thats not covered in the owners manual and I'm reluctant to just tear into it blind. So if it ain't broke, don't fix it I guess.

 

[tube_ee]

I've had mine so dirty

that you could watch the bolt cycle back and forth. In real time.

Yet it never failed to eject the empty or to load the next round.

The gas tube and piston get quite dirty. Clean them every couple of hundred rounds.

DO NOT!!! take the trigger group apart!! It comes apart very easily. It's an absolute nightmare to get back together. And when, after screwing with it for two weeks, you do get it back together, the safety doesn't work. Ask me how I know this....

I love mine. I've got no idea how it ended up on the list of the "Five Worst Shotguns Ever Made", but that's a slander against what has been for me and my dad (who had it before me), a great gun. The only beefs I have are that it's heavy, and there's no really comfortable way to carry it afield, except at port arms, or with the receiver cupped in a hand. Every shoulder carry I've tried ends up with some metal corner or another digging into my flesh. That said, I've carried it all day after California quail, and I was more tired from all the walking than from carrying the gun.

--Shannon

 

[chas08]

5 Worst Shotguns?

tube ee, I guess it's just a matter of who's doing the rating. I owned a benelli super black eagle for seven years and it left me "Boomless" twice on different goose hunts in the first five years. And they are rated just bellow "Jesus" in most shotgun circles. So go figure. I sold that gun and bought a Remington 1187, a Winchester 1400, and paid half down on an Ithaca 37 Ultra-Featherweight 20 ga.that is in lay-away at my favorite gunshop. All these guns are pre-owned and in 90-98% condition. So at 3 for 1I guess the benelli deserves a higher rating. But I take solace in looking at the barrels of my three new aquisitions and seeing **Made in the USA**

 

[tube_ee]

It was one of the gun rags...

I don't remember which one.

All it did is suppress the resale value of a gun I like. Darn.

--Shannon

 

[TX1911fan]

I just bought a 1400 in 20 gauge and love it. Very soft shooting, which my 12 year old daughter loves. We are going to refinish the stock together. We'll cut it down an inch for her, my wife and my son to use. The only load it hasn't cycled was a Fiocchi 3/4 ounce trainer load. Otherwise, it will take anything.

I just wish the foreend was a little more stylish. I hate that square shape. If I'm refinishing it anyway, would there be any problem rounding it out? Would it cause any structural problems?

 

[chas08]

I'm too new to the 1400 to say for sure about structural problems. But mine is an older gun made before the bolt release under the reciever was the norm. Mine has the half moon thumb indention and to release the bolt you simply push on the shell follower with the tip of your thumb or insert another shell. It looks like you would have plenty of wood to radius the edges and still have plenty of wood left. I'm not sure about the newer ones. I wouldn't think it would be much if any different. They sure put nice wood on those old guns back then. Whomever owned mine took good care of the outside. It doesen't appear to have been shot a lot either. Hopefully it will be a good one. They really are soft shooters.

 

[TX1911fan]

I have the older one as well, no fancy bolt release for me. I'll have to decide what to do. Thanks for the input.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

The Winchester 1400 I have in 20 ga is one of the best values I've come across - I paid $235 (probably too much), but it's still worth it - reliable semi-auto, winchester name, good looking (vent rib & classis looks), interchangeable chokes, easy ergo controls - what's not to like? I also cannot imagine how it got into 5 worst shotguns - who makes that allegation anyway? Is that true? Anyone have a link?

 

[chas08]

No links here, but as I said, it just depends on who's doing the rating. I wouldn't score benellis very high if I wrote a review based on the experience I had with mine. I like the idea of a 20ga. I may have to explore that avenue later. 20's are usually a little more expensive than 12's in older discontinued models because fewer of them were made. Your price sounds very reasonable. Happy shooting.

 

[surfinUSA]

I've got an older Ted Williams 300, 12 gauge which is a Winchester 1400 marketed by Sears. Its a great gun, simple mechanism, never jams.

I don't know how long it will hold up because although the mechanism is simple it may not be that robust.

There are a lot worse guns on the market. I shoot trap with it every week. Usually 75-100 rounds, and will continue to do so until it breaks, then I will fix it and keep shooting.

Contrary to the claims of some its not a bad gun, sure there are better guns but probably not for the money these go for. They are under valued and for a hunter they will serve him well.

In truth, I also shoot a browning (my fav)for trap. But I shoot the Ted Williams just for the fun of seeing the shocked look on the shooters that spent a lot more for their gun and don't break as many clays.

 

[chas08]

surfinUSA, I work and hunt with a fellow who has a Ted Williams 300 with a variable choke. He's had it since he was a teen and is absolutely deadly with it. We aren't clay shooters by any measure. But we go out a few times before the dove opener to "Tune Up" for opening day. I once seen him "smoke" a guy with a Kriegoff at trap. So it's not the gun, it's the man behind it. I'm happy if I can take a 12 bird limit of dove with a box or less or a 5 bird limit of duck with a ten round box of Hevi-shot (at $3 a shot it pays to be conservative) His 300 is the only gun with a variable choke I've ever shot, that you couldn't see the choke when you look down the sighting plane. We've hunted together for 30 years and I've never seen that gun miss a lick. That's gotta be a testament to something.

 

[surfinUSA]

Chas08, I haven't had this gun nearly as long as your buddy. I got this for my son. It has the vent rib, double bead and adjustable choke.

I just got back from putting another 100 rounds down range. Unfortunately I didn't come near busting 100 clays. But the gun never missed a beat. As with any shotgun sport if the gun fits you well you will do well I do alot better with my Browning because it fits great.

The only real problem I've ever heard about with these guns is that sometimes they crack the plastic magazine throat but if that happens I'll replace it. Good luck and happy shooting with yours.