Can a Winchester 101 be bored out to 3" chamber?

[TheCoachZed]

I've been kicking around the idea of going to a double for years, but I want a decent one. The only O/U that tempts me is the Winchester 101 and its variants, but all I ever see them in is 2 3/4 chamber.

I know that, obviously, that will work fine for most hunting situations, but are they able to have the chambers cut to 3", or is there not enough meat there?

Edited to say I am pretty much just a duck hunter, if I'm hunting partridge or rabbits I take the single shot.

 

[FLHTCUI]

You will find guys that will say ''Go ahead and you will be fine" and then there will be the other camp.
Have you given much thought to the new ammo out there and the speed and energy that they create...I'm speaking of 'Steel Shot' and Kent Fast Steel namely.
Very fast and some swear by it in the Delta where I reside.

Also, you would have to consider the chokes as well.
Either finding a 101 that is already a modified/improved choke or opening up a full choke .

Rob

 

[TheCoachZed]

You will find guys that will say ''Go ahead and you will be fine" and then there will be the other camp.
Have you given much thought to the new ammo out there and the speed and energy that they create...I'm speaking of 'Steel Shot' and Kent Fast Steel namely.
Very fast and some swear by it in the Delta where I reside.

Also, you would have to consider the chokes as well.
Either finding a 101 that is already a modified/improved choke or opening up a full choke .

Rob

I pretty much buy whatever ammo is the best deal, and that's rarely the high-speed stuff. Usually XPerts, or Remington Sportsman, or Federal Premium if I can find any of it. Scored a lot of it when it was discontinued and it shoots ooooooh so sweet.

So, I'm not likely to be pounding the gun with super-heavy loads.

 

[cosmic]

Well - The bores are chrome plated, so that creates some difficulties. Win 101's are known to "kick hard" due to the relatively light weight and the stock geometry, that rhetoric may be proved out if 3 in loads are tried... I use an old Browning Superposed that was originally chambered in 3 in, I've had the choke reamed to IC, its proven to be quite manageable. Older guns with 3 in chambers and fixed chokes can be had for not too much money - I paid ~ 800$ for mine a few years ago. (FWIW - I think that there were 101's made with 3 in chambers...)

 

[TheCoachZed]

Well - The bores are chrome plated, so that creates some difficulties. Win 101's are known to "kick hard" due to the relatively light weight and the stock geometry, that rhetoric may be proved out if 3 in loads are tried... I use an old Browning Superposed that was originally chambered in 3 in, I've had the choke reamed to IC, its proven to be quite manageable. Older guns with 3 in chambers and fixed chokes can be had for not too much money - I paid ~ 800$ for mine a few years ago. (FWIW - I think that there were 101's made with 3 in chambers...)

Pretty sure you're right on 3" chambers, but those ones seem to be for sale less often

Maybe leaving it alone would be best.

 

[BigUglyMan]

Pretty sure you're right on 3" chambers, but those ones seem to be for sale less often

Maybe leaving it alone would be best.

That would be my thought.

 

[st1264]

I've been kicking around the idea of going to a double for years, but I want a decent one. The only O/U that tempts me is the Winchester 101 and its variants, but all I ever see them in is 2 3/4 chamber.

I know that, obviously, that will work fine for most hunting situations, but are they able to have the chambers cut to 3", or is there not enough meat there?

Edited to say I am pretty much just a duck hunter, if I'm hunting partridge or rabbits I take the single shot.

Get a new Win 101 Field, $1399 at Bass Pro, 3" chambers with screw in chokes.

I have a Win 99 O/U (was told it was a 101 variant for European export) for sale in the EE, IC/IM, with the 2 3/4" chamber. I saw a 101 and 96 on the EE the other day as well. They'll be 2 3/4" most likely, as well.

There's something about the Win 101 that makes it feel right to me. Unsure about boring out to 3" on an older gun, I'd ask a gunsmith.

 

[1963beretta]

Theres a 101 waterfowl with 3" chambers on the EE right now

 

[FLYBYU44]

By the time you fiddle around boring out chambers and possibly chokes you may as well have bought a new one with chokes and 3" chambers. In the end that may even be cheaper and you don't have to worry if your next shot is going to blow a barrel up.

 

[Claybuster]

The question is whether there would be sufficient remaining wall thickness after the lengthening. There probably would be but it would be prudent to have a gunsmith measure them to see what would be left.

The other consideration is that once lengthened the gun would be very difficult to sell. I use a chamber length gauge when looking at a used gun and it's an instant no sale if the gauge doesn't align with the marked chamber length.

Personally I wouldn't do it and would instead look for a 101 with 3" chambers.

 

[st1264]

Theres a 101 waterfowl with 3" chambers on the EE right now

For $1700.

You can buy the base 101 for $1399 at Bass Pro Shops, next step up is $1899.

Winchester 101 is an expensive shotgun. Even a used one will command a little hefty price tag. Even if the OP is looking for a bargain, buying used and taking to a gunsmith for the work may very well put him in the same territory as a new shotgun, unless he gets the used one for next to nothing.

 

[mrgoat]

The reality check here is the costs involved if it could be done in consideration of the chrome lined bores and it there is enough chamber meat. Compared to just buying a waterfowl 101 or a Classic Double which already has the set up you want. Another consideration for you is a Ruger Red label. They are a very well built strong gun, and come with 3" chambers and steel friendly chokes. But at the end of the day as suggested the newer 101's from Bass Pro at $1395. is hard to beat.

 

[catnthehatt]

I once asked a ballistics expert ad sales rep for a large ammo company what the big difference was between a 2 3/4" shell and a 3"
"1 1/4"!" is what he said " The 3" shell was originally designed because people wanted more power in heavier shot, but the truth of the matter i you can get the same ammo in a 2 3/4" shell"
I shoot 2 3/4" steel regularly in my 20's and my 16's for geese and ducks and don't have an issues killing them cleanly.
The big ting would be if you work looking for a huge shot payload but then it seems that many are is looking at 3.5" now because the 12 gauge 3" is not enough ??!!
Don't change it and have fun wit it.
Cat

 

[struff55]

The only 101 that are 23/4" are early 60"s to late 60"s once into the 70"s they are all 3" field guns trap and skeet grade may be 23/4 " my point is23/4 guns are quite rare