Win 1200 + waterfowl

Chopperhead

Chopperhead

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Ok so i just baught myself a Winchester 1200 2 3/4in chambered 12ga.

anyway Im think of making this my duck gun and Id like to get the chamber remeed out to take 3in shells. is this doable? is it expensive to get done?

also what about for steel shot? is it ok to shoot steel as it is? should i mess around with it in anyway? I seen that winchester overs in screw in choke tubes for it, is that something I should maybe look into??

also I would also still like to use this gun for upland hunting so I cant do anything to it that will mess with that.

A buddy of mine told me I should mess around with it cause it's a collectable now cause they dont make em no more. what do you guys think?? is it really that much of an issue to mess around with it? I dont think it has much collector value to it.

any help or sujestions would be aprreciated.

Thanks
Kyle.
 
You can find replacement barrels in 3" and screwin chokes, but I'm not certain if the receiver is different between the two different chamberings.

I don't think you can just ream it up to 3", check with a gunsmith.

Do whatever you want with it; it's not a collectable gun. It's not junk, but there won't be any following like for the Model 12. That rotary bolt is slick, though.

Have a gunsmith open the choke to IC and then you're ready for both upland and ducks over decoys. As long as you don't run big steel pellets through it (like BBB) I'd say you're good to go. Myself, I use an Open Cylinder with 2-3/4" steel shooting #2, 3 or 4 for ducks over decoys - deadly. It'll also be good for skeet, and recreational trap.
 
I ran steel and tungsten BB's and steel T's through mine in Modified choke. Whacked a bunch of ducks and geese with it until I sold it to DW. Those 1200's had really strong, thick walled barrels. If you wanted a do it all gun, I would buy a new barrel with screw in chokes, way cheaper than having them installed, but still costs more than the value of the gun.

Ian
 
well Ive never been duck hunting before and i was under the impression that 23/4in shells werent that great for shooting the steel. thats why i wanted the 3in. if it doesnt matter then I wont even consider it. why are 3in and 3 1/2 in magnums so popular nowadays then if the 2.75inchers work just as well?
 
A 3" load will deliver a bit more shot downrange, and a 3 1/2 more yet. But the 2 3/4 will work fine. It's not the length of the shell that matters, or so my wife says. What is more important with steel is quality of your ammo. I won't touch Winchester Super X anything. My go to round is Kent's fasteel. The name says it all. With steel, speed kills. The more velocity, the more energy. But steel is not as dense as lead, and loses power fast. To get optimum performance, go two shot sizes above what you would use for lead. If your thinking #4 lead, your needing #2 steel.-#2 lead=BB steel. Keep her as is. If you really want a 3" gun, buy a new one. Less trouble. You would have to open up your reciever, and probably will spend more than it's worth.
 
pharaoh2 said:
A 3" load will deliver a bit more shot downrange, and a 3 1/2 more yet. But the 2 3/4 will work fine. It's not the length of the shell that matters, or so my wife says. What is more important with steel is quality of your ammo. I won't touch Winchester Super X anything. My go to round is Kent's fasteel. The name says it all. With steel, speed kills. The more velocity, the more energy. But steel is not as dense as lead, and loses power fast. To get optimum performance, go two shot sizes above what you would use for lead. If your thinking #4 lead, your needing #2 steel.-#2 lead=BB steel. Keep her as is. If you really want a 3" gun, buy a new one. Less trouble. You would have to open up your reciever, and probably will spend more than it's worth.
Click to expand...

Thanks pharoah. good advice. i will do that. ive never actually seen a box of Kent though. do I have to get the stuff special ordered or what?
 
Copperhead P&D are going to be at the PG gun show, I'll get them to bring you up some 2 3/4 inch Kent Fasteel in a couple of different shot sizes, 2's and 3's are what I like best. FS
 
I checked out Kent's Website and there is a warning that you should only use the Fasteel shells in guns with barrels and chokes desinged for use of steel shot. Is this a legitmate concern or is just proctecting their ass?? what about their Tungsten matrix stuff? it says it works great for guns designed for lead shot? anyone try that stuff?

My father is shooting a Winchester Mod.50 will the Fasteel cause any problems in that gun??


Thanks guys
Kyle.
 
According to the folks at shotgunworld.com, using steel in a fixed full choke m50's a bad idea (barrel bulging where constriction occurs). This was the last semi that Winchester made with their old hand-fitted practices, so I'd avoid messing with one of them like the plague. Not sure if Fasteel has some special absorption that I don't know about, but if it's anything like the standard steel shot...I'm sure the same applies.
 
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