Winchester 101 over under

[wws]

Hello, I recently purchased an over under 12 gauge Winchester 101. Its 20+ years old and not in mint condition but reasonable shape without anything wrong with it.
I can't seem to figure out how to shoot from the top barrel first. Any one have one of these to tell me how to select. The safety doesn't move side ways for a barrel selector.
Shooting trap we are mostly doing one at a time any way and I use the bottom barrel as modified compared to the top being full choke.
The only issue I am really thinking is that I have two barrels and the bottom one is going to wear out way sooner.
If I load both barrels I have to shoot the bottom barrel first then the top barrel but once I #### the barrel open I have to start shooting the bottom barrel first every time.


William

 

[OneBarfly]

IDK. I have a Win 101 in skeet/skeet. I've always only loaded the bottom barrel for singles and both for doubles - it's just what you have to do. Make sure you relieve the firing pins when you park the gun for the night. Use something like snap caps or spent shell casing to protect from breaking your pins when you dry fire. Also, lube your hinges and their bearing surfaces and the gun will last you a very long time.

 

[wws]

Thanks, I thought I was missing something right under my nose. I usually break it down and store in the carrying case but good to know on the thoughts on the pins.

 

[the spank]

The selector is incorporated into the safety. Pull it back into safe and push it to one side or the other. There should be a U on one side and an O on the the other. It may not move once it’s off safe so put it on safe then try to move it. If it’s not moving it all it may be very dirty or seized and need cleaning and/or work done to it. If it’s a Japanese 101 it will be much older than 20 years too. They quit making them in the late 80’s.
And......you won’t wear one barrel more than the other by using one most times. There are other components that will wear out long before a barrel ever will. I have 28 years of shooting my 101 with tens of thousands of rounds and rarely selected top first and have yet to have to change a part of any kind.

 

[Pijetro]

Hello, I recently purchased an over under 12 gauge Winchester 101. Its 20+ years old and not in mint condition but reasonable shape without anything wrong with it.
I can't seem to figure out how to shoot from the top barrel first. Any one have one of these to tell me how to select. The safety doesn't move side ways for a barrel selector.
Shooting trap we are mostly doing one at a time any way and I use the bottom barrel as modified compared to the top being full choke.
The only issue I am really thinking is that I have two barrels and the bottom one is going to wear out way sooner.
If I load both barrels I have to shoot the bottom barrel first then the top barrel but once I #### the barrel open I have to start shooting the bottom barrel first every time.


William

There is nothing to wear. Use bottom barrel first.
Recoil is brought in line lowet to your shoulder.

By the time you've spent enough money on shells to get to that point, you'll quickly realize that gun prices or repairs are the least of your concerns.

 

[mrgoat]

Hello, I recently purchased an over under 12 gauge Winchester 101. Its 20+ years old and not in mint condition but reasonable shape without anything wrong with it.
I can't seem to figure out how to shoot from the top barrel first. Any one have one of these to tell me how to select. The safety doesn't move side ways for a barrel selector.
Shooting trap we are mostly doing one at a time any way and I use the bottom barrel as modified compared to the top being full choke.
The only issue I am really thinking is that I have two barrels and the bottom one is going to wear out way sooner.
If I load both barrels I have to shoot the bottom barrel first then the top barrel but once I #### the barrel open I have to start shooting the bottom barrel first every time.


William

When I shot a bit I used Win 101's. By using either barrel more than the other you will never wear out the more used barrel in your life time or the next one after that. Just do as suggested by routinely cleaning the gun and dropping the pins on snap caps if not being used for a while and the gun will out last you without issue.