Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Old School Winchester 1300 Defender

I picked up a pretty clean old Winchester 1300 Defender today from summitgunbroker. It has the standard length mag tube, an 18 1/2" Defender marked barrel on it, an unmarked but absolutely reliable steel +2 extension on it and utilitarian wood furniture. Got into it right, too.



My wife and I shot some clays this afternoon. The old-school Winchester pad worked surprisingly well and this gun isn't punishing at all. It is light and very fast in the hands and a natural pointer from the hip or the shoulder. As long as I snap-shot clays quick, my hit rate with the 1300 was near 100%- better than even with my Browning Light 12. That might have something to do with the fact I spent the last 40 years rocking short barrel shotguns.

I patterned the 1300 at 25 yards on the 11x17 steel 'crack-head torso' plate. This is one round each of Universal #8, one Federal 2 3/4" Magnum 00 buck and a Super X slug. A good spread with birdshot, 7 of 9 buckshot on the plate and the slug printed just a couple of inches above the bead. I think I pulled the slug right just a hair.