Winchester 101 variants?

2461 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by seb7515, Jan 8, 2008

Twofer

Discussion Starter · Dec 30, 2007

I reposted this topic from the "Shotguns - General" forum, hoping the more specialised forum would yield a bigger response:

Hi All,

I've become interested in learning about Winchester-branded variants of the old (1985 and earlier) Winchester 101 O/U. My rudimentary understanding is that the same Japanese factory (Kodensha?) that made the Winchester 101 also made O/Us under the Winchester name based on the 101 action with slight differences (such as double triggers, etc.) for markets other than the U.S.

I think that such variants may possibly include a Winchester 99 (a double trigger 101 for the European market?), and may possibly include Winchester 96 and Winchester 94 models.

I am not referring to 101 clones (or predecessors) made by Kodensha and sold in the USA under a name other than Winchester (such as Nikko). I am referring to Winchester-branded products. Also, I am not referring to non-Kodensha 101 variants, such as the Classic Doubles (which I understand to have been made in the USA).

Does anyone have any info they can contribute to shed light on what (if any) Winchester-branded Winchester 101 variants were made and what features those variants included?

Thanks!

--twofer

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WinM12

· #2 · Dec 30, 2007

Pick up a copy of Dennis Adler's book "Winchester Shotguns". It's $20-$30 at most bookstores. Adler dedicates 21 pages to the O/Us that Winchester sourced globally and sold in various markets.

Briefly, O/U's were sourced from the following countries:

Models 101, 96, 99, 501 (Japan)
Model 91 (Spain)
Model 1001 (Italy)

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seb7515

· #3 · Dec 31, 2007

5000, 5500 and 6500 series. I've seen a 5000 that had DT's. The front trigger is in effect a nonselective single trigger (bottom/top), the back trigger fires the top.

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Twofer

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 2, 2008

WinM12 - Thanks for the head's-up on Dennis Adler's book. I have a copy on its way to me.

Seb7515 - Are the 5000, 5500 and 6500 models Nikko branded? I did a search on "Winchester 5000" and found a Nikko Golden Eagle 5000 listed on Gunbroker. Are the Nikkos carbon copies of the Winchesters? In other words, could the trigger parts of a Nikko 5000 with double triggers be substituted into a Winchester 101 to convert the 101 from a single trigger to a double trigger?

Thanks.

--twofer

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seb7515

· #5 · Jan 5, 2008

Twofer said:
Seb7515 - Are the 5000, 5500 and 6500 models Nikko branded? I did a search on "Winchester 5000" and found a Nikko Golden Eagle 5000 listed on Gunbroker. Are the Nikkos carbon copies of the Winchesters? In other words, could the trigger parts of a Nikko 5000 with double triggers be substituted into a Winchester 101 to convert the 101 from a single trigger to a double trigger?

Thanks.

--twofer

Chris Showler at Double Eagle Trading LLC offers a double trigger conversion for Win 101's.

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Twofer

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 8, 2008

Seb7515 - Thanks for the head's-up on the double trigger conversion. I like double triggers and am interested in contacting Double Eagle. Any idea on whether such a conversion would hurt the value of the gun?

--twofer

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seb7515

· #7 · Jan 8, 2008

Short answer is you'll probably loose money.

Depends on the buyer. Some like DT, some don't. Some like SST, some don't. There is an argument for not modifying a pristine gun and I understand that modifying a collectable probably shouldn't be done. Just sell the the things. Spend the monies on a little used gun and have it changed to suit your needs. You'll loose money but not nearly as much as shooting the collector item.

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