Winchester Model 101.  

WINCHESTER'S swan song with its famous Model 101 on the European market was the 6500 and 8500 series, and the 6500 Sporter was a particularly successful gun. Among its enthusiastic users was A.J. Smith, who in the era was winning just about everything going.

It came in fixed and multichoke versions, and the 30-inch fixed-choke gun which is the subject of this test was bought new by Sporting Gun editor Robin Scott in 1987. Robin didn't like the palm swell in the right side of the hand, so had it removed. After a couple of years he sold the gun to assistant editor Mike George, and neither Robin nor Mike ever got round to having the hand re-chequered. And apart from that the woodwork still has a slightly odd look, because while the fore-end bears the original polyurethane varnish, the stock has an oil finish.

For the past four years Mike has used the Winchester for most of his Sporting and game shooting, and it has been used a lot in Sporting Gun's cartridge testing programme, too.
It has also been used as a test bed for a number of experiments, including a trigger of Mike's own design and a set of stainless steel strikers acquired in the USA. Standard Winchester strikers seem to have a comparatively short life due to pitting of the tips, and it is hoped that these special components will cure the problem once and for all.

The gun has also had some choke work done.
Not much metal was removed, the object being to polish the chokes out and improve the pattern. Result is chokes which are just a few thousandths of an inch slack on the nominal
1/4 and 1/2.

Technically speaking

The 6500 Sporter is likely to suffer from exactly the same mechanical problems as the 101 Super Grade featured on nearby pages, and it has no particular vices of its own.

The action is about as simple as you can get, with the barrels hinged on a full-width cross pin and a strong full-width bolt engaging with a sturdy slot in the rear of the lump. Barrel selection is by sideways movement of the safety thumbpiece, and transfer of the trigger action to the second barrel is by a mechanical device which is not dependent on recoil. One of the nicest things about this gun is the lightweight barrel assembly. It was made before the American gun trade got paranoid about steel shot, and consequently they're as thin in the wall as those found on many a fine English gun. Result is a 30-inch gun which weighs only 7lb 5oz, yet has superb balance.

Barrels: 30in, , 23/4in. chambers.
Action: Conventional boxlock powered by coil springs. Nickel plated on outside.
Stock: Pistol grip, 141/2in. at centre (test gun).
Price: Pay up to £700 for a fixed-choke in good condition. Good multichokes are currently about £770

The up side

• Light weight and excellent balance.
  Few Winchesters go rusty.
  An American classic - even though it was made in Japan!

The down side

Not a good idea if you suffer badly from recoil - you need something heavier.

Verdict:

Like the 101 Super Grade game gun, a pity it's not still in production.

Alternative buy

If you're looking for similar handling characteristics at the same price, you may find them in a used Miroku.

More information
Browning/Winchester UK, 37D Milton Park Estate, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RT. (Tel: 0235-833939).

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