The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hi anyone used a Winchester ranger 120 for practical.if so what did you think

The Winchester Ranger 120 is a truly magic gun for practical shotgun (and this goes for the similar 1200 and 1300). It is a slicker and quicker action than otherwise excellent guns such as the Remington 870 because it unlocks itself after firing.

I moved to the Benelli SuperNova, which is graunchy, classless, and horrible (but very reliable), only because it has a bigger loading port and so is easier for loading two at a time or quadloading. The SuperNova is now used by most of the top pumpers, but having said that, I have come across a very good practical shotgunner who quadloads with a Winchester 120.

Spares are becoming difficult to obtain, but it is easy enough to buy a Section II gun – which come in at about £250 which will give you a complete set of spares which you can replace in slow time by buying on American E-bay, provided you have someone who can take delivery at a USA address and can then get them to you.

I had Nigel Teague (Teague Chokes) cut down the 28 inch barrel to 24 inches, but the above Winchester 120 quadloader, and many others, manage quite well without going to that expense.

You can see I am an enthusiast for the Winchester 120 and still have pangs of regret at moving on.

So the only problem would be spares

nearly there wrote:So the only problem would be spares

But they do not often break down.

I have a Section II gun which provides a complete inventory of spares, and when I rabbit a spare from it, I replace it with one obtained through the various routes outlined above.

In several years of serious shooting I have once broken the action bars which were welded back together by a gunsmith, broke the fore-end corn-cob grip which masking tape repaired until I found a new one as above, and, unusually, the trigger spring broke. Friends who use the Winchester 120s have also reported broken firing pins but I have never had that problem. For gun reliability the Winchester rates very highly indeed against all comers old and new.

But, as you say, the spares have become a problem. Plus the small loading port which makes loading two or quadloading more difficult.