The Winchester Model 101 Over-Under 12 Gauge Shotgun Review
I own four shotguns. I have two pump actions and two semi-autos. Each of them has a use and a reason I own them. Some are for hunting or for shooting clays and others are for home defense. Something I have heard over the years from many types of people is that you want a pump action for home defense. The reason for that is because of the sound the shotgun makes when you chamber a round. This sound is what would scare off a would-be burglar.
The reverse side of that coin is the joyful feeling I get when I eject the spent shells from an over-under. If you haven’t experienced an over-under, you are missing the feeling you get when you eject the spent shells and they are still smoking. It is a pretty badass thing to watch.
It is even more badass when you dust two clays in a row, you stand there and hit the lever while someone who saw the whole thing watches the shells fly. Sorry, where was I? Right, the Winchester Model 101 Over-Under.
Why I like Over-Unders
I believe there are three gun staples that anyone who likes guns should have. My list if three guns that all gun owners should have.
- A Shotgun
- A pistol
- GAU-8 Avenger
I will stick to my beliefs that any respectable “Gun Guy” will own all three.
I have been shooting Over-Unders for years and there is something about their simplicity of them that makes them so beautiful to me. We love modern firearms and the ability to customize and tacticool-out your firearms and make them fit a need. With a gun like this, I just want to preserve their history of them.
The Craftsmanship
I have spent about five months with the Winchester Model 101. The more I have shot the 101 and the more I have looked at it, the more it has called me back to our roots in shotgun history.
The price is $1800 for the Model 101. On the surface, this seems steep, but when you look at the craftsmanship and detail of the firearm it is hard not to respect it. Over the years at SHOT Show®, we have stopped by booths with high-dollar shotguns and I thought man if I had a half-million dollars I would never spend it on a four-piece shotgun set. When you sit down and take a look at why they do cost much, you can really understand that these are the work of masters and are truly pieces of art.
The Winchester Model 101 isn’t going to set you back $352,300. It is however beautiful enough to mount in your study or on the mantle in the living room while still being a firearm you feel comfortable enough to take down and go bird hunting with.
Final Thoughts
The Winchester Model 101 has been a true joy to shoot. There are just some things in life that cause bliss and shooting the Winchester Model 101 has been one of those moments. It takes me to a place of a simpler time where you don’t have to listen to someone trying to make their AR sound full auto. If your AR or AK is Rock and Roll then Model 101 is Classical, and I sure do love classical.
