A friend is giving me a 30+ year old Ranger Model 1300, 30" full choked no rib front bead barrel, 3" chamber pump shotgun. This 12 gauge is in good condition and the barrel looks fine, action is smooth, but I am partial to more open chokes.

Already have my own shotshell reloading machine, a Pacific by Hornady, so looking forward to some time on the clays and turkeys.

Your input would be appreciated:

- Would you guys agree this will make a good turkey gun? I have yet to pattern it.

- Do you know if spare barrels are readily available for the older Model 1300s...like a short slug barrel with sights, or better yet, a 26" or 28" ribbed barrel with some sort of multiple choke tube setup to increase versatility?

- Any good Winchester dealers in Canada?

Pattern report - 30" circle on wide backing:

At 30 yds it clearly throws 85% of a trap load (No.7 1/2) right of centre and down a bit. Walk up to the target and the dense clustering jumps out at you: at 30yds nothing can fly or jump through the right side of aimpoint, but huge gaps to the left. Same right cluster with cheap No. 6 rabbit load.

From 40yds, high wall No.2s express and No.6 rabbit loads are skewed right as well, with fair to increasingly poor coverage left of centre.

I might yet make a turkey gun out of it (hold left of it's head). First will fully check the barrel for straightness.

If not a turkey gun, then a multi-tasker with a Poly-Choke and the barrel shortened to 24" or 26" - for brush, clays, and wingshots.

Ideas?

BTW, this is a Ranger Model 120 rather than a model 1300 or 1200.

I owned a 1300 "featherweight" bought new in '86. It came with the 3 "winchokes" that could be unscrewed from the barrel to change them. You say yours is 30 yrs old? I can't comment on a 70s gun. Phone your local gun store and ask if the locking lugs are the same between the newer "80s" barrels vs yours. Personally, I sold my (mint) 1300 last year for fear of not ever being able to get parts if they were ever needed due to winchester going under. And its replacement was a Mossburg 590A.

i dont know about u guys but i am sticking to full chockes! if ur good enough with them u take down what u want to take down.
sry i know it doesnt help ur post one bit, i just had to say it tho!:)