Winchester 101....to Briley or not to Briley

loan shark

About 6 months ago I got a great deal on a 20 ga. Winchester 101 Pigeon grade shotgun. I never had a chance to shoot it because bird season was about over when I got it. Beautiful gun and handles like a dream.

My problem is that it is a full/modified fixed choke barrel and the only bird hunting I do is dove and quail.I don't want the full barrel and would really like to have Briley's do a changable choke job on it.

As I understand it, these things are really starting to take off with collectors since they stopped making them in 1987.

The collector I am tells me to leave it factory original for the appreciating value, but the other side of me says put changable chokes in it and take it hunting.

My guestion is this. If I have Briley's do a choke job on it will I lose out on the future collector value of the gun or will a future owner appreciate the fact that it is now a more versatile gun and not be turned off because it is not "original" ?

Thanks for your replys in advance.

snickers

In my opinion installing the choke's will effect it's future value. How much is anybody's guess. I have several 101's. Some of them are shooters and some just sit there and say wouldn't you love to hunt the heck out of me. I wouldn't put the choke's in a mint gun but do what you want. There isn't anything worse than collecting and saving till they plant you and someone else gets to shoot the barrel off.

MONEY TALKS mine says good-bye

AntiqueDr

Nah, put the Brileys in. 101's are more sought after by shooters than collectors.

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marinebadger

I agree with Snickers. Just as performance cars are made to
perform and not sit in a garage, guns without some specific embellishment of something of the like are made to shoot
The question is do you think you will want to sell it before they do
"plant you" or are you keeping it till the end of your days only to pass it down?


Is it a good idea to teach a girlfriend to shoot?

rsnyder55

Tough question. The shooter in me says use it, the collector in me says don't modify it. I'm only glad I don't have to make that decision, my 101 20ga pigeon grade came with chokes.

Good Luck.

He Dog

I agree with the Antique Dr. He knows what collectors and shooters want and buy. For a collector it would harm the value or make the gun unacceptable, but for a shooter it should enhance the value. I bought a Franchi Aristicrat Silver King LNIB and I am planning to have Briley bore it for screw in chokes and lengthen the forcing cones. I got a great deal and even with the Briley work I will be under my budget and have far more gun that I could have gotten new for the same price range.

tocamoha

Check out www.choketube.com.

He Dog

They are hundreds cheaper than Briley/s, anybody know anything about their quality?

almaguns

Either trade the set of barrels you have for the chokes you want or keep the barrels and buy the another set. It may not matter too much right now if you alter the gun but it will in 10 or 15 years.

25-06

You might want to check with Briley first about cost. Most 101's barrels are not thick enough for regular choke tubes. He might have to make a custom set of tubes for the specific barrels on the gun and that can be quite expensive. A friend did this with a 12 ga. 101 Pigeon Grade and it cost him about $300.00 per barrel, if my memory is correct.

He Dog

Briley prices for a boring and threading a 12 guage double start at $369 with 5 chokes. $300 per barrel is a huge premium, but maybe justified if chokes really are custom made for the gun. Carlson appears to be much cheaper, but no one seems to have experience with them. I have heard the name but nothing more.