Winchester Super X Model 1 Semi Auto 12 Ga.

Smitty500mag

I'm not a fan of anything that Winchester made after 1964 but I will say the Model 1 is a pretty good looking gun and appears to be made very well. I read that they were made from 1974 to 1981. Maybe they weren't so great of a gun since they quit making them after only 7 years. I don't know what their reputation is. Anybody here ever own one? 

This one I inherited from my uncle back in 1999. I've never shot it and it appears that it's never been shot. It has an extra barrel that came with it.

I took it out of the safe yesterday afternoon as I continue to do some inspecting and cleaning on guns that have been stored away for a while. Still looks good, no rust or anything. That Golden Rod that's been in the safe for over 20 years now has done its job.

While I was digging around in my cleaning stuff yesterday I also ran across a couple of old wooden cleaning rods that belonged to my great grandpa that I had forgotten about. They're connected with threaded brass couplings that's recess so they won't touch the barrel. It's about the longest cleaning rod as you'll run across. Wonder what kind of gun needed that long of a cleaning rod? Yeah, yeah I know, one with a long barrel. Beat you to it Don. 

hillbille

forearm looks a lot like the model 140/1400  seems not much of a following for them either, but I have owned a couple 20ga and 16ga and never had any problems with either.... as per the rod I used to have a model 97 with 32 inch modified choke barrell, think they called em goose guns back in the day you would have thought they would have had full choke though

sharpshooter039

Great shotgun,, they quit making them mostly because they were too expensive ,, steel receiver with walnut furniture. Could not compete with the newer cheap shotguns being produced

Smitty500mag

After doing a little research on the Model 1 I found out the reason they were discontinued. The Model 1 was Winchester's last effort to build a quality gun without using stamped metal parts and using a steel receiver. They were too expensive to produce. Here is a good article on them if anyone is interested. There is a video in this article that's interesting also. It shows the Model one parts being machined and assembled. 
https://www.randywakeman.com/TheRemarkableWinchesterSuperXModel1.htm

"The passing of the Winchester Super-X Model 1 was the passing of an era. It was the end of Olin-Winchester firearms, and it was the end of any new attempts at the “proper autoloader”: polished blue, machined steel, and well-finished walnut. There was a time when rough, matte finishes were viewed with contempt. Plastic parts and stamped metal parts were often looked at with great disdain. Plastic stocks were once considered something that only Hasbro or Mattel would willingly produce. Engine-turned bolts, grip caps, polished blue, well-matched carefully dried walnut, and hand-engraved steel were considered mandatory attributes of a quality firearm. Those days are gone, never to return. Do you miss them, yet?"

BobJudy

These were the best auto shotguns of their time. Good examples still bring a pretty good price. I actually prefer them over the cheaper built 1100. When Winchester couldn't compete price wise it was replaced with the cheaply made 1400. They kept the lines of the Super but the mechanism was totally different. There was one Achilles heel regarding the SuperX. There is a recoil buffer between the bolt and the back of the action. The original buffers degraded with age and would literally disintegrate. Modern replacements hold up almost forever. My advice, check the buffer, replaced if necessary, take the gun out and shoot it. Shooting a great old shotgun can be a lot of fun. Bob

Smitty500mag

BobJudy said:

There was one Achilles heel regarding the SuperX. There is a recoil buffer between the bolt and the back of the action. The original buffers degraded with age and would literally disintegrate. Modern replacements hold up almost forever. My advice, check the buffer, replaced if necessary, take the gun out and shoot it. Shooting a great old shotgun can be a lot of fun. Bob

I believe the part you're referring to is the bolt slide buffer. I found one for $18.50 at MIdwest Gun Works. I remember hearing about that problem years ago but had forgotten about it. Thanks.

toad67

Excellent shotguns. As Bob mentioned the worst part about them is the bolt buffers. If you get one, but an extra gas o-ring while you're at it. IIRC, some of the earlier triggers weren't the greatest, and the last versions with the gold triggers were the best.