Hi Everyone, I am picking up a Winchester 100 tomorrow, beautiful rifle in .308 win. According to the serial number it is a 1964 model. It is a gift and I really like the looks of it. I tried to look it up on the web but there is a lack of information or at least practical information on shooting one. If anyone has some experience with it please clue me in. Thanks alot.

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Grover Oathkeeper

My brother has one, also in .308. There was a recall on the firing pin several years ago, do a GOOGLE search for that info. Spare mags are costly. The triggers generally feel like a shotgun trigger. I like his more than he does. It is not a sub MOA rifle but will shoot golf ball size groups reguarly.

Hi:
Owned one in the 1960s. Mountd a Weaver 4X on it. Loaded Speer 110gr JSP bullets with a ? load of #3031 powder. Enjoyed 1 1/4" groups at 100 yards.

I've had a 1970 production .243 since 1999. I also have a box of Remington ammo for it, which has a Wal-Mart price tag on it of 5.88. Sometime in the '70s my Dad borrowed the rifle from my maternal Grandfather to deer hunt with. The ammo then ended up with other assorted ammo at my Grandparents' place, and someone marked the box with my Dads name to keep track of it. So, I've got some history there.
I've never shot the rifle for groups, but way back when, I did manage to shoot a full mag of four rounds into a one hole group at 30 yards, offhand. They may not be benchrest accurate, but it is a very shootable piece. Feels much like a slightly larger 10/22.
So yeah, I like 'em, and wouldn't mind having another.

I owned one in 308 in the 1980's, traded it as partial trade on a Thompson IIRC. The only problem I had with it was that with military ball ammo it would double fire. I don't know why but it did that very consistently.

I own two.. first one I picked up in the PX in Korea for $$64 in '71 brand new!!!. second one i got a few years ago for my oldest son. love the compactness. and the wood. my lgs said to use only 150 grn bullets in 'em cause the bolts take a pounding and break.

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UNDER THE CONE OF SILENCE

Be careful with the mag latch as they are sometimes problematic and you can lose an expensive magazine.

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Curtis M Brier

Thanks everyone, I have some 150gr Ammo just waiting for it to get here. Not much of a breeze and Deer Rifle Season starts tomorrow. I am so ready.
thanks again

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Grover Oathkeeper

Bought one last year with an inexpensive 3x9 scope and no mag for the outrageous price of $300.00 OTD at a LGS. Well worn stock, but for that price I couldn't say no. Brownells had the mags for $50.00. Shoots 2" groups at 100 yards w/Wolf ammo.

Take the mag out, pull bolt back, look at the inside top of the reciever, you should see a letter, like B or X etc. that will signify the firing pin recall has been performed. There was a problem with double firing.some were corrected but not marked, because it is just a simple firing pin replacement. You can also check to see if the firing pin will turn, in situ, and if it has been corrected, it will NOT rotate/roll. Because the retrofit pin has a flat spot, and original was cylindrical. Hope that helps, the 100 s are nice, and sought after.
There was a FACTORY RECALL DUE TO DOUBLE FIRING.

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David had only 5rds(1Sam17:40)

My grandfather had one with a little Weaver 4X scope in .308
He loved it and shot many deer and more than a couple bears with it. He liked the magazine and ease of loading while carrying it in his truck, rather than his old Winchester lever action in 32 WinSpec. I went over the rifle giving it a thorough cleaning and re oiled the stock for him before he passed, I took it out and fired a box of shells through it to make sure it was still sighted in, it ran great and shot true. I told him I had an interest in it but like all the rest of his pistols and rifles it got sent out of the family by a greedy aunt.

Dad uses Grandpa's Winchester 100 in 308, after I fixed it. the bolt got jammed closed something fierce, and it took a whole bunch of persuasion to get it open after it had been sitting for a few years because nobody wanted to "wreck" the gun. Once I got it open I was able to take it apart and clean it well. I has since managed over a box of ammo without a hick-up.

Parts for them are very dear, and they tend to not be reliable from personal experience and from what I've heard. There is apparently a common alteration to the gas port to make the .cycling a bit less harsh.

I've heard it was a Winchester 100 that took the whitetail Boone and Crocket record holder.

Bought a 100 in 1985, first time i fired it, it went full auto and broke my nose. Later learned about the firing pin recall, had it fixed, now shoots great. Also picked up a 100 carbine which shoots great. Both shoot 1" groups at 100 yards.

My buddy has one in .308 & has taken his Elk for years with it. Myself I shoot my Model 88 in .308, it's a close cousin.

I received the rifle yesterday, cleaned it all up. A bit concerned because the firing pin does roll all the way around. Took it out and shot two of my handloads through it. It shot beautifully, I will contact winchester about the recall but I will bet its a little late.

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Grover Oathkeeper

no, its not too late. they will even pay a gunsmith to do the work

Yes, they will break. I used to do a bit of 'smithing and I was brought one that had broken. Had to make the bolt that the firing pin passes through.

Otherwise, they are nice shooting rifles.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

For those of you that are interested I have one of the guns that Winchester used to develop the Model 100. The gun was built by Al Ljutic and was with other guns tested by the Army as a replacement for the M1 in 1944. Here are the test results on the Ljutic rifle:

Slideshow « US Ljutic rifle « Forgotten Weapons

No rifle was chosen to replace the M1 but Ljutic after the war continued to refine his rifle. The history is very foggy on just what happened between Winchester and Ljutic but many of the ideas from the Ljutic rifle were used in the new Winchester 100 when it came out. There was a big lawsuit and after an out of court settlement Winchester introduced the Model 100.

The rifle I have is chambered in .30 Remington and was most likely built in the early 50's. The rifle shoots and operates flawlessly but you would expect that from a hand built firearm.

Ljutic survived as a company though it was bought out just before Al Ljutic's death a few years ago. Ljutic is thought by many Trap shooters as one of the premier shotgun builders ever.

Here are a few clips of what was to become the Winchester 100.

Back in the mid-sixties I came within a cat whisker of buying one in the then new .284 Winchester cartridge. I believe the cartridge was originally designed for the Model 100 and it's sister, the Model 88 lever. Problem was, I wasn't eighteen yet and my old man would not let me spend the $150 for a gun that shot "one-a those new fangled cartridges". Instead we went to the surplus barrel and got me a M1917 Eddystone in ougth-six for $25.