Ten plus years ago I bought a Winchester SX1 shotgun - the wood was fairly fancy and the gun was in very good shape. Kind of just a hey I like that at the time - thought it would be nice to have one if I ever wanted to hunt again (which I have no desire to do). I replaced the recoil buffer and put it in the safe. There it sat. Now 10+ years later I have some free time and would like to try sporting clays. However, the SX1 is Full Choke - I had hoped that it could be threaded for choke tubes but that is not possible due to the barrel thickness or lack there of I guess.
I guy I know at the club has a decent SX1 barrel in modified choke. He said he would sell it to me for $250 if I want it. Modified would be okay I think for most Sporting Clays shots.
My question is is it worth sinking $250 into the SX1 or should I sell it and buy something else. It will always be a fixed choke gun - but the wood is better than most today and the thing is certainly very well built gun. But is is 35+ years old and parts will probably become harder to get. And I believe a lot of the newer guns have shims to help adjust the stock a bit.
Perhaps a lightly used Remy 1100 Sporting with screw in chokes or a used Browning Gold Semi or Winchester Sx3. I don't own a over/under but I did look at the CZ Redhead Target a while back. Seems like a lot of gun for the money. However, the gas guns spread the recoil out a bit so I guess they seem to have less recoil but I guess that is subjective.
Now that I am passing my mid-50s my eyesight is not what it was - plus I am x-eye dominate. So I don't see my self as a serious clay shooter - just a go out and have fun in a social shooting setting.
Just wondering if the SX1 is worth sinking another $250 into it and still being fixed choke. Or should I just cry now and sell it to fund part of a more appropriate sporting gun?
Suspect I might get a lot of varied opinions here - but that is fine. I have been going back and forth myself over the last week or so.
I guy I know at the club has a decent SX1 barrel in modified choke. He said he would sell it to me for $250 if I want it. Modified would be okay I think for most Sporting Clays shots.
My question is is it worth sinking $250 into the SX1 or should I sell it and buy something else. It will always be a fixed choke gun - but the wood is better than most today and the thing is certainly very well built gun. But is is 35+ years old and parts will probably become harder to get. And I believe a lot of the newer guns have shims to help adjust the stock a bit.
Perhaps a lightly used Remy 1100 Sporting with screw in chokes or a used Browning Gold Semi or Winchester Sx3. I don't own a over/under but I did look at the CZ Redhead Target a while back. Seems like a lot of gun for the money. However, the gas guns spread the recoil out a bit so I guess they seem to have less recoil but I guess that is subjective.
Now that I am passing my mid-50s my eyesight is not what it was - plus I am x-eye dominate. So I don't see my self as a serious clay shooter - just a go out and have fun in a social shooting setting.
Just wondering if the SX1 is worth sinking another $250 into it and still being fixed choke. Or should I just cry now and sell it to fund part of a more appropriate sporting gun?
Suspect I might get a lot of varied opinions here - but that is fine. I have been going back and forth myself over the last week or so.