Winchester 1400

TonyAR308

New member
I have a 1400 that I can't seem to find a use for. Not into turkeys and still looking for a place to hunt dove. I was looking at Gunbroker and saw a barrel that said it was for 2 3/4" and 3". Since I am not much of a shotgunner and my 1400 says 2 3/4" only my question is three parts: Is it the barrel that dictates the shell length (I thought it was the receiver)? Can I take a standard barrel and have it cut down and rifled? Would the cost outweigh the benefits? It is my understanding that Winchester didn't make rifled barrels for the 1400. Sorry if the first question is stated completely accurate but...

Tony
 
The chamber length is in the barrel. Don't know why you would want to rifle the barrel - probably more $$ than the gun is worth, and then it is limited in use. Don't know why you would want to cut the barrel down unless you are attempting to make a home defensive weapon out of it - and there are a lot better options than that.

The barrel you see on Gunbroker may be a rechambered (reamed out) barrel for an earlier gun (the "mark I" or Mark II 1400) or it could be a barrel for the later Model 1400, but I don't think the barrel interchanges with the earlier 1400s ('Mk I' or Mk II).

You don't say if your gun is one of the Mk I or Mk II guns or not. If a 1400 Mk II - it only holds three rounds, one chambered, two in the magazine. There is no plug and the magazine tube cannot be expanded. The Mark II Model 1400 replaced the 1400 model (called 'Mk I' but it never had that roll mark) in 1968 and was discontinued in 1973 - so your gun is somewhere between '68 and '73 if this is a "mark II" 1400. There were 'model 1400s' made again in 1989 - but not the same as these early "mark IIs".

The earlier 1400s are good guns - the only real weak spot is the plastic follower - very easy to break. Excellent bird hunting gun, probably not something that would stand thousand of rounds on a clays field.
 
It is the MKII version and the barrel has the interchangeable chokes. I was wondering if the barrel makeover, so to speak, would be a viable alternative to purchasing another shotgun which would be very limited use as a late season heavy brush gun for deer. I wouldn't cut the barrel I have now, the gun is in excellent shape. I have had the gun for almost a year now and not a round through it. Thanks for the response.
 
I wouldn't cut it then. Put a modified or cylinder choke in it and maybe use one of the brenneke or foster type rifled slugs. I had a 1400 Mk II that was a great field gun for birds but I never shot a deer with a smooth or rifled barrel shotgun so I can't say for sure how it (the slugs) will work with the 1400.
 
Thanks Couzin. Maybe I'll sell something and purchase a dedicated rifled slug gun or carbine. My whole issue was wanting a short barrel, heavy hitting round when the deer are really spooked and I have to go into heavy cover late in the season.
 
Never mind - says sold at bottom. Might want to keep an eye on Shotgunworld though - stuff does come up.
 
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