Would this be a decent trade?

Newtmaker · Post by **Newtmaker** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 9:13 am

I have been wanting a 12 ga pump with a long bbl for trap shooting. My Remington 870 20 ga with 21" bbl doesn't cut it.
A friend has a Winchester 1200 from 1980 era. 28" bbl with permanent full choke. He let me shoot it at a trap shoot the other day and my score was better than any I had ever had. (not saying much really!)

He wants my Henry 22 mag with octagonal bbl. The Henry is in pristine shape, the Winchester shows a lot of lack of care. Functions perfect but needs some TLC.

I'm thinking I would need a few bucks in addition to the shotgun?

Opinions?

Walt

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 9:37 am

Is the 870 barrel an easy swap?
I think so.
I would look for a long barrel for the 870, they are good guns.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 9:42 am

.

FWIW, I would evaluate the "not-so-pristine" value of the M1200 no more than $200; and your pristine Henry Frontier @ about $350...............................

FYI: I, too, want to own only pristine guns (even used specimens); so I suspect you'd be less than happy with that particular M1200 (which are not terribly reliable for competitive shooting, anyway).

Can I suggest you skarf up a 28" FC barrel for your 20ga M870 ? (online @ http://www.thebarrelexchange.com or http://www.corsonsbarrels.com )

I would think you'll be more comfortable with a gun you know is good (much better than ANY M1200) - and the 20ga is no slouch.

[ EDIT: It looks like Mescalero's a faster typist than me ]

.

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:49 am

Yeah,
I can get going pretty fast, but my fingers do not always do what my brain wants them to.

Charles · Post by **Charles** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:23 am

A decent trade is when one person trades a gun he has, for another gun he wants more and both parties are happy with what they got in the deal. If making money is the object, then you sell what you have and buy what you want.

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:25 am

Charles wrote:A decent trade is when one person trades a gun he has, for another gun he wants more and both parties are happy with what they got in the deal. If making money is the object, then you sell what you have and buy what you want.

Question answered with the only right answer to be had.

bubba15301 · Post by **bubba15301** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:08 pm

i would find a barrel for the 870. the 870 is a better gun the 1200 was winchesters version of a maverick

bubba15301 · Post by **bubba15301** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:11 pm

i would get a longer barrel for the 870. if something breaks on the 1200 ,i doubt you would be able to find parts..the 1200 was an economy pump gun

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:14 pm

The 870 is an excellent gun. It`s main drawback is it is light and if you shoot a lot the recoil will get to be a pain (literally) Weight can be added to reduce that problem though. Mercury recoil reducers in the mag tube or hollow butt stock will help.

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 1:09 pm

I would keep the Henry, and offer about 175 for the Winchester.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 3:21 pm

First, if you want to shoot trap, you are handicapping yourself with a 20 ga. The smaller gauges are for experienced shooters. Sell what you have outright and go and buy yourself a new shotgun with a vent rib with interchangeable chokes.

It does not have to be a $1,000 gun. You need the gun to "fit" you. Hold the gun at waist level, close your eyes and bring it up to your shoulder as if you are getting ready to shoot. Open your eyes and you should be looking straight down the barrel. Proper length of pull is equally important. You should not have to stretch your arm to reach the trigger, nor should you be able to wrap your finger around the trigger.

If a $20,000 Krieghoff does not fit you, you will have poor scores. A $300 Mossberg with the proper choke and fit will be the cat's meow.

I've done my best trap shooting with a beat up double barreled Ithaca.----6

wm · Post by wm » Sat Dec 21, 2013 3:39 pm

Similar shape Winchester/Remington/Ithaca/Mossberg shotguns regularly show up on used gun racks or gun shows or classifieds for how much in your neck of the woods? $150-200 like they do here in Mid Michigan?

And what would it cost to replace your Henry 22 Mag? $250? $300?

Sounds like you're gonna be on the short end of the stick in a straight up swap but by a little bit. My advice is see if you can get him to toss in a few bucks, or a case of shotgun shells or something else. I've gotten power tools, hand tools, knives, etc in similar deals that I've used more then the firearms that were the center of the trade.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 4:07 pm

Newtmaker wrote:Would this be a decent trade?

Walt,

Only if you're going to be completely satisfied when it's all said and done. If you're going to pin for that Henry, then no, it won't be. And although I'm with 6Gun, getting a 28" barrel for the superior 870 is preferrable to trading out a excellent Henry 22... and certainly not for a Win 1200!

jnyork · Post by **jnyork** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 4:18 pm

Keep the Henry, save up your pennies for a nice new shotgun that is designed to do what you want it to do, and fits you and says "Remington Model 870" on the barrel.

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 6:41 pm

NO NO, NO, Keep Your 20ga 870 and Your Henry. after shooting around 30,000 shells thru several assorted guns at trap and skeet in the 70's and 80's I can absolutely say just look for an 870 Trap Gun. The Winchester 1200 is fine for a field Gun but I was told by a gunsmith first hand way back when that they won't hold up to the kind of pounding that a trap or skeet gun gets every week. Here is an 870 Trap I saw for sale. http://shop.williamsgunsight.com/morein ... .aspx&ai=M

arjunky · Post by **arjunky** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 7:09 pm

Sixgun wrote:First, if you want to shoot trap, you are handicapping yourself with a 20 ga. The smaller gauges are for experienced shooters. Sell what you have outright and go and buy yourself a new shotgun with a vent rib with interchangeable chokes.

It does not have to be a $1,000 gun. You need the gun to "fit" you. Hold the gun at waist level, close your eyes and bring it up to your shoulder as if you are getting ready to shoot. Open your eyes and you should be looking straight down the barrel. Proper length of pull is equally important. You should not have to stretch your arm to reach the trigger, nor should you be able to wrap your finger around the trigger.

If a $20,000 Krieghoff does not fit you, you will have poor scores. A $300 Mossberg with the proper choke and fit will be the cat's meow.

I've done my best trap shooting with a beat up double barreled Ithaca.----6

Jack is right, years ago I used a 120 Marlin that fit me like a glove. Only thing close was a BT-99 of a friends, but for $800 less it worked.

Byron

Mich Hunter · Post by **Mich Hunter** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 7:25 pm

I have quite a few expensive shotguns that I use for trap, skeet and hunting. Howver, my favorite trap gun is a plain jane Winchester Model 12 (1926 vintage) in 12ga with a full choke 30in barrel. I paid a whopping $200 for it and I shoot my best with it. I can tell you that the 870 will get the job done. You just need to set it up for what you want it to do.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:15 pm

12 ga. not 20, unless of course you are AA rated.---6

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:39 pm

I would keep the .22 MAG! The shotgun your looking at doesn't run more than $250 on a good day and you can find them everywhere.

firefuzz · Post by **firefuzz** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 6:11 am

BlaineG wrote:I would keep the Henry, and offer about 175 for the Winchester.

Definitely keep the Henry in this situation. I'd look for a good Remington 12ga 870 Express with screw in chokes and a box of dummy rounds to slick it up with for a starter trap gun.

Rob

Newtmaker · Post by **Newtmaker** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 3:50 pm

Thanks guys for all the replies. I went ahead and made the trade as he kicked in 100 bucks. I found the manual for the 1200 online and took it down and cleaned up and lubed . I will take the wood off one day and clean it up and refinish. It's really only dirty other than the two cracks which would fill in just fine.
As I said, the gun shoots just fine, the action is very smooth, and I believe I could learn to shoot accurate enough that it will be a fun gun for the club trap events.
I have three other lever guns, one 30-30, one 357, and one 22LR, so the magnum was not a big deal to me.

Walt

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