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Posted: 1/19/2016 2:06:22 PM EDT
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When dad passed my brother and I split his guns between us. One of the guns I ended up with was a Winchester model 100 rifle in .308 caliber, MFG date = 1965. This rifle has the pressed basketweave checkering on the original stock. Dad purchased a Fajen stock with a upgraded wood and restocked the rifle. This stock was never checkered, but is a nice piece of lumber. I have the rifle, both stocks and 2 magazines for it. I'll try to get it out and take some pics maybe later today. I know there was a firing pin recall notice issued and I think this gun has been updated, but I'm not positive. I'll have to check that out as well, I do know what to look for.
I'm kind of torn on what to do with it. It was dads, so I hate to sell it. But, dad just bought it to play with - the stock mostly, it wasn't anything special to him. Anyone have experience with the 100, good or bad? I've always hunted with bolt action guns, and have never messed with an autoloader. It's a .308, and the only .308 I have. I have always hunted with either a .270 or a .300 win mag. A .308 doesn't really do much for me, although I've been pondering an ar-10. ETA: It does have the firing pin update. I have it all stripped down, the smaller parts and the bolt parts are soaking in mineral spirits. Cleaned out the gas tubes and slides with CLP. I'll let the bolt and smaller pieces soak for a while and then reassemble. I worked the trigger over with some CLP and it's much better than it was. I suspect this gun has not been fired since the early 90's. |
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I like them. I ended up with an excellent condition, 1970 production .243 carbine that was in my Grandads estate. Reminds me of a grown up 10/22. I have no idea what kind of accuracy it's capable of bench rest wise, but offhand it's extremely shootable. Back in 1999 I had a witness to me putting a four round magazine through one hole at 25 yards offhand. Saved the target in the garage then Dad threw it out while I was off in the Army. No chance I could replicate that now.
Pretty sure I haven't fired mine in ten years. I should fix that. |
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They are really good woods hunting rifles, light, quick handling, and with decent accuracy out to 250-300 yards or so. I had one back in tbe '80 that I picked up lightly used. I gave it as a high school graduation gift to a relative and he has used it extensively.
My only quibble is that if you handload, you must use small base dies and it cannot use maximum pressure loads you might use in a bolt gun. Get too hot and it will either give you stuck cases or rip off case rims. No problem with factory ammo. Accuracy was about 2 MOA, again fine under 300 yards. |
| Thanks for the heads up on the dies, and keeping loads moderate. I see some notations on some of dads stuff about powder levels that he used - but I haven't found dies yet among any of his stuff. I wouldn't trust his load data in any case - but if he had load data he probably had dies. I'll have to check with my brother to see if he has the dies in his stuff, though I'd seriously doubt they would be small base dies (just knowing dads level of attention to detail). If I keep it I will definitely load for it. |
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Pics didn't come out well. May try again if I can get better lighting.
The original stock has been cut down and a piece added to it to extend it. It's still really short even after the added chunk. Unfortunately I think it's firewood at this point. I suspect this is why dad bought it, probably got a screaming deal on it because the original stock was ruined. 
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Neat post and pic's...! I've had a .308 100 Carbine since 1990. It's one of the few "hunting" rifles I own. It sits next to a Ruger .44mag Carbine in the safe ------ kinda twin sons from different mothers. Here's some info on them... |
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Thanks, that site is informative.
I completely stripped it down the other day - the inner gas piston has some corrosion around the very end of it. I hit it wth fine sandpaper and scotchbrite and removed any high spots and polished it up a bit. There is a note in that website that Brownells sells a stainless steel replacement gas tube. They are in stock, I checked, I may order one up. It looks simple enough to replace. I ordered dies and a little better scope mount than the one that is on it. It has a cheap aluminum mount and an old weaver K4 scope on it. I ordered a steel Redfield solid base for the M100 and Leupold medium height rings for it. I have a Burris fullfield II 3-9x x 40 scope sitting in the spares bin that will go on it. I have a little better than a box of Remington factory ammo for it. I'm going to take it to the range tomorrow and see how it shoots. Probably should have waited on dies and scope mounts until after I had a chance to shoot it - but, whatever. I'm figuring on 165 gr accubonds at 2650 - 2700 fps at the muzzle. That should give the accubonds adequate velocity up to about 275 yds for expansion. it would be about 2" high at 100 and 5 or 6 inches low at 300yds. Pretty much point blank out to 230 - 240 yds. Which should be very adequate for my needs. |
| I have one from '67, and its been a good shooter. Mine is also a .308, except I primarily shoot 150gr bullets. I stripped mine down as well, and I don't remember it being too difficult. I did swap in a heavier exctracotr spring, but that's about all I have done. Haven't hunted with it yet, but its currently awaiting its turn...;) |
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I agree it handles like a grown up/centerfire 10-22. The Fajen stock with higher cheek/comb fixes my bitch with using it with a scope.
Because the action's attached to the stock like an M1 Carbine it's inconsistent regarding accuracy. I've killed deer with it but replaced it with a Remington 700 Varmint. If the action could be fixed in the stock differently I think you could probably tighten the groups. Again, a fun gun but it can't touch a good bolt rifle. |
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Quoted:
I have one from '67, and its been a good shooter. Mine is also a .308, except I primarily shoot 150gr bullets. I stripped mine down as well, and I don't remember it being too difficult. I did swap in a heavier exctracotr spring, but that's about all I have done. Haven't hunted with it yet, but its currently awaiting its turn...;) Where did you get or what did you use for the heavier extractor spring? |
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Wolf springs has a heavy spring
Heavy recoil spring Nuline guns seems to have stock springs and parts. I went to the range today. A little disappointing. I shot 3, 4 shot groups. I use the term 'group' somewhat loosely. I haven't done any measuring yet, but 6-8". This is at 100 yds off of a rest. 4x weaver scope. 165 grain Remington core-lokt factory ammo. I had a number of extraction issues, mostly the spent case stayed in the chamber and the next shell tries to load in behind it. I've read nu-line makes an oversized extractor for it, but I didn't see it on their website. I have not pulled the extractor out of the bolt and checked for wear or debris. The first plan is to swap out the scope and scope mounts. I' sure dad mounted the thing, no-telling how well he did that. In the mean time I'll pull the bolt down again and check the extractor. The shells that did eject, ejected fine. There are no torn or ripped out rims, so I don't think its hot ammo and a sticky chamber. I think the ejector is just not getting a grip on the rim. Tore it down. There are two flat bars that connect the trigger group housing to a block that houses the magazine release. I believe the arms are silver soldered to the block. One of the arms isn't. This isn't a repair I know how to do. I'll have to send it off or possibly take it to a local guy. The bar isn't fractured, it's just separated at the solder joint. I believe this is not uncommon to the 100. 
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Quoted:
Where did you get or what did you use for the heavier extractor spring? Quoted:
Quoted:
I have one from '67, and its been a good shooter. Mine is also a .308, except I primarily shoot 150gr bullets. I stripped mine down as well, and I don't remember it being too difficult. I did swap in a heavier exctracotr spring, but that's about all I have done. Haven't hunted with it yet, but its currently awaiting its turn...;) Where did you get or what did you use for the heavier extractor spring? I can't remember for sure, but I *believe* I cut down an AR safety lever detent spring and used it. I do remember I had quite a few different springs that were about the same diameter, so it very well could have been something else (but I am fairly certain it was a spring from an AR). |
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There are two flat bars that connect the trigger group housing to a block that houses the magazine release. I believe the arms are silver soldered to the block. One of the arms isn't. This isn't a repair I know how to do. I'll have to send it off or possibly take it to a local guy. The bar isn't fractured, it's just separated at the solder joint. I believe this is not uncommon to the 100. Both true and fixable. |
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My father has a '65 or '66 vintage model, and either the front sight or the rear sight must've been mismatched for that version. He said he couldn't get the iron sights to zero at 100 yards. He ended having the gunsmith install a Weaver 4x on a tip-off scope base.
I discovered it in the 1990's when I began to collect my own firearms, and I took it out to the range a couple of times. IIRC all I could get from it was 2-3 moa, which was fine for the distances he'd shoot at up north in Michigan's UP. We replaced the scope and mounts with something more up to date and a bit clearer/ brighter. |
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There is hope! New scope mount came in today. I took off the old scope, ring screws were tight - probably not fully torqued, but reasonable. The ring to base screws were not particularly tight, though not loose either. However, the aluminum weaver scope base was loose - as in the screws were not even finger tight.
I ordered a new recoil spring and firing pin spring from Wolff springs and a couple small parts from Nu-line. Found a local gunsmith to re-solder the trigger bar for me and he thinks he can get it done in the next couple of weeks. I was seriously thinking of trying it myself, but I'm glad I found someone setup to do it. So the plan now is to reassemble with new parts and a properly torqued scope base and see where it's at. I've found instructions for bedding the recoil block, the action, and the bbl around the forearm screw area. That will be the next thing to do after testing the scope and scope mounts. I'll probably bed it anyway, but I would like to see what difference the scope and mounts make before I tear into bedding the thing. |
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Sorry to hear your range report did not go better, but it sounds like most of the poor accuracy is traceable to the loose bases on the receiver. With your upgraded bases and rings and a scope with more power and clearer image, things will probably be much better.
You seem to be on the right path to get a gunsmith to do the silver soldering. One thing I do remember about the trigger is that it is not up to today's standards. It is mushy and a bit heavy. More like some semi-auto shotgun triggers of the time. But, remember this is a woods rifle for fast shots at deer that are in high gear or where a stationary deer is not visible until you are well within 100 yards. For its intended use, it will serve you well once you get it back in shape. I wish I still had one. The comparison to a 10/22 or even an M1 carbine is apt. They handle like a dream. That reminds me, I need to pick up some .30 Carbine loading dies for my dad's little M-1 Carbine. We shot it a few weeks ago and it was a blast (Note, my dad is 90 years old and a WWII vet. He carried one in Okinawa. It was as much fun to see him still shooting).. It did remind me of the feel of the much more powerful and useful Winchester 100, though. Apologies for the mild diversion. I look forward to your next range report. |
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