Why did I buy THIS?! 

Love my 101. It was the first gun I bought when I turned 14. It cost me $450 back in 1987.

I have a 101 Diamond Skeet 20 gauge. One of my favorite guns for shooting clays and hunting quail and grouse. Your videos on vintage shotguns are very interesting and entertaining. Well done indeed.

I have a Grand European Trap gun which has been cut down to a sporter. The model 101's I have seen is different internally to the Model 501 Grand European (The model number of my gun is G551119APG which is the presentation grade model) as they had mechanical triggers rather than inertia set triggers like my 501. I have used it weekly for more than 40 years and it has never let me down.. The only replacements have been firing pins and a top lever latch spring. I believe it has a European walnut stock as the gunsmith was able to add cast by bending the stock with hot oil about 40 years ago and this has given no problems in that time. The wood is quite soft unlike my other Mirokus. It's my favourite gun. I recently treated it to Briley thin wall chokes as I will continue to use it for a long time.

Great film John, I was speaking with Lloyd at the gun show. Hopefully you'll be doing more together.

Both me and my dad at point had every variation of the Grand European , great guns and so undervalued. My dad still shoots his sporter now, as well as if not better, than any other more expensive gun he's bought since

I'm jealous of how inexpensive used over unders are over there... Unless you just happen to know a guy who owns the pawn shop and are at the right place at the right time. Every last one of those would be 1,000 plus dollar gun here in the states. Even with a cracked stock.

hi enjoy the talk about the the Winchester i had 12 bore super grade but ejecta spring broke and couldn’t get one anywhere but i still have the 20 bore which i still use i bought them together about 20 years ago 😃

I bought one of these about a year ago in next to mint condition. It has straight stock, double triggers and 6-4 mm rib. The front trigger work as a single trigger. My absolute favourite walk up gun. Nice video 👍🏻

I used to shoot a club gun in Torrejon Air Base Spain that was a winchester 101, it was 410 bore. I was a great shotgun, always wished it was mine. Great video.

Jonny buying up the whole kodensha plant i love it, great guns still, what i would give to be able to visit japan during the 70s and visit all these plants, skb, miroku, o/k

Nice one Johnny, 1 out of 3 not bad! Keep up the good work! See you on the next vid, Malc and Ann xxx

Great video love your videos on the old Japanese stuff I have a nikko Custom Grande So any information about the old Japanese stuff is greatly appreciated

Great vid took me back to your early gunsmithing vids need more of those pretty please with cherry on top

Well, you've got a good gun out of the process and we've got yet another entertaining and informative video so a win all round!

Great episode !

The issue for me was the internals. The firing pins wore out quickly. They would gunk up and the mechanism did not completely retract the firing pins after taking a shot, making it very difficult to open up the gun. The bottom of the receiver by the forend began to crack. I sold mine in 1993 for $750. I then purchased a beretta 682 that lasted forever.

Great episode, and great shooting gun obviously. You seem to really “powder “ the clays, more so than when shooting some of your expensive guns.

Was shooting one last week. Great fun

Great, interesting well told story.

Buying a Winchester 101 particularly a Grand European is never a mistake. Well made, excellent handling, good looking guns. I own two of them. You’ve made yours shootable, enjoy and welcome to the gang 👍

I don’t think I could have ever changed the beautiful lines of the original stock but an entertaining video.

I've been shooting a 101 Diamond Grade Trap since 1986 and would not change a thing. have had to have a new lock installed and it eats firing pins but kill clays

I envy that UK secondary market.

Glad you’re making these “almost mistakes” so I don’t have to - if I ever think about buying two cheap guns to make a megagun from, I’ll just watch this video again!

I have a 101 in 20 ga . Love it for game and clays great video thanks

Please come to the Winchester Mystery House in California. They have a nice museum. You’d get a kick out of it I think.

Good shooting with a now improved gun with replacement stock, gun fit is everything. Grand European where a field gun 28-30", Diamond Grade trap & skeet 27-32", Pigeon Grade XTR Leight Weight(8lb ?) 27" field gun, some people say the Diamond Grade was the highest quality, others say the Pigeon Grade XTR LWT or Grand Euro, I think they where all similar. The jointing on some of these models was not perfect, I had mine re-jointed and is now better than when new. Barrels with Winchoke will interchange with to other guns made for Winchoke a bit of fitting. Agree the combs where too low but nothing an adjustable comb wont fix. Good buy at the right price.

Cracking good video mate. Well done!

Back in the late '80's I was working with a fellow who had a beautiful Winchester 101 in 12 gauge. I hope he's still enjoying it. . . . in it's ORIGINAL configuration.

Hi. Love the vids. I recently picked up a weatherby regency made in Italy. Beautiful gun and shoots great. The online info seems to be biased from a few individuals. Any insight on the gun? Thanks

All is well that ends well!

Hi the Grand European has a very similar measurements as browning pro sport action and the rib has a very similar taper design. It could be a follow up video. 👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻

When the base gun club at CFB Comox was dissolved, it's shotguns were accessed prior to public sale. Citoris the gunsmith recommended for repair suitable for sale. The Winchester 101s not so much. Gunsmith suggested sell them ASAP. Even at a loss.

Great video. Good on you for getting a great looking gun back to life. Question, are you heading to Tucson AZ end of the month for the US Open sporting clays?

Bought my 101 in 69 outshot many A grade brownings with it much to their owners disgust when considering the price difference my son has it now and is still going strong

I would love for you to do a Winchester 101 history lesson as I bought a 60s model and don’t know much on them past that. Thanks!

Interesting post thanks.

I was quite enjoying the funky music at around 17 mins 😂.

Whatever help you sleep better at night. 😂 Good example of making something out of almost nothing. And yes sometimes the search down the rabbit hole for the things we think we need is the funnest part of it all. Good stuff.

The cracks are result of making the cast. Some woods will not withstand the casting process

Yup, you still have all the original parts, so yup I’d do the same and have done exactly as you did, bought a bunch of spares only to find out, now I have tons of parts and it would have been cheaper to buy a better one, then where’s the fun in that😂😂

I feel your pain in respect to the butchering of two guns (reasonable classics) to make one, although very good handling, Frankenstein. Good video though!

I really really liked this. Old guns are fun

YOU HAVE MADE IT A SUPERB UPGRADE MT I LOVED THE GRAND EUROPEAN M.

Mrs Jonny must be so understanding, we all know it's going in the collection 😂

Hi J, I have the Holts emails come through, but I can't ever see and Semi Autos listed...is that just that there aren't any at that time please? Thx Russ

Bandsaw and bit of hardware would give you an adjustable comb

Love this video, Dr. Frankenstein used all kinds of parts to make his monster.. Johnny just happened to use 2. LOL! JK I have greatly enjoyed the video!

My first 12g was a 101

Jon I noticed you said you won a couple of guns... So, "Holts Haul" video soon? Then maybe individual videos on each of the goodies...?

I’ve got a Classic Doubles 101 trap with Monte Carlo stock , a Rolls Royce of a gun , would have bought that GE of you as I’m a left hooker 👍👍.Keep up the good work mate

Well at least you weren't opening up any gas ports. 😂

It would be nice to see you try and fix and recast the original stock.

The stock trade was a good choice. These aren't hand made heirlooms, they're mass produced (mostly) modern guns. Make the best of it.

I feel blessed I haven’t been bitten by the “perfect fit” bug. I picked up a 60’s field grade 101, I’m a lefty, shooting a right handed gun with 3/4” too short LOP , no cast to speak of and guess what, It kills birds.

I believe this is what car enthusiasts would call a Resto-Mod

great vid , what happens to the other guns you bought , you will have to resell them .

Turns out you have two winchesters now. Could the old stock be fixed? That might. make a interesting video.

Johnny, you've done the right thing. This isn't Chippendale furniture. Shotguns are tools, we like them to be nice looking and original, but if they don't do the job they were intended to do, they are worthless.

Really fine value. that shotgun is going up in value. In twenty years you’ll make a few bucks, and have enjoyed owning it for that time. As long as I don’t loose when moving a gun, there’s no second thoughts. You would not be able to find that shotgun in North America, for twice what you paid. Go and buy a brand new, equivalent quality shotgun, and sell it a week later, and loose more than you paid for that. Now that’s a good deal.

Johnny ur the proud owner of 3 Winchester's. Welcone to the club. LOL

Pm me if the barrels are inter changeable please Johnny. We may be able to have a deal.

Ace video

normaly you cant go wrong with these old japanese shotguns, like my nikkos

I wander what the cost would have been to take the gun to a gun smith that could carve out a new stock?

The really important thing about your purchase is that you got a video out of it.

Is it steel proved ?

Best for hunting?

i had a 101 a really good gun never really got the credit it deserved

by a MP234

Buy a good side by side and you will better off and enjoy a lot more. Not a fan of over and under.

Anyone that's been shooting long enough will have something buried at the back of the cabinet .... something they pull out every now and then, look at it and think "why did I do that ..... " This may be that moment ... 🤣

Jonny, you really need to do a self evaluation. It may feel good to your idd to say that you are frugal, but really now, you ARE the proud owner of not just one, but two Longthorne firearms. Happy days!

Question is why wouldn’t you buy a 101 there lovely guns the engraving on that one would look great on any modern miruko or browning !

Cracken jolly good video mate, just Cracken, now send the Frankenstein over to America and I thank you.

how many guns are you allowed to own in england by your lords?

Mate, you lost me at the moment you said £285. I spent more on our last Sainsbury’s shop.

You looked like prince harry when you started the shoot.

Bro.. Make a video side by side which is the best for hunting iam yur new subscribers 🤝

Old winchester from Japan is The top👍

Gun guy curse research think plan and scheme how to make it the best and by the time you get it done it’s not quite the be all do all you thought it might be so you start thinking about how to make it better or what other gun would better suit your needs.

You could always just have a new stock made for it, Then put the other gun back to original? Just a thought.

Can you real be smart with Money, and love guns?

kinda looks like a nikko