Hi guys, I have one of the few only complete pair of 67 WCT (1200/1400).
Because there were so few of them made and given out to regional winners. I’d like to know the value. The history is below, and I’d like to know an honest true value if somebody would like to buy them…….here’s what I found onlilne so far:
These are very rare guns, they were given out as prizes for winning Winchester sponsored clay shoots. The WCT stands for Winchester Clay Tournament and they started in 1968 and ran thru 1974 I believe. They were built in the Winchester custom shop and hand fitted and accented with the gold caps and other small options. They have never been offered for sale to the public, but were tournament prizes and given to outstanding dealers and a few other “friends” of Winchester that did special work for them,, gun club owners, promo events and field testers, to name a few. There were a very limited number of these sets made and are highly prized and rarely seen for sale by the recipients. The numbers all start with WCT 68 on one line then the sequence number on the line just below it. The 1400 model is one number over the 1200 model. Even though they are different models the numbers are sequential. They are worth whatever someone will pay for them, but very little is know about these guns so collectors have a hard time pricing them.
They appear unfired and like new. I’ll try to attach a pic. Thanks!
Todd
TJH said
Update anyone?
Todd,
Your question falls outside of the interest & knowledge range for nearly all of the WACA members. For the most part, our combined knowledge & interest ends at the end of the year 1963. The later (post-1963) production guns with very few exceptions are not (yet) considered “collectible”. Your shotguns may be an exception, but with so few of them apparently made, they are a mystery at this time.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
TJH said They are worth whatever someone will pay for them, but very little is know about these guns so collectors have a hard time pricing them.
That’s the trouble with items so rare they’re seldom offered for sale. Have you tried to find records of them having been sold on some of the major auction sites, like Rock Island?
Really have no experience with these. Both models are on the lower end of the desirability range. If these have the monte carlo stocks and are new in the box with all of the paperwork I might guess about $500 a piece.
But again I really don’t know. If these were awarded to someone it would really help if you knew to whom and what match. It may add to the value.
November 7, 2015
Todd-
Your question does indeed stray outside the focus of many collectors here but as a clay bird shooter I’ve read about Fred Missildine and have also read his books on Skeet and Trap shooting. Missildine was associated with Winchester and apparently he did much of his shooting with the 1200 and 1400 as they were currently produced by Winchester. Given the dates you mention above I feel sure he was very much involved in the WCT.
Unfortunately rarity doesn’t always translate into high prices or even collector interest. I’m custodian of a 1400 from an estate and it seems to be a well enough made gun but my interests are elsewhere. At one time I hunted with a 1200 and I keep 1300’s around for “social equipment” but they’ll never rival the Model 12’s that interest some who frequent this forum.
Mike
My first shotgun was a Winchester M1200. It worked ok – never malfunctioned or let me down. It was a clunky thing and as I came to appreciate earlier manufactured Winchester firearms, I found nothing redeemable in the aesthetics of the M1200. I am currently custodian of two M1400’s. I’m very unimpressed with them. I am also custodian of a Super-X One and find that action much superior. The slickest pump action shotgun I ever owned was a High Standard
steve004 said I think about the only way to find out what they are worth is to put them up for auction and see what they bring.
Risky, I think–dependent on there being two knowledgeable bidders. Better to consign them to a shotgun dealer who can rave them up to potential buyers.
I was looking at the fall, 2021 Winchester Collector magazine. On page 26 there are a list of those doing surveys of various Winchester Models. Much to my surprise, I noted Keith Nix is surveying all serial numbers of Models 1200 – 1500, 2200 and 2300. His e-mail address is listed at [email protected]
One would think if anyone knew something about these WCT guns it would be him. I’ll bet he would love to add them to his survey.
These collectible shotguns just sold in 2022 on a gun auction site for $1500 USD plus 18% buyers premium with both of them having the consecutive serial numbers for the 1200 and 1400 auto load shotgun. It states that only one of them is fired and one is unfired. They do not come with original boxes or anything as well. This is the only know pair I have personally seen ever sell, and are very rare to find the pair of them together. Hope this helps!
Hi all, I was just looking to check what was out there on the Winchester WCT shotguns for my book, and I found this post and my name was mentioned by Steve004. Yes I can tell a lot about these models, but I need meore space than here. I have records of the number made, have original Winchester advertising material, and a lot of examples from 1967, 1968 and 1969, often a single gun (Model 1200 ot the Model 1400. They sell for a very good price, especially as a pair. I have no record that the competition ran past 1969. Some Text from the book:
“Winchester made some speciality guns which were gold plated and very highly finished to be used as prizes for clay target competitions called the Winchester Clay Target Tournaments, or WCT, and offered a matched pair of a Model 1200 and a Model 1400 shotguns. The Model 1200 was the odd number and the Model 1400 the even number, and for 1968, Serial numbers started as WCT 68-0001 (a Model 1200 Trap) and ended at WCT 68-1250 (a Model 1400 Mk II Skeet).” I am going to try to upload two pages of the “Winchester WCT Advertising April 30 1969-2p of 14p”
I would appreciate hearing from Todd about the 1967 models, but best by email [email protected] with photos and history, plus any details of other Model 1200, 1300, 1400 or 1500 shotguns with information. My research on them started in 2007- I have quite a lot of these models – they are hard to get in Australia.
As a participant and winner in both 1967 and 1968, I can add quite a lot to the WINCHESTER CLAYBIRD TOURNAMENT discussion.
The first year of the tournament was 1967 and the matched set of 1200 and 1400 prizes did carry consecutive serial numbers.
For example, W C T 6 7 and W C T 6 7
1 9 5 1 9 6
Roughly 10 years later I worked for the former CFO of Olin and he told me the serial number feature added $5,000 per set to Winchester’s manufacturing cost.
The tournament was held again in 1968 and serial numbers followed the same format used in 1967. To the best of my knowledge this was the last WCT tournament.
Hi Paul
Thanks for that
The WCT series is part of a chapter in my book on the Model 1200 and 1400 series of shotguns, and I thought I had uploaded the 1969 Winchester notice on June 7 but cannot see it in the post.
There are a lot more things to share about the WCTs than on a Forum page. Could you send me an email to [email protected] so that we can correspond before we add to the page? Happy to quote you ae a source in the book
I have just tried to upload “Winchester WCT Advertising April 30 1969-2p of 14p” which is two pages of the 14 posted throughout the USA.
Hope I have done it correctly. I have seen photos of the 1969 competition guns, eg “WCT 69-1214 Winchester 1400 MK II “. They come in a nice presentation case, and one WACA has provided photos of his guns for the book.
By the way I have been a member since 2004. I do not know how they got 2013.
Keith
As mentioned in posts above (10, 12 and 14) I am writing a book on the Model 1400-1400 guns which starts in 1964 and ends in 2006. I have posted on this topic above, and on another topic involving WCT guns. At this moment I am writing the subchapter on the WCT guns and would welcome further information. I can prove by memorabilia, gun photos and documentation that the Winchester Claybird Tournaments began in 1966 and were run in 1967, 1968 and 1969. There is anectodatal evidence that they ran to 1974 – Leroy Merz sold a WCT gun and made this statement also, BUT I have not found and sales of WCT guns for 1966, or from 1970 to 1974 and I have been looking intermittantly since 2009.
I understand the prizes were a matched pair in 1966, 1967 and 1968, but iit changed in 1969 to a single Model 1400 in either Trap or Skeet at the winner’s choice. For 1967 and 1968 there were 1250 guns made (625 of each model)
I have had an excellent photo set high resolation for a 1968 pair, and would appreciate a set from 1966, 1967 and 1969, with a copy of the docummentation, and photos of any associated nenorabilia (badges etc). I would appreciate, Paul, if you could send me some photos ot the 1 9 5 and 1 9 6 guns with any documentation and memorabilia, and have them included in the chapter. Contributions used would be recognised, and can be sent to [email protected].
I am also particularly keen to get documentary proof of WC Tournaments after 1969 and anecdotes etc.
winchester nix said
As mentioned in posts above (10, 12 and 14) I am writing a book on the Model 1400-1400 guns which starts in 1964 and ends in 2006. I have posted on this topic above, and on another topic involving WCT guns. At this moment I am writing the subchapter on the WCT guns and would welcome further information. I can prove by memorabilia, gun photos and documentation that the Winchester Claybird Tournaments began in 1966 and were run in 1967, 1968 and 1969. There is anectodatal evidence that they ran to 1974 – Leroy Merz sold a WCT gun and made this statement also, BUT I have not found and sales of WCT guns for 1966, or from 1970 to 1974 and I have been looking intermittantly since 2009.I understand the prizes were a matched pair in 1966, 1967 and 1968, but iit changed in 1969 to a single Model 1400 in either Trap or Skeet at the winner’s choice. For 1967 and 1968 there were 1250 guns made (625 of each model)
I have had an excellent photo set high resolation for a 1968 pair, and would appreciate a set from 1966, 1967 and 1969, with a copy of the docummentation, and photos of any associated nenorabilia (badges etc). I would appreciate, Paul, if you could send me some photos ot the 1 9 5 and 1 9 6 guns with any documentation and memorabilia, and have them included in the chapter. Contributions used would be recognised, and can be sent to [email protected].
I am also particularly keen to get documentary proof of WC Tournaments after 1969 and anecdotes etc.
Are you still looking for Photos of the WTC 67 Set?
Further to the chapter in my forthcoming Model 1200/1400 book dealing with these beautiful guns, I have proof that the Winchester Claybird Competition ran from 1966 to 1969. I cannot find any details of the competition past that date, and would appreciate any knowledge you may have on this.
I have also found that the reason why there are no Model 1200/1400 WCTs for 1996 is that for 1966 the re were 5 (five) Winchester Custom Built Model 12 Pigeon Grade shotguns made for the winning team
In reply to WCT 67 – Guest, Posts 16 and 17, I apologise for not answering sooner.
I do have a good set of high quality 1967 WCTs for the book (see the other Forum subject on the WCTs), and thank you for the offer.
I would be interested in your serial numbers for my records. I do not know how many guns were made for the 1967 tournament. From the 1968 records, when 1250 guns were made, there were 93 clubs and at five winners per club, this is a lot short of 1250. I do know the Tournament Director recieved a pair. Do you know who else got a pair? eg, Club President or Shoot Captain at each club?
Do you know if the Tournaments proceeded past 1969? My email address is keith/[email protected]
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