Winchester SXP Defender mini review

[marine6680]

I thought this thread died... so I ain't been back.


I haven't found any Federal flight control around here.

I did find a few other loads to try.

[Nickel Plated]

Like I said, be careful when buying extra barrels. The 5-shot barrels won't work on a 4-shot mag tube. The 4-shot barrels can be made to work on a 5-shot tube with a spacer.

As for accessories. The SXP has enough out there of the stuff that really belongs on a serious shotgun.
1300 mag extensions work.
Any 870 stock will work with minor trimming as I hear.
And while 1300 side saddles don't match up quite right. I'm sure some minor drilling and fitting will solve that.
Beside that. All the various universal mounts and clamps will let you set it up any way you want it.
Also anything made for the FN P-12 will work since it's the same exact gun. Namely the cantilever barrel if you want one.

[jcn]

Has anyone else wondered why they didn't just stick with either a 4 shot or 5 shot magazine on all the SXP variants, or am I just missing something?

[Nickel Plated]

Yea. I have. It's really one of the more annoying things about the SXP.
Winchester should have just picked on and called it good. But no, now you gotta worry about which barrel you're buying or if you'll be able to set up your new SXP the way you really want in the future all because of that one extra round.
Bought a field gun and wanted to have it serve HD duty? Hope you're comfortable cutting barrels cuz that's the only way that's happening.

[jcn]

I agree, it seems foolish from a manufacturing standpoint as well. We won't see an 8-shot version due to import restrictions, so why bother with 2 tube capacities for a 1 round difference?

[jcn]

There's good news for anyone who bought an SXP Defender and want to add a field barrel. Winchester markets both a 26 and 28" vent-rib barrel that includes a modified Invector Plus choke tube. Part numbers are 611257391 (26"), and 611257392 (28").

[Dreaming100Straight]

I agree, it seems foolish from a manufacturing standpoint as well. We won't see an 8-shot version due to import restrictions, so why bother with 2 tube capacities for a 1 round difference?

What restriction is that? There are certain restriction on imported semis and some states limit capacity to 10 rounds. Isn't this a pump? ( I believe it is 10 in the magazine and the capacity limit does not include the pipe.)

[jcn]

It's indeed a pump. And I may have been misinformed. My understanding was that ANY imported repeating shotgun could not have a magazine capacity in excess of 5 (2.75") shells.

[Dreaming100Straight]

I have seen something on the net to that effect, but it didn't make sense when held up against the cited code. I believe there is no special limit on magazine capacities for imported shotguns, but I could be wrong.

[MarkCO]

If you are looking for the law on capacity for an imported shotgun, it is 922R...

Title 18 of the US Code (18 USC), Chapter 44 Section 922, Paragraph R states:

"It shall be unlawful for any person to assemble from imported parts any semiautomatic rifle or any shotgun which is identical to any rifle or shotgun prohibited from importation under section 925(d)(3) of this chapter as not being particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes except that this subsection shall not apply to--
(1) the assembly of any such rifle or shotgun for sale or distribution by a licensed manufacturer to the United States or any department or agency thereof or to any State or any department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; or
(2) the assembly of any such rifle or shotgun for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General. "

Not applicable to the SXP or P12.

[jcn]

I can never be sure that I'm not getting federal regulations and "east coast, west coast" whims confused.

[jcn]

MarkCO:

Thanks for clearing that up. Looks like I need to check my facts before I spout off.

sorry 'bout that,
Jeff

p.s.: I should've known. My buddy's got a Browning BPS with a 7 shot mag tube and 20" barrel. Hate it when I do that.

[MarkCO]

I cited it so you can read it, however I have heard it both ways...that semiautomatic applies to both, and some that it applies only to rifles, but not shotguns.

The question may be as simple as if these guns are in fact imported in the configuration as they are sold, or US converted.

FNH-USA imports the SCARs from Belgium, and "converts" them here in the USA. Same for the SLP shotguns.

[jcn]

God, how I miss simplicity. Thanks again for the info and your mention of the P-12 in an earlier post. Couldn't quite swing the one I found, but now I'm hunting down a barrel for my SXP.

[Nickel Plated]

Winchester does make a 7+1 SXP called the Defender High Capacity. But it's only sold in European and other markets. So there's got to be a reason they're not importing them here.
Look on Winchester's international site it's there.
http://www.winchesterint.com/winches...mod=A-WSXPHCAP
I actually asked the question about import mag restrictions for pump-guns before (either here or on The High Road) and was told that the limit is 5 rounds regardless if it's a semi or a pump.

[jcn]

Okay, now I'm really confused! Nickel Plated got the same explanation that I did. Maybe my friends BPS was brought in before this reg. took effect, but what about the Saiga?

[MarkCO]

All Saigas are under 922R, so they have to be converted to have more than a 5 round magazine stuck in them. Same with the 1919 Adkals.

[jcn]

Okay, that makes sense. I've always thought they looked interesting from a distance, but never gave them much study.

thanks,
Jeff

[Nickel Plated]

Just one issue I wanted to mention about the SXP. I originally thought this might have been just a fluke with my first barrel. Until it happened again to a second brand new barrel.
This shotgun doesn't like to hold on to it's bead sights. The barrel that originally came with this gun had the bead sight fall off and get lost the second time I took it to the range (within about 500ish rounds) I then installed an aftermarket sight from Brownll's. Eventually I cut the barrel down and haven't gotten around to redrilling and reinstalling the sight.

The second barrel I bought recently. Took it to the range for the first time yesterday and within 100 rounds, the sight is gone, nowhere to be found.

The problem is this is no longer the American Winchester that uses standard U.S. thread sizes for it's beads. They use metric sizes so good luck finding a sight at your local gunsmith or online retailer that will just screw in. You'll have to drill and tap it to the next larger US size and install a new bead like I did.

Or now that you are aware of this issue, if you still have your original sight. Might be a good idea to fix it in there with some red loctite or a dab of epoxy.

Otherwise the gun's been excellent.

[jcn]

Thanks for the heads up, I think a Red Lock-Tite party's in order. And like you, I've found the gun to be excellent so far.

[MarkCO]

Since the parts are passivated, if you want to use red locktite on them, you should use a primer.

On the other had, you can use green and probably get away with no primer and not removing it.

[mythree]

Hey - the Winchester SXP Extreme Defender is developed in Utah and assembled in Turkey - sorry but your Winchester is a Turkey built shotgun.