Winchester Super-X Defender $300 Big 5?

[smittty]

Just got their weekly flyer in my email and saw them for $299. I read elsewere that their made in Turkey. The last shotgun I had that was made in Turkey was a lemon so I'm not sure about these.

Anybody have experience with them?

[negolien]

I almost got one but went with the cheap Hawk 982 instead. Very nice weapon, solid well-built....Always been a fan of Winchester in general myself.

[BayAreaShooter]

Just got their weekly flyer in my email and saw them for $299. I read elsewere that their made in Turkey. The last shotgun I had that was made in Turkey was a lemon so I'm not sure about these.

Anybody have experience with them?

I actually just posted a thread asking for advice on these. I watched a show that featured one and it performed excellent and was said to have a great fit and finish. The reviewer also mentioned that most pump shotguns will rattle if you shake them. He excitedly shook the Winchester and said not this one. I am very interested in getting one. I really do not need it but figure why not. for $299 I might have to take a chance.

[bohoki]

i have a 1200 and if it uses the same rotating bolt the speedpump is amazing it locks up like an ar-15

[smittty]

I'd love to find a current review.

I bought a Charles daly from big 5 last year and it jammed after only a few shells. It was beautiful with excellent fit& finish and made in turkey so I'm skeptical. I returned it and was told they had a lot of returns on them.

I still want a light weight 12 ga. If I hear good feedback I would try one of these.

[BayAreaShooter]

I'd love to find a current review.

I bought a Charles daly from big 5 last year and it jammed after only a few shells. It was beautiful with excellent fit& finish and made in turkey so I'm skeptical. I returned it and was told they had a lot of returns on them.

I still want a light weight 12 ga. If I hear good feedback I would try one of these.

Someone posted this link in my thread about the Winchester SXP.

http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/shotgun-talk/165478-winchester-sxp-defender-shotgun.html

[inbox485]

Charles Daly was a crap shot company. You either got a gun that was flawless for life or a POS strait out of the box. It was the only shotgun my wife liked the feel of, so despite reviews, I got the last close out display model at big-5 for dirt cheap and got lucky. But Charles Daly isn't the only arms manufacturer in Turkey (to be clear they are not an arms manufacturer at all anymore) and arms manufacturers shouldn't be judged by country of origin alone. I don't spit on S&W because Hi-Points are American made.

[SparrowHanger]

Heads up on the Defender. For a dedicated HD gun it looks like it is a wininer, depending on how the quality control is out of the Turkish manufacturer, but I believe the field barrels will not fit the defender model.

[Bulleh]

Just got their weekly flyer in my email and saw them for $299. I read elsewere that their made in Turkey. The last shotgun I had that was made in Turkey was a lemon so I'm not sure about these.

Anybody have experience with them?

Tried looking for the ad but cant find it online. Is this the sport/field combo for $299? I kind of want one too.

[Bulleh]

I almost got one but went with the cheap Hawk 982 instead. Very nice weapon, solid well-built....Always been a fan of Winchester in general myself.

How much was your Hawk if you dont me asking?

[SparrowHanger]

I took a look at one at the Big 5. I liked the placement of the safety in front of the trigger guard. I did not like the action bar lock as I had to search for it and something about the pressure it took and the way it clicked when depressed seemed wrong. Generally the finish looked good, except for the magazine tube. The tube appeared to have machine lines left from turning on a lather, but I doubt that is what I was seeing. It is more likely to be the manner that some coating is applied.

I think it is the same bolt as the 1300 Defender. I am not sure but do not expect it will accept a field barrel. The store manager told me it wasn't a Winchester. It says on the barrel the city in Turkey where it was manufactured, as well as the name of the importer, after which Winchester is stamped. The gun is listed on the Winchester web site so I don't see how he can say it isn't a Winchester. Until we get some reports of how these do after several thousand rounds, I would be hesitant to get one of these made in Turkey Winchesters.

My understanding is that the 1300 was a great defense gun, but mechanically complex and if you did have mechanical problems it could be a monster.

[SparrowHanger]

Tried looking for the ad but cant find it online. Is this the sport/field combo for $299? I kind of want one too.

No. The gun appears on the second or third page of the current Big 5 ad.

[smittty]

I handled it today and after carefully looking it over I bought it. It feels and looks better than an equally priced mossberg. I like Big 5 and if this gun doesn't function properly I know they could take it back so it's not a risky purchase. They returned my faulty Charles Daly with no hassle so I can vouch for their excellent customer service!

Overall fit & finish is excellent. The action is smooth and not clunky. I used to believe the location of the safety on the mossberg was the best but after handling this one I think it might be more ergonomic. My trigger finger natually rests above it along side the receiver. It feels easier to reach and manipulate than the mossberg.

The weight of both guns also felt very similar. Nice and light is just what I want.

It is marked made in Turkey on the barrel and has the Winchester brand in bold red letters on the left side of the receiver. The thing I didn't like is this bold red Winchester branding and the few other red accents. If it shoots well I could live with that but mostly likely I will paint the red accents black!

In researching this gun I read that the Aguila Mini-shells were designed for the model 1300. Given the 5 round capacity with regular ammo this gun should hold 8 or 9 mini-shells. If it functions well with regular ammo and mini-shells I would be very pleased.

Expect a range report and up-close photos in about 11 days!

Smitty

[zod]

Wow, what timing. Only if I had known they were going on sale. I handled one last week at the local Big 5 and ended up ordering one online on Gunbroker. I could have just waited and bought local. With my luck though, they probably would have ended up selling out and I would end up empty handed. After tax and dros though, it will end up being almost the same price out the door as Big 5.

[SparrowHanger]

Wow, what timing. Only if I had known they were going on sale. I handled one last week at the local Big 5 and ended up ordering one online on Gunbroker. I could have just waited and bought local. With my luck though, they probably would have ended up selling out and I would end up empty handed. After tax and dros though, it will end up being almost the same price out the door as Big 5.

At least some of the clowns that come into or work at Big 5 won't get their mits on yours.