# Winchester SX3 comments



## Dawgs

Anyone purchased the SX3?  I'm thinking about buying one and thought I would get some opinions.


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## bigman88

*Benelli*

Buy a Benelli it will last longer.


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## jard

I shoot a SX2 and its the best gun I've ever owned.  I cant immagine the SX3 being anything less than awesome.


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## waterdogs

BENELLI  is a great gun.  The  SX3 is made by Browning I think. They make it for Winchester.  Both are good guns. Benelli, Stoeger, Franchi and in the same family also.


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## GSUJake

bigman88 said:


> Buy a Benelli it will last longer.



And with what proof do you say that??? The SX3 is a very good gun. It's the same quality as the browning silver. Some of the parts are made from stamp metal is the only real downside but I've seen no difference w/ the performance. Bigman, just to save you a response, I've seen just as many benellis break as any other "Good" gun. Oh, and w/ the SX3 you don't have to worry about the "BENELLI CLICK"


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## TurkeyH90

Amen to that. Nothing but trouble w/ all the Benellis me and my friends have had. Ive go a Beretta now and in 2 seasons it has never failed to fire. I shoot 3.5 shells almost exclusively and it has fed them without a hang up. Ive still got my super 90 but I just dont trust it. I sent it back to Benelli and still no fix. After 7 yrs I said to heck with it and bought an Extrema 2. As far as the Winchester goes I have heard nothing but good about the sx2.


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## brittonl

Guys I will be totally honest with you, before you invest a good bit amount of money on a Winchester save a couple of more months and go ahead and buy an awsome gun from the Italians. I purchased a SX2 a few years ago and have owned and shot shotguns all my life and I hated that gun. Matter of fact, it is the only gun that I have ever gotten rid of. Finally got tired of it this year and sold it and purchased a new Beretta Extrema 2 KO. Now that is a true wing shooters shotgun. I currently own 2 other Beretta shotguns and when I purchased the SX2 years ago I knew I was maybe short changing myself but thought it was the latest and greatest. Yes, Browning does own Winchester from what I know and manufactors these guns. I have been to Argentina several times and if you want a TRUE TEST as to what a real gun can do, this is it. ONLY BERETTA & BENELLI will hold up. I have watched ALL others fall to the wayside including Beretta's own Franchi, cheap version of the two.... my opinion. Go ahead and price the SX3 and compare it to the Etrma2 and there may be some difference, but the real difference will be once you start shooting and relying on them. SX2 always jammed up, a very course action, heavy recoil. But most of all, everyone has diffenrent lengths of pull, etc. My feel for a gun off of the shelf may be different than yours. Best to have a gun custom fit and with custom work. But, that has nothing to do with the quality of the gun to begin with. Im just sayin, I have shot them both. Everyone save the reply about oh, my gun never hangs up, etc. Yeah, really total up the amount of shells you put through it in a year, lifetime, whatever. Compare it to tens of thousands of rounds that I have put through and seen put through the guns in Argentina and this will rival a lifetime of a shotgun around here. Not boasting, just stating the facts.


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## 01Foreman400




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## homey

*sx3*

Don't know much about one,but they seem to be similar to a Browning Gold and for that reason I would stay away.Browning does not own Win.in fact Browning does not own themselves.They are both part of U.S. Repeating Arms which is owned by foreigners.Not sure if it's Miroku of Japan or F.N. of Belgium.Winchester ammo is still owned by U.S.A. company.they sold out of the gun business afew years ago.I've shot them all and the softest shooting most reliable combo is Beretta.They own Bienelli and Franchi but they're built in seperate factories.Stick with a Beretta,you can always sell it if you don't like it,no problem.


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## stiles1682

I own a SX2 and I love it.  I dont have too much experience with guns because Im not made of money but my SX2 works great with the shells its madeto shoot.  I was on a dove field in Cordele with a friend by the name of Archie Baker and he told me that the shells I had bought from Wal-Mart was not going to shoot in that gun.  And he was right AGAIN.  I had a better chance of throwing my bullets at the birds.  But in duck hunting and firing the 3 1/2 in Mags.  Finest shooting gun Ive ever owned.  These guns are truly made to perform at a HIGHER level.


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## brittonl

Anyone know the current going price on a new SX3, just curious. Paid around $1,400 for my Xtma2 KO. I would bet there isnt maybe $300 difference. As far as the Browninig owning Winchester arms, I only say that because the owner of a very well known local FFL dealer told me that?? Anyone purchased a new Winchester rifle lately? Yes, Beretta does own Benelli and Franchi, Franchi being the lower end of the three. My Beretta's shoot Walmart, Dollar General, Dollar Tree.......... Highest level! I am having fun with this please know!


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## bigman88

*Respone*



GSUJake said:


> And with what proof do you say that??? The SX3 is a very good gun. It's the same quality as the browning silver. Some of the parts are made from stamp metal is the only real downside but I've seen no difference w/ the performance. Bigman, just to save you a response, I've seen just as many benellis break as any other "Good" gun. Oh, and w/ the SX3 you don't have to worry about the "BENELLI CLICK"



I say that because I had a SX2 and after hunting in the rain with it it malfunctioned/ quit working and left me without a gun. Yet people with benelli's kept shooting and one guy even dropped his benelli in the water emptied the water out and kept shooting. i cant imagine if I dropped the SX2 in the water. It would have melted! Its all about the experience you have and all my experience with winchester have been bad. I have had good ones with benelli and bad with winchester. To be quite honest I prefer the ruger red label over any other shotgun. I have SBE II, Beretta Extrema, Browning Citori, Ruger Red label, and the reliable Rem. 1100 and the Ruger red label is my favorite.


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## brittonl




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## preacherman

brittonl said:


> Anyone know the current going price on a new SX3, just curious. Paid around $1,400 for my Xtma2 KO. I would bet there isnt maybe $300 difference.




I acutally priced them today on the phone.  Here in Mississippi at my dealer the SX3in black is 929.00 and then in camo it is 1139.00

I have a Benelli SBEII and I am having a hard time getting it to pattern with a turkey load.  It is about the most frustrating thing that I have dealt with.


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## TurkeyH90

Whatever gun you buy (except Benelli because there action prevents such) you should have your forcing cones lengthened and polished. I have had this done on several guns and the results are unbelievable. My BPS has an unbelievably uniform pattern.


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## brittonl

Angle Port in Arkansas is the best place to send off you gun to have custom work done, my opinion. trigger work, custom length of pull, barrell treatment, etc. You will tell a difference. I had a new Beretta Urika 391 Sporting custom fit for me from them and shoot sporting clays with it and can't tell you enough what a difference it makes. Look em up online. Back boring and forcing cones will make the most bang for you buck with patterning.

$1139 for SX3 VS. $1400 + for Xtma 2. NO QUESTION!


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## Dawgs

*Conclusion*

Great!!! Now, not only am I even more undecided, Yall have added confusion into the mix.


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## preacherman

Dawgs.........if it is like bows, it needs to be what fits and feels best to you.  Winchester, Browning, Benelli, Beretta, Remington......they all make good guns.  Everone is just going to have an opinion.

I have always liked the feel of the Winchester X2 and X3.  Matter of fact, went into a gun shop not long ago that sells every major brand of guns on the market.  I asked the guy behind the counter what he thought and he told me that he loved the Winchester line of guns.  If you want one, you won't go wrong with buying it!

Just let us see some pictures of it when you get it home!


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## GSUJake

Just know, this is the same as Ford vs. Chevy. vs. Dodge. I've owned a Browning Gold for 4 years now, never had it jam. From super speeds to 3.5 turkey load. 2 of my friends own SX2's they've never had a problem. 3 own Benellis and 2 of them get sent back yearly. It's luck of the draw. All of them are GREAT guns and if you get the SX3 you will more than likely be very satisfied.


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## Workin2Hunt

The most important thing with any shotgun is how the gun fits and feels to you. 

I purchased a Beretta 391 Sporting with the optima chokes.I tried different guns before buying this one but the Beretta was better balanced and fit better to me.


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## rmcatcher

i own a sx2 and love it. It has a very solid feel when I swing and usually has a dead duck at the end of my pattern. Like DC says three things he wants in a gun is for it to go boom, boom, boom!You would have to realize that everyone on here is going to prefer 1 gun or another. There are some things I will agree with brittonl. The only real complaint I see is if my sx2 gets dry it will not cycle. I usually keep a small remington oil bottle and a drop or two will do the trick. I have found that most of my friends 391's dont have the same problem. But I like the feel and cycle action better than theirs. My gun is not the mantel piece type gun, it is the duck boat, Turkey blind, skeet shooting type and it recieves it share of abuse and It has held up its end of the bargin. Ive never regretted haveing this gun nor have I thought about cheating on her with some berreta. I could only imagine the sx3 would be just that much better.


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## Hooked On Quack

brittonl said:


> Guys I will be totally honest with you, before you invest a good bit amount of money on a Winchester save a couple of more months and go ahead and buy an awsome gun from the Italians. I purchased a SX2 a few years ago and have owned and shot shotguns all my life and I hated that gun. Matter of fact, it is the only gun that I have ever gotten rid of. Finally got tired of it this year and sold it and purchased a new Beretta Extrema 2 KO. Now that is a true wing shooters shotgun. I currently own 2 other Beretta shotguns and when I purchased the SX2 years ago I knew I was maybe short changing myself but thought it was the latest and greatest. Yes, Browning does own Winchester from what I know and manufactors these guns. I have been to Argentina several times and if you want a TRUE TEST as to what a real gun can do, this is it. ONLY BERETTA & BENELLI will hold up. I have watched ALL others fall to the wayside including Beretta's own Franchi, cheap version of the two.... my opinion. Go ahead and price the SX3 and compare it to the Etrma2 and there may be some difference, but the real difference will be once you start shooting and relying on them. SX2 always jammed up, a very course action, heavy recoil. But most of all, everyone has diffenrent lengths of pull, etc. My feel for a gun off of the shelf may be different than yours. Best to have a gun custom fit and with custom work. But, that has nothing to do with the quality of the gun to begin with. Im just sayin, I have shot them both. Everyone save the reply about oh, my gun never hangs up, etc. Yeah, really total up the amount of shells you put through it in a year, lifetime, whatever. Compare it to tens of thousands of rounds that I have put through and seen put through the guns in Argentina and this will rival a lifetime of a shotgun around here. Not boasting, just stating the facts.



A few trips to Argentina definetly seperates the men from the boys, the only thing I haven't seen break in SA is high end overunders, Benillis, and Berettas,  I currently own 4 benillis, first 2 purchased in 1990, and knock on wood have never had the first problem. But, like said above you can't win a chevy-ford debate, just my opinion.


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## J Gilbert

I recieved my SX3 for Christmas and have really done my best to put it through it's paces.  The first morning I duck hunted with it, it was roughly 36 degrees and driving rain and it never failed to function.  It's also been reciever deep during the wade into the swamp in below  freezing weather and has never failed to fire for me.  I would recommend this gun to anyone looking for a serious shotgun, as would my buddy who, before seeing my gun take the beatings it has, wouldn't recommend anything but a Benelli or Beretta for a serious duck gun.  And yes, the Browning and Winchester companies are owned by the same people, and several of the internals in the SX3's and Browning shotguns are made in the same factory.  And here's a tidbit of information for any doubters in the quality of Winchester shotguns,  the SX3's are produced in the same factory that turned out most of the non-Japanese Auto-5's


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## bwarren2

*My .02's worth*

Just to repeat some sound advice already given, make sure you get fit for watever gun you buy. Also, I think the answer to your question depends on what you are going to use the gun for. 

If you are going to be a hard-core shooter in cold, wet, conditions and shooting 1000's of rounds a year, which it sounds like BrittonL does, then your question is an important one.

If you want a new shotgun more for recreational purposes and you will likely only shoot several hundred rounds a year, they will all do well. 

Another thing to remember with Auto's is, you have to break them in properly. I believe you are supposed to shoot roughly 100 light rounds (7/8 oz ?) before you start using it. I don't remember why, but a ton of people have not followed this procedure and swear it's the guns fault when it doesn't cycle. 

I own Browning, Remington, Stoeger, Beretta and  Benelli. I like them all for different reasons. 

If I had to choose one to take in a duck swamp or for a Dove shoot and would never fail, it would be my Benelli Cordoba. If it's for Turkey it's my Rem  870. 

Also, FN makes Browning. Not sure if FN also makes the 
SX3. 

Good luck.


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## brittonl

1. Browning Citori had internal chokes lock up in SA, only problem.
2. Still have not heard of someone having owned both. Seems SX owners have only been SX owners, could be wrong. But I have.
3. Yes, Ford, Chevy, Dodge, myself I prefer GMC because it's GOT MORE CLASS. Thought I would throw that in for free.
4. Get the gun that fits you, yes most important, but no one buys a gun, shoots it for a while to get its feel, and returns it if not what you thought. And, you cant tell me that everyone walks into a gun shop, ask to see a shotgun, shoulders it pointing at the corner of the ceiling and gets some kind of real feel. Honestly, if you buy it you will more or less hunt and brag on it because you just dropped a load on it and would have hated to be wrong. 
5. No, that is not a Winchester or Beretta in this picture. Actually was my Dad's Rem. 870. Was the closest gun to me when we were taking pics. It jams too!
6. Think I am going to find another post to start giving bad advice to. Happy shotgunning fellers!


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## blpbxyf

buy a pretty one.
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=179531&highlight=winchester


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## JBax26

Has anyone shot an SX3 enough to form a good opinion of it.  I was interested in buying one but i'd like to hear what yall think of it.


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## stiles1682

jard said:


> I shoot a SX2 and its the best gun I've ever owned.  I cant immagine the SX3 being anything less than awesome.



x2!


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## chris31904

*sx3*

by far... best gun i have ever owned!
i even had x2  sold it for sbe 2  sold it for sx3
would only sell sx3 if they make sx4   honest!!

worlds fastest shotgun
go to winchester web site & watch patrick bust 12 clays in less than 2 seconds  real freakin' deal!!

just my opinion


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## 8pointduck

Yes,brittonl, To you, question, Which gun does your gas operating system come from? Answer,a Franchi. Thats right seems they bought the company ,got there hands on the Franchi 912 Variomax, dropped that gun(for a while then started to sell them through Dicks), took the gas system and built the Extrema 2. Hey doesn't the bolt lock up to the barrel like a Benelli or Franchi.........Hmmmmm. Thats right its your opinion, cheapest of the bunch, but lets just get the facts straight, the less expensive one of the bunch. They are underrated.

Fabrigue National owns Browning and Winchester guns. They owned USRA or the shell of what that company was but that went away when there plant folded couple years ago . Now guns like the new model 70 and the 1300 are being built by FN Manufacturing in Columbia South Carolina


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## MudDucker

GSUJake said:


> And with what proof do you say that??? The SX3 is a very good gun. It's the same quality as the browning silver. Some of the parts are made from stamp metal is the only real downside but I've seen no difference w/ the performance. Bigman, just to save you a response, I've seen just as many benellis break as any other "Good" gun. Oh, and w/ the SX3 you don't have to worry about the "BENELLI CLICK"



I guess you call the click on my bud's browning silver the other day the Browning click?


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