Is SXP a worthwhile alternative to a Mossberg 500?

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Is a Trabant a worthwhile alternative to a Mini Cooper?

Or, put this way, the Win. Mod. 12 was the peak of Winchester shotgun design. (Of course, it was a JMB design.) The 1200 was a descent as is the SXP from the 1200. I would hope the SXP is the nadir, and better days are ahead for Winchester pump shotguns, but probably not.

The Winchester model 12 was designed by Winchester's Thomas Crossly Johnson..........NOT by JMB...........JMB designed the 1893 which evolved in the Win. 1897.............Research it.

 

[entropy]

You're late to the correction. Ironicaintit caught that on Aug. 4th, and I said my Mea Culpa then.
Johnson did the same thing with the Model 12 that Kalashnikov did with the AK-47, copied an innovative design, and added some small improvements. In both cases, the original and the newer models are classics of their genre.

 

[Zebraranger]

Personally I think anything is better that a mossberg 500.

One of the least expensive firearms in my small collection, a Mossberg 500 combo with the 18.5" and 28" barrels that I purchased over 20 years ago. It's been flawless, 100% reliable every single time we've taken it out over the years. Still pumping them out as good as it did day one. I have a couple of other much more expensive firearms that I cannot say that about. With many decades of proven reliability, the 500 serves primary duty as one of my HD guns, and it will go bang every single time, just like it has for the last 20 years.

If it's something that I have to use in its role of HD, then it won't hurt the wallet as much when it gets taken away for the investigation. You can definitely get better quality shotguns, just like you can get better anything, but you'll pay out twice the price and up.

My neighbor, considerably younger than I, purchased a Beretta 1301 tactical SA 12-gauge last year for his HD shotgun, the model with a butt stock and pistol grip. I tried to tell him (in a nice way after the fact) that the semi auto shotguns are not as reliable as a pump action. He paid more than triple the price of what the Mossberg 500 cost me and he's gone out with me probably close to half a dozen times to the local rifle range.

As predicted, the reliability of that 12-gauge simply sucks. He's sent it in twice, and it has gotten better, but it's still not 100% reliable like the 20 year old Mossberg 500 has been. He's pretty much given up on the Beretta and is now ready to start looking for a 12-gauge pump, he'll probably end up with a 500.

​

 

[contender]

received a winchester sxp marine defender a few years back as a birthday present.

Main complaint is it feels thick thru the wrist area of the stock.
Another complaint is its not easy to combat load thru the ejection port like an 870.

on the plus side, the feeding seems very positive and more "controlled" from the magazine compared to other designs, and i have not managed to short stroke this sxp like i have with 870s. It holds one more round than my old riot 870. It is drilled and tapped. It also uses invector chokes. I probably will never take advantage of those features.

for me it is a light duty pump that rides behind the seat of the pickup. Should last me for decades to come as it is carried often/seldom shot.

 

[kje54]

I would first look at a rem 870 or Mossberg 590 series, the sxp is imported from turkey

You mean like the Mossberg SA-20 & SA-28? Both excellent shotguns............

 

[Freudianfloyd]

I bought an SXP years ago after trying to rebuild my gun collection after selling all of them to pay bills. The SXP I had, had an issue where it would drop live shells from the bottom every few pumps. I was finally able to fix it, but it kept me from using it very often. I have since filled my safe with better alternatives and rarely even pull the SXP out to shoot it. Maybe I will give it a try this dove season again. I love the way it looks, but if I was to have my choice for one shotgun between the SXP and a 500, I would take the 500. They just plain work, parts are easy to come by, they make barrels for everything, including for muzzle loading, and they are tough. I have a 12, 20, and .410 in the safe now, and wouldn't hesitate to take any out into the field.