First introduced on the market in 1983 as a replacement to the Winchester model 1200 (which had been launched in 1964), the Winchester 1300 pump action shotgun was produced until 2006, and has been a top seller in the United States and worldwide in a plethora of calibers − including 12-gauge, 16-gauge, 20-gauge, 28-gauge and .410-gauge − and variants that made it popular between civilians for hunting, sport shooting, home defense, as well as between Police forces, private security companies and military units alike.
In the year 2010, only four years after the Winchester 1300 had been phased out, the Winchester Repeating Arms company − a Browning International brand − revived the design in an upgraded form, dubbed the SXP, or "Super-X Pump", which once again became an instant favorite of hunters, sport shooters, average civilian gun owners, private security operators and Police officers all around the globe.
Five years after the re-launch of the design, the SXP shotguns line is still the mainstay of the Winchester catalogue, and the best selling product of the brand.
Capitalizing on both the market success of the SXP and the rise in popularity of "small" calibers between hunters and sportsmen − particularly due to the increasing number of women and youngsters taking part in shooting activities of all sorts − the Winchester Repeating Arms company announced at the 2015 SHOT Show in Las Vegas (NV, U.S.A.) that several versions of the SXP line of pump action shotguns would be made available in 20-gauge.
An "all-rounder", basic variant of the Winchester SXP shotgun − the Defender variant, featuring an 18-inch barrel − had already been available on the market for a while.
New for 2015 are a handful of 20-gauge versions specifically conceived for hunting and sport shooting: the Winchester SXP Field, the Winchester SXP Field Compact, and the Winchester SXP Black Shadow.
The new variants of the Winchester Super-X Pump shotgun series are built on a smaller and lighter 20 gauge-specific receiver.
Four oversize rotary bolt lugs provide support, strength and solid lock-up to the barrel, and hard chrome chamber and bore make surfaces highly resistant to wear and corrosion.
Winchester's own Inflex technology recoil pad reduces felt recoil. The field-proven Invector-Plus choke tube system, one of the most versatile currently available on the market, provides consistent shot patterns in the constriction hunter’s situation demands.
The 20-gauge Winchester SXP Field and SXP Field Compact feature a satin finished wooden stock and forearm with an alloy receiver in matte black finish.
The Winchester SXP Field 20-gauge shotgun is offered in 26-inch or 28-inch barrel lenghts, while the SXP Field Compact is offered with 24-inch, 26-inch or 28-inch barrels; both variants are sold at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $429.99 in the United States.
The 20-gauge Winchester SXP Black Shadow instead features a synthetic stock and forearm with textured gripping surfaces in black matte finish, and is available in 26-inch or 28-incb barrel lenghts. Its suggested retail price in the United States tops $399.99.
Prospective non-U.S. customers should check with their their authorized Browning/Winchester dealers or distributors, or with the international branch of Winchester, to obtain informations regarding local availability and pricing.
