Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Winchester SX2 or Browning Gold?

I'm in the market for a new turkey thumper. I have it narrowed to two or three. First one is the Win SX2 NWTF. I like the camo, 3.5" capability, and tru glo sights. Second is the Browning Gold NWTF which basically the same features. The third is the Browning BPS NWTF. The auto's are all close in price, which is too damn high, and the BPS is around the $550 range.

Anyone have any input or experience with these?

Joseph

I have owned all 3, 2 are still in the safe, those are the ones that work when you want them to. The Winchester SX2 to me is the finest turkey gun out there, it is drilled and tapped too. I shoot a .655" Hastings with the new Winchester Xtended Range #6, it will lay one low. I put a Nikon 1.5-4.5 scope on it and had a trigger job done to bring to pull weight to 3#. I could not be happier.

I started with a A5 (browning) moved to a gold, then a SX2 winchester and finally stayed with a Super Black eagle (benelli).

The SX2 has a higher rib than the gold so that makes it better. The only defect on the SX2 is the design of the bolt release. It can get dirt underneight it and if it's really, really cold it's hard to push down and get the thing to release, OR more importantly feed shells from the tube.
This can be fixed easily if you simply take it out once a year and clean underneight the spring.

I love the BPS but NOT for 3.5 " loads...

I vote SX2 unless you can afford the SBE.

Spot

Thanks for the info. I went to the Bass Pro Shop the other day and got to fondle all three. I didn't care for the BPS. The Browning and the Winchester felt really close to the same. Both pointed well and I like the fiber optic sights There doesn't look to be much difference on the outside. The duratouch finish felt real good.

I looked at Remington's 11-87 SP-T with the thumbhole stock and must say its not for me.

I have a couple of weeks to make my decision so we'll see. Right now I'm leaning toward the Winchester SX2.

Joseph

I was very interested in a SBE and got to thinking who better to ask about track records than our largest gunsmith in the Memphis TN area. I had seen parts hanging on a peg at another local store labeled SBE this or that some tuning fork looking gizmo. The good gun Dr. told me as particular as I was with my guns to steer clear of the SBE`s. I took his advise. We have much waterfowl hunting in our area, this may be the main reason for his statements. There are breaking parts inside the action, and a recoil spring that is a slave system with no way for water to drain away from the spring. These issues may have finally been fixed by Benelli and all may be better. I like the weight, I didn`t like the early low rib models which shot way to low for our American market. I bought 2 and my oldest son 1 of the Browning Golds. We had 3 in this household, I have a 4" forcing cone reamer and had modified the barrel on my 30" Stalker. A couple years later, it became very unreliable and had to be returned to Browning. They wanted to sell me a new barrel before they would work on the gun due the mod to the forcing cone. You know what. The Remington Supermag comes from the freaking factory with a nice long forcing cone. Guess who is gonna get some of my business, and who ain`t. To me for a shotgun to qualify as a turkey gun, it will be drilled and tapped by the factory, plain and simple. Shotguns are notorious for not shooting where you are looking, optics will fix that, All my turkey guns are drilled and tapped. I`m down to my favorites, a Universal Hunter SX2, camo, dura touch, 26" barrel, 1.5-4.5 Nikon Monarch, Hastings .655" shooting the new Xtended Range Winchester #6. Remington 870 Supermag, MOBU, 24" barrel, .652" Rhino 2" extended choke, with Nitro triplex Hevi shot. this combo puts 300 pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yds. Leupold 2.5x Turkey Ranger. Browning BPS 10 26" barrel MOBU. The same Leupold base for the BPS 12 will fit the 10 so I drilled and tapped the 10 using the base as a template. Leupold 2.5x Turkey Ranger. Hastings .680" extended tube. Winchester Hi-Velocity 2 oz #6 will put 200 pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yds. Last but ot least Remington SP 10, 26" barrel, I drilled and tapped it for 2 Warne bases for the 7400. Nikon 1.5-4.5 still working on the right load/choke. To say I`m goofy over turkeys is putting it lightly. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I'll second the Rem SP 10 for an auto loader

The only thing to note about remy is there receivers are steel which makes them heavier, which is a good/bad thing depending on the context your using it in.

In my opinion Alum. make a great carry shotgun, Steel takes the beatings better, including less recoil.

Well, it looks like I don't have to worry about it anymore. Little momma bought me a NWTF SX2 for Valentines day. To say I was shocked is an understatement!!! She has good taste in shotguns wouldn't you say?!

Joseph

Absolutely, I`d say that about your taste in wimins too. You picked a keeper there!!!!! Great news!!

Okie,

NICE! I think you're gonna be a happy guy, if your not already one.

Spot

Some of the parts will interchange between the SX2 and the Browning Gold