The Winchester SX3 is a fast-handling shotgun, capable of firing the heaviest loads at the longest ranges for large game.

Story and Photos by Jerry Catania

Who says the sequel is never better than the original?

I first came across the Winchester Super X1 shotgun at one of the Steel Challenge matches in Piru, CA, in the 1980s. Someone—I forget who—won the overall title with that gun. Produced from 1974 to 1981, the Super X1 was all steel and expensive, which probably explains why it was discontinued.

    Winchester introduced the SX2 shotgun in 1999. Although it had the same general name and look as its predecessor, it was quite different, utilizing a different gas mechanist and an alloy receiver to save weight. Available in 12 gauge with a 3.5-inch chamber, the SX2 was capable of handling all types of 12-gauge shells.

I wrote an article about the SX2 in the June 2004 issue of Gun World and praised the gun highly. It quietly disappeared from Winchester catalogues when Winchester was forced to close the doors of its historic, 140-year-old New Haven, CT facility in 2006, where all of Winchester’s firearms were manufactured. The SX2 is still available in the FN Herstal line renamed the “SLP” tactical and police shotgun, which I covered in the July 2004 issue of Gun World.

Winchester re-opened the facility in 2007 and an improved version of the SX-2 was introduced: the SX3. Changes were subtle and the results include improved handling, increased reliability, lighter weight (by a full half-pound), less felt recoil—and all in the fastest-firing 12-gauge autoloader ever made. The SX3 lives up to all the hype. Available in several versions in both 12 and 20 gauge, it was the model called the SX3 Composite that we chose for testing.

The Winchester SX3 proved to be a fast-handling shotgun, capable of firing the heaviest loads at the longest ranges for large game. It is also perfectly suitable for quail, doves, turkey and waterfowl.

BUILT TO PERFORM 

The SX3 Composite features a gunmetal gray Perma-Coat UT (Ultra Tough) coating that is applied to all external metal surfaces for extreme corrosion resistance. The bolt is further plated with electroless nickel for reduced friction and additional corrosion protection. The barrel is back-bored to a diameter of .742-inch, whereas barrels that are not back-bored typically have a diameter of only.725-inch.

Back-boring results in more uniform patterns by decreasing pellet deformation and by providing higher velocities (shorter shot strings) through reduced friction between the wad cup and the barrel—especially with the heaviest loads. The receiver and magazine tube are made of weight-saving alloy while the barrel is slim but very high in tensile strength. The ventilated rib is machined for further weight reduction.

The black synthetic stock has a Dura-Touch armor coating that offers a soft, velvety feel while providing a sure grip in wet conditions. It is extremely wear-resistant, as well. In addition, the SX3 comes with two extra spacers to increase length of pull, and five spacers to adjust the stock for drop, cast-off and cast-on.

The proprietary sporting clays-type recoil pad (Inflex Technology) combined with the Active Valve gas system reduces felt recoil by as much as 50 percent over inertia-operated semi-automatic shotguns. My personal observation is that recoil is dramatically less than that of an inertia-operated shotguns and almost unnoticeable when compared to a typical pump shotgun.

The Winchester Super X3 is a great handling shotgun. I was able to fire big payloads of shot from a rested position without unduly rattling my fillings. The SX3 is fast enough for pheasants, dove or quail, and light enough to carry all day and soft shooting for ducks and geese. It will also handle the big shot loads for turkey, varmints and deer. I have never fired a more user-friendly shotgun.

To read this article in its entirety, pick up a copy of Gun World’s January issue, available on newsstands now.

This right-side view of the SSG-08 offers a good look at the heavy-duty bipod. The quick-detach lever allows the bipod to be removed for ease of handling.

Story and Photos by Leroy Thompson

A few years ago, I was hired to work on a documentary about the Munich Olympic hostage incident. My job was to look at the incident, walk the ground involved and offer opinions on alternate tactics to rescue the hostages. One thing I discovered was that there had been Steyr SSG69 rifles available to the Bavarian State Police at the time of the hostage incident, so I set up a scenario with the film crew to show how accurately the SSG69 could be used at 100 meters, the longest shot Munich Police had to take during the incident.

And accurate it is indeed.

When the Steyr SSG (Scharfschutzengewehr) was first introduced in 1969, it became the benchmark for sniping rifles for much of the world. Most commonly found in 7.62x51mm NATO caliber and with a 25.6-inch barrel, the SSG69, as the rifle is generally designated, shot ½ -MOA groups right from the factory. More than four decades after its introduction, the SSG69 is still in production and serves as the sniping rifle for many military and law enforcement agencies.

I have an SSG69 with a Swarovski scope, a standard combo used by many foreign military and police units with which I’ve worked. I take it out to the range a couple of times a year to stay familiar with it. It is a great rifle, and the foundation for the newer versions that have followed, including the subject of our test: the SSG-08.

The author is in shooting position from an elevated catwalk with the SSG-08 .338 LM.

REFINING A WINNER        

In what I consider a very sensible marketing move, Steyr has kept the SSG69 in production while also offering improved versions of the basic design. The first of these was the SSG-04, which is available in 7.62x51mm NATO or .300 Winchester Magnum. Combining some features of the SSG69 with those of the Steyr Tactical Scout Rifle, the SSG-4 incorporates a Picatinny rail, adjustable cheek piece and length of pull, and a 10-round magazine capacity (in 7.62 NATO). It retains a heavy match barrel available in either 20 inches or 23.6 inches.

The SSG-04 uses the SBS action, which is designed for extreme safety in the event of a ruptured case. A cold hammer-forged barrel and a single-stage match trigger all combine to create a more modern rifle capable of accuracy equal to that of the classic SSG69.

I have owned two SSG-04 rifles: a 7.62 NATO version with the 20-inch barrel and a .300 Win. Mag. version with the 23.6-inch barrel. Muzzle brakes are available for both calibers, and I found having one on the .300 Win. Mag. especially useful.

I no longer own the 7.62, as I replaced it with the .308 SSG-08, which I will discuss in a minute. However, I still own the .300 Win. Mag. SSG-04, and despite the fact I write extensively about sniping rifles, their scopes and their ammo, it is the only .300 Win. Mag. I own. It shoots so well—one-third MOA at 300 meters—that I haven’t seen the need for another.

To read this article in its entirety, pick up a copy of Gun World’s January issue, available on newsstands now.

With the full length magazine and X-Tension boot, the 3.8 .40 would be an exceptional police service pistol.

Story and Photos by Dave Spaulding

As with people, good genes typically make for good guns. I’ll explain.

The first XD pistol I handled was called the HS2000, and it was manufactured in Croatia by HS Produkt. Its design can be traced back to a service pistol known as the PHP, which was first produced by an industrial parts firm named I. M. Metal in 1991. The PHP was well thought of as a solid design, but early versions were plagued by quality-control issues, due mostly to the difficulties of manufacturing during the Croatian Civil War. Work continued on the pistol design over the next decade, leading to the release of the HS95 in 1995 and the HS2000 in 1999. The HS2000 was eventually adopted by the Croatian military and law enforcement as its standard issue sidearm and continues to fill that role to this day.

Initially exported to the U.S. by Intrac and distributed by HS America in 2002, Springfield Armory negotiated licensing rights and changed the name to the XD (X-Treme Duty). The folks at Springfield Armory have since expanded the line to include numerous models in three different calibers, barrel lengths, finishes and frame configurations. The industry press awarded the XD-45 the title of “Handgun of the Year” from both American Rifleman magazine and The Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence while the XD(M) series of pistols won “Handgun of the Year” again in 2009.

The author found the Springfield Armory 3.8 .40 Compact to be a real pleasure to shoot. The new trigger action is one of the best stock triggers available.

TOTAL PACKAGE

The XD is a striker-fired, delay blowback centerfire handgun with a safety lever in the face of the trigger, a drop safety and a grip safety. A few years back, Springfield upgraded the XD line, and while keeping the original product line, the company created a more updated configuration with a new grip. The slide was contoured to be narrower at the top than along the slide rail area, and an interchangeable backstrap was added to what was already a very comfortable grip that pointed quite well.

What Springfield calls the Modern XD—the XD(M)—came with greater ammo capacity, with the 9mm version holding 19 rounds in the double stack magazine. The pistol is long—top to bottom—to accommodate the additional capacity.

Recently, Springfield cut the barrel and slide and gave it the name XD(M) 3.8, with this number indicating the length in inches of the new barrel. The frame size was also reduced and the magazine was shortened with less capacity: 13 rounds instead of 19, to be precise.

These changes take the XD Series to a whole new level by making it easy to transform into a full-size, high-capacity XD(M) from a small compact pistol. That is, from a 13-round, concealed carry companion to a 19-round match-grade pistol with just a simple magazine change. In essence, Springfield’s goal was to offer a gun “package,” and perhaps the only handgun you’ll ever need, so to speak.

To read this article in its entirety, pick up a copy of Gun World’s January issue, available on newsstands now.

The Pit Bull’s cylinder holds five rounds, but by the time they’re gone, you’ve definitely got someone’s attention!

Story and Photos by Dave Workman

Chambering revolvers for semi-auto cartridges is hardly a new idea. Does anybody remember the Model 1917 revolvers that handled .45 ACP cartridges in full- or half-moon clips? Yet, the new wheelgun from Charter Arms features a unique design improvement that makes this stainless five-shooter a winner right out of the gate.

         Not only does the new Pit Bull have a bite for personal protection applications, it is just the right size for packing on the trail. Carried in a handsome high-ride pancake-style holster from Gene DeSantis, it is the kind of serious revolver one could carry as a primary defensive sidearm. Tucked in an ankle rig or upside down shoulder holster, it could also be an effective backup gun.

The Charter Arms Pit Bull is a compact revolver that fits well into the average-size hand. Chambered in .40 S&W, this five-shooter is a powerhouse.

ATTACK DOG UNLEASHED

With a smooth double action, an exposed hammer, all-stainless construction and fixed sights, Charter’s Pit Bull is chambered for a serious fight-stopping cartridge: the .40 S&W. How Charter does this without steel clips that hold the cartridge at the case head is a bit of design and engineering genius. More about that in a moment.

Charter president Nick Ecker told me in a note that accompanied the test gun I was sent (Serial # 11-12764) that, “I originally envisioned chambering the Pit Bull in .40 caliber because of its popularity with law enforcement officers who already carried a .40 caliber and could use the Pit Bull as a backup revolver, using the same ammo as their [primary] sidearm.”

For the armed private citizen, the Pit Bull may be all one needs. Revolver fans here in the rainy Pacific Northwest or along the damp Gulf Coast, Eastern Seaboard, New England, Southeast Alaska or anywhere else where the elements can turn bad, will find that the Charter Arms Pit Bull makes sense. Built from 416 stainless steel with a matte finish on the same frame as Charter’s .44 Special, the Pit Bull wears a full wraparound rubber grip with molded checkering and finger grooves.

The Pit Bull also sports a smooth trigger. There hammer has cocking serrations, and the rear sight notch is squared and ample for the un-grooved, ramp-style blade front sight. The cylinder pin is long enough to allow a full press rearward for complete extraction of spent cases from their chambers.

To read this article in its entirety, pick up a copy of Gun World’s January issue, available on newsstands now.

A chromed frame, polished blue slide and dark wood grips give Les Baer’s Boss a very attractive appearance. This custom-made .45 is a fitting tribute to the 100-year heritage of the M1911.

Story and Photos by Dr. Martin D. Topper

Ever wonder what kind of gun a custom gunmaker like Les Baer would build for himself? Now you can own one.

Baer put all the features he prefers into one pistol and named it “The Boss” after his favorite high-performance car, the extremely rare 429 Mustang. Like Ford’s ultimate muscle car, Les Baer’s new Boss .45 is designed for people who want the most from their equipment.

It takes Baer’s master pistolsmiths about 40 hours to build a Boss, and like all precision instruments, its price reflects the amount of highly-skilled labor that goes into its construction. But when you consider what you get for the money, this pistol is a very good value.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Boss is a high-speed, low-drag pistol that has all the necessary tactical features to make it accurate, reliable and shooter-friendly. Many of these features are familiar to owners of Les Baer .45s. They include an adjustable rear sight, a tuned extractor, an extended ejector, a polished feed ramp and throated barrel, a beveled magazine well, and a deluxe Commander hammer and sear tuned to a crisp 4-pound trigger pull.

The Boss also has a lowered and flared ejection port; a checkered, flat mainspring housing; a beavertail grip safety with a memory pad; an extended combat safety; a high checkered front strap and a tightly fitted National Match slide, frame and barrel.

The author uses a two-hand retention position and flash sight picture to engage a target while moving backward at extremely close range. The Boss produced excellent hits using this technique.

Three additional features that set the Boss apart from the other Baer .45s include a chromed frame that creates a very pleasing two-tone effect, a red fiber-optic front sight that provides a bright aiming point that is visible under a variety of daytime and indoor lighting conditions and diagonal cocking serrations on the rear of the slide.

I prefer .45s that only have rear serrations. Having both front and rear serrations may look “tactical,” but I’ve never found front serrations to be all that useful for performing press checks. I just don’t like putting my hand that close to the muzzle of a loaded and cocked gun.

To read this story in its entirety, pick up a copy of Gun World’s January issue, available on newsstands now.

Full-size performance in a compact package

Story and Photos by Dr. Martin D. Topper

A few months ago, I saw a compact P40 in S&W caliber in the display case at the Florida Gun Exchange. The clean lines, contrasting stainless steel slide and black polymer frame of this Kahr Arms semi-auto just seemed to say, “Pick me up!”

The sales associate handed me the pistol, and I was immediately impressed by its light weight, the comfort of its grip and its lack of sharp edges. Clearly, this was a compact full-power .40-caliber handgun that would be easy to conceal and carry.

My only question about this pistol concerned how well it would handle the recoil of full-power .40-caliber loads. I’d met Kahr’s director of sales and marketing, Frank Harris, at the SHOT Show some time ago, so I called him and asked if he’d send me a P40 with a stainless steel slide and night sights for evaluation.

The Unique, User-Friendly P40

The P40 is basically an enhanced version of Kahr’s CW40. The main differences between the two guns are that the P40 has a match-grade barrel and a slide with dovetails that fit aftermarket sights. The P40 is also shipped with two factory magazines instead of one.

The P40 I received is the KP4043N version, which has a 3.6-inch barrel and a grip that fully encloses a six-shot magazine. The pistol will also accept an extended seven-shot magazine. With a seven-shot magazine in place, the pistol has a maximum capacity of eight shots, including one round in the chamber.

         To read this article in its entirety, pick up a copy of Gun World’s December issue, available on newsstands now.

The upper and lower Picatinny rails on the KSG allow for myriad combinations of user-selectable sights, optics, lights, lasers and vertical foregrips. This shot shows a 1x24mm Trijicon RX-06 reflex sight combined with a CAA short vertical foregrip.

Story and Photos by John N. Raguso

What’s 26.1 inches long, weighs 6.9 pounds unloaded, offers a 14+1 onboard magazine capacity, is shorter than your typical pistol grip 12 gauge and offers a full 18.5-inch barrel with a standard 13-inch length of pull stock?

And the answer? Why, it’s Kel-Tec’s newest innovation: the KSG bullpup shotgun, of course.

It’s been a long time since I was tasked to test out a weapon that was this unique and singular an experience, and it was really worth the wait. This new weapon from Kel-Tec is truly a one-of-a-kind 12 gauge that will be perfectly cast as the weapon of choice in a future Alien, Predator or Zombie movie and will further ingratiate this innovative Florida-based manufacturer both with its loyal cult followers and newbies alike.

If you’ve been waiting for the “real” scoop on this very special 12 gauge, and not some third-hand balderdash from internet commandos, then keep it dialed where it is and let’s get right into it.

Big boom in a micro package. The KSG’s 15-round capacity and compact 26-inch frame offers universal appeal to special operators, law enforcement officers and home-defense scenarios.

Genesis and Evolution 

According to Kel-Tec’s director of sales and marketing, Derek Kellgren, the “original” idea of the KSG design stemmed from John Browning and the Ithaca 37 shotgun, which was bottom ejecting and loading, so the concept has been around for a while. And there were probably other ideas from John Browning before that that were in the minds of shotgun designers.

         To read this article in its entirety, pick up a copy of Gun World’s December issue, available on newsstands now.

The author shoots the SCAR-17S at close range using the DeltaPoint on the HAMR; note that the cheek piece is raised to allow better cheek weld with the DeltaPoint.

Story and Photos by Leroy Thompson

A few years ago, when the Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) was undergoing military trails, I had the opportunity to shoot the versions that were under military consideration. These included three versions of the 5.56x45mm SCAR-L (MK16 Mod 0; “L” meaning “light”) along with three versions of the 7.62x51mm NATO SCAR-H (MK 17 Mod 0; the “H” for “heavy”). 

The SCAR-L featured a short version with a 10-inch barrel, a standard version with a 14.5-inch barrel and a long version with an 18-inch barrel. The SCAR-H was available in a short version with a 13-inch barrel, a standard version with a 16-inch barrel and a long version with a 20-inch barrel.

McLean, Virginia-based FNH USA had an array of other rifles along with pistols available for us to shoot, but I spent most of my time with the SCARs. And, although I liked them all, I especially liked the SCAR-H standard version. That’s why I anxiously anticipated the release of the civilian version of the SCAR-H: the semi-auto SCAR-17S. You guessed it: the “S” stands for semi-automatic.

The SCAR-17S features an A2-type pistol grip with a finger indexing ridge and a proprietary 20-round .308 magazine.

‘Civilianizing” a Great Combat Rifle 

Members of the U.S. Special Ops community seemed to like the SCAR-H the best, too. Although the Rangers and some other units field tested the SCAR-L, it didn’t replace the M4 Carbine. The SCAR-H, on the other hand, has achieved substantial popularity among special operators. In fact, the MK20 sniper/designated marksman version of the SCAR-H is also being purchased by SOCOM.

To read this article in its entirety, pick up the December issue of Gun World magazine, available on newsstands now.

Let’s Get Tactical 

With the new year just around the corner and the latest gun models nearing their debut at the 2012 SHOT Show, the editors of Gun World have been putting in some serious overtime to bring readers the very latest in handguns as well as tactical weapons—even before the 2012 models become available.

Our annual Handgun Buyer’s Guide features more than 250 guns and covers everything from micro compacts to extra-large-frame revolvers and includes images, specs, outstanding features and pricing. It’s back by popular demand and will be available on newsstands November 22.

By the time you read this, Tactical World will be already on the newsstands. This latest undertaking from the staff at Gun World features more than 200 combat weapons to ogle over and includes high-res images, specs, standout features and pricing for each. Tactical World covers sniper rifles, tactical pistols, combat rifles, tactical optics, shotguns and tactical knives.

Also included in this 132-page special issue are features from some of your favorite Gun World field editors, including Leroy Thompson, Dr. Martin D. Topper, John N. Raguso and Dave Spaulding, all experts in tactical weapons, with backgrounds in law enforcement, military and combat training.

Thompson, who has trained military and law enforcement hostage rescue units and has written several books on the subject, authors a piece about the evolution of sniping and sniping rifles since World War II in Tactical World.

Topper, who worked for 10 years in federal law enforcement where his work involved firearms and tactical training, now consults with law-enforcement agencies and lectures on the mechanisms of terminal ballistics. Topper takes us through an in-depth look into the Rangemaster Tactical Conference, a training center with a proven track record for preparing citizens to win gunfights against street criminals.

Raguso’s background involves building, shooting and writing about AR-style weapons since the late 1980s and he enjoys competitive shooting from service rifle matches to pistol carbine matches and three-gun matches. In Tactical World, Raguso reviews Rock River Arms’ LAR-8 semi-auto chambered in .308.

Last and certainly not least, Spaulding, a 36-year law enforcement/security veteran with experience in patrol, investigations, training, SWAT and undercover operations, gives you the straight dope on red-dot and reflex sights for use close-quarter, small-arms combat, currently one of the hottest topics of discussions on the gun message forums.

Tactical World is a must-read for anyone who is serious about arming themselves against an armed aggressor or just interested in seeing what’s available in the world of tactical weaponry—to not only the law-abiding citizens of the U.S., but also to those who defend civilians against bad guys both domestically and abroad.

The Cooper Model 56 test rifle came with the Cooper signature matte-finished stainless steel barrel and matte-blued action. The Jackson Game-style stock was cut from a piece of AA+ select grade Carlo walnut.

Nothing solidifies a legacy better than focusing in certain areas for close to 20 years.

When asked what they think of the Cooper Firearms of Montana, shooters naturally associate the name with rifles chambered for rimfire and the smaller varieties of centerfire cartridges. And rightfully so. For the vast majority of the company’s two decades of production, that has essentially been the mainstay of Cooper’s well-earned legacy. Historically, that has included standardized cartridges, both new and old, and also a vast array of impressive performing wildcats.

While that tradition clearly continues to this day, I believe that there has been a yearning for some time within the company to move forward into bigger things. In this case, bigger refers to the production of rifles designed specifically for magnum cartridges.

Two crossbolts help to provide an extra degree of security and strength to the stock.

THE MODEL 56 DEBUTS

It was at the 2011 Las Vegas SHOT Show that that dream finally came to fruition when the company introduced its new bolt-action Model 56. This new offering wasn’t merely the result of a regurgitation of one of Cooper’s previous actions; it was a culmination brought about by a completely new design, specifically meant to handle the unique and challenging requirements associated with the larger and more powerful magnums.

Even so, any connoisseur of the rifles produced in the Cooper factory will quickly recognize many of the unique characteristics and traits that are common to all of the rifles bearing the Cooper name. A few of those being similar stock configurations, the matte stainless-steel barrel and matte-blued action that has now become a type of trademark look for Cooper, the company’s attention to detail and a variety of other easily recognizable traits, but in a slightly larger overall package.

To read this article in its entirety, pick up a copy of Gun World’s December issue, available on newsstands now.