Winchester Super X4 Named Shotgun of the Year by Guns & Ammo Magazine!

Winchester Super X4 Named Shotgun of the Year by Guns & Ammo Magazine!

Winchester doubles the fun by winning Ammo of the Year too.

Winchester doubles the fun by winning Ammo of the Year too.


SX4 Guns and Ammo Award 2017
The new Winchester Super X4 is the winner of the Shotgun of the Year award from the editors of Guns & Ammo magazine. There is one shotgun winner in 2017. Winner takes all.

The pre-eminent shotgun of 2017 is the fast, reliable, affordable (and plain incredible) Super X4.

The pre-eminent shotgun of 2017 is the fast, reliable, affordable (and plain incredible) Super X4.

It just doesn’t get better than this! The editors of Guns & Ammo, one of the world’s foremost shooting sports publications, have just released their exclusive list of Products of the Year for 2017, and the Winchester Super X4 is their pick for Shotgun of the Year. And, to quote G&A, “There are no second-place winners or honorable mentions.” Nope. In this game it’s winner take all.

G&A determined the winners for each category on a point system relating to three areas,” the editors noted. “First, the product must have been new (for 2017), and available for purchase. Second, it must demonstrate quality and reliability to a degree that met or exceeded its design objective. Lastly, the winner offered the greatest appeal…and offers great value.”

“Shotgunners are demanding more from scatterguns now than ever,” the G&A editors continued. “Aside from hitting what they’re aimed at, there’s an expectation for shotguns to swing light, instantly cycle, lack felt recoil, and run any load that can be found on a store shelf – all while enduring the harshest of field conditions.”

The G&A editors had the highest praise for the Super X4’s utter reliability (based in great part on the gun’s Active Valve Gas System) along with its exceptional ergonomics, easy to operate controls and ready adaptability to the needs of the individual shooter. 

“The balance of the SX4 is further forward that most semiautomatics,” the G&A editors reported. “which enables a fluid swing, smooth tracking and excellent follow through.”

While reading about the great fit and smooth swing of the Super X4 is all well and good, the real proof comes at the moment when you first pick one up and put it to your shoulder. Then you’ll know what all the excitement is about. Stop by your local Winchester Repeating Arms dealer today, and add a little extra excitement to your shotgunning.

You can read all about what impressed the editors in the December issue of Guns & Ammo, available at your local news stand, or online at gunsandammo.com


Original article copyright Guns&Ammo, 2017. Photos and graphics are copyright G&A, Winchester Repeating Arms and/or used with attribution and/or permission or are in the public domain. Review written by Winchester staff writer, Scott Engen. Copyright Winchester Repeating Arms, 2017.


Super X4. Shotgun of the Year.

Super X4. Shotgun of the Year.

2017 Guns & Ammo Shotgun of the Year -- G&A Editors

WINCHESTER SX4 Shotgunners are demanding more from scatterguns now than ever. Aside from hitting what they’re aimed at, there’s an expectation for shotguns to swing light, instantly cycle, lack felt recoil, and run any load that can be found on a store shelf — all while enduring the harshest of field conditions.

During G&A’s 2017 evaluation, the self-adapting, Active Valve Gas System in the SX4 — carried over from the SX3 — accommodated the adaptability required for reliable function with different pressures and payloads. Excess gas not needed to reliably cycle the action is funneled away from the user through the Quada-Vent ports in the forend. When combined with positive ergonomics and Winchester’s Inflex recoil pad, the SX4 proved to be the most comfortable shotgun fired from awkward shooting positions.

Ergonomic updates include a pistol grip that’s slimmer. It was opined by G&A’s testers that the grip was more comfortable than other contours for use among both right- and left-handed shooters. The larger bolt handle, bolt release, and reversible crossbolt safety are easy to reach and intuitive to operate. The balance of the SX4 is further forward than most semiautomatics, which enables a fluid swing, smooth tracking and excellent follow through.

The SX4 also comes with spacers, which can be interchanged to accommodate different lengths of pull (LOP) for shotgunners of different sizes. Use of these spacers gave us the ability to fine-tune comfort and pointability. Each spacer changes LOP by a quarter inch, which offered each of us the chance for a custom fit to produce the best results in the field and on the range.


Deer Season XP. Ammo of the year.

Deer Season XP. Ammo of the year.

2017 Guns & Ammo Ammo of the Year -- G&A Editors

Winchester Deer Season XP More sportsmen hunt whitetails than any other animal in the U.S. Mule deer hunting is second. In recent times, hunting ammunition development has focused on long-range opportunities or thick-skinned animals. While evaluating Deer Season XP in the field, we sat in our blinds and on our stands wondering why so little attention has been devoted to enhancing bullet performance in deer loads beyond colorful packaging. Well, that’s all history now that we have Deer Season XP for the most popular calibers. Deer Season XP performs as if it were a more expensive black box of Winchester ammunition. Given the appeal of hunting whitetails, mulies, blacktails — and even antelope — has among American hunters, Winchester made a brilliant decision to keep 20 rounds of this load priced so that every hunter can afford it.

In our survey of nearly 20 deer harvested, none required a second, follow-up shot. The terminal effects read like a misprint when our studies reported a 2 1/2-inch average hole in the ribs just beyond penetration. Deer Season XP proved to us that it could dump around 80 percent of its energy within 3 to 4 inches of entry, which is ideal for use on thin-skinned deer.

Energy is lost as velocity decreases, which is why Deer Season XP’s velocities measured at 400 yards proved unequalled. Due to the contour of the large polymer tip, seamless assembly of tip and tapered copper jacket and reliable effects in the field, Winchester Deer Season XP earned G&A’s highest recommendation.


Recognizing the best of the new and innovative for 2017 -- G&A Editors

Guns & Ammo editors, contributors and staff present 2017’s pre-eminent firearms, optic, ammunition, suppressor and innovation awards. Only products made available to consumers this last year qualify for consideration. Candidates that were introduced but experienced delays in shipping to retailers were excluded from voting. During our roundtable discussions, more weight towards the outcome was given to products engineered from the ground up and to those that potentially impact the greatest number of readers. Therefore, when faced with deciding between two otherwise equally important new products, the more affordable choice broke ties in our voting.

G&A acquired several samples of each candidate throughout 2017 for thorough evaluation. Products that produced doubt in reliability and consistent manufacturing standards were removed from the list of contenders. G&A determined the winner for each category on a point system relating to three criteria. First, the product must have been new and available for purchase. A line extension of an existing product doesn’t earn the emphasis as one possessing innovative features and engineering. Second, it must have demonstrated quality and reliability to a degree that met or exceeded its design objective. Lastly, the winner offered the greatest appeal to the masses. G&A’s staff awarded points in this third fulfillment following a survey of in-store availability and retail pricing to ensure the product exists and offers great value.

To protect the credibility of the Guns & Ammo of the Year Award, no manufacturers, advertisers or sales representatives were informed of our selection prior to the printing of this article. As always, there are no second-place winners or honorable mentions.