Need Real Quick Help with Winchester SX2 Piston

[SirIsaacNewton]

I was having problems with my SX2 cycling #8 shot and I was told to look for a light piston. I finally found one online. It looks exactly like the one I have.

Can someone tell me if I already have the right piston or what because this is really frustrating me.

The piston currently in my gun is attached to this link My link

I really appreciate your help on the subject.

Here is the one on ebay: My link

It looks exactly like the one I have?

Should I buy it or not?

[JMcDonough]

The light piston has a red band around the inside that is what you need to shoot 3 dram 1 1/8 oz loads. The piston on ebay should work too I believe it is even lighter than the light piston that comes with the gun

[SirIsaacNewton]

Thanks so much since the one I own isn't labeled I really can't tell the difference. I appreciate your help and input.

[00bullitt]

My SX3 piston is the light piston and it has a black band. Its the only one my gun came with. The red band definitely comes with the FNH guns as does one with a black band to denote the two. Red is considered the light piston. But so is mine with a black ring and a few other SX2 pistons I have seen. Mine has 2 rows of holes and the holes measure .312".

It is for loads less than 1 1/4oz. There is a sporting clays piston for loads less than 1 1/8oz.

Have you checked to see if your spring is broken inside the piston? I've seen quite a few broken springs that alter the operation of the piston.

[Big Bore]

Have you tried any other shotgun shells??

Is your gun well oiled?? It should be wet.

Mine SX2 will run 3" shells and any discount 1 1/8oz. Walmart Federals, Remingtons, or Estates with the same piston you have. With no issues.

[SirIsaacNewton]

Have you tried any other shotgun shells??

Is your gun well oiled?? It should be wet.

Mine SX2 will run 3" shells and any discount 1 1/8oz. Walmart Federals, Remingtons, or Estates with the same piston you have. With no issues.

I ran 5 different types of targets shells through the weapon and the only ones that cycled properly (not reliably) where the Winchester AA and this was only after I fired around 100 shells and it was pretty warm. I don't know how to check the spring in the piston? Could someone help me out with that? I know the spring that sits under the piston isn't broken. What is the next step with this shotgun if I can't get it working correctly? I supposedly have the right piston and it seems like there are problems with all of the commercially available target loads. Thanks for the help. Are there any other components I should be checking to address the problem?

[Braxton1]

Brownells has the Sporting Clays piston (rated for less that 1 1/8 oz loads). It's listed under Part #65 on the Browning Gold 12 gauge schematic.

I think that most shotguns are ammo-tempermental, to some extent. I had two shotguns given to me last weekend to work on. Neither would run. I ran three different brands through the SLP and it ran like a top (but it was three different types than the shooter had already tried). The 1100 ran on my standard ammo (Remington "Gun Club" loads, #7.5 at 1200 fps).

My SLP will run with Remington Low Recoil buckshot, but not with the Winchester variety. This other one LOVED Winchester.

I am beginning to think that there are some paranormal forces at work in these things.

[00bullitt]

Here is something I have recently discovered but have not yet verified. I have an SX3 that has run flawlessly since I bought it and have about 2500 rounds through it. I shot a shotgun match about 2 months ago with it and it ran fine. At the end of the match....I noticed my stock was loose. So when I got home and cleaned my guns and put them up...I took the recoil pad off and tightened the crap out of the nut that holds the stock on and put it up until this past weekend. The gun choked at least twice on every stage. Much like it was short stroking but the gas system and piston were in fine order.

I got home and once again removed the recoil pad and removed the nut. It was VERY tight. I applied red loctite and tightened til resistance and added about a half turn instead of 3 like prior.

I plan to test fire it this week and see if anything changes. My guess is that the recoil buffer was binding in the recoil tube assembly in the stock slowing the cycle down to much.

[smokshwn]

I don't know the date of manufacture of your SX2 but early on the magazine tube had a ceramic coating instead of the TiNitride they have now. That series of guns also only came with one black banded piston. Not to worry any new pistons will still work on them.

However the ceramic tended to foul more and you could feel that even when lubed it was not what I would call slick. I took some 6-800 grit sand paper, layed it in my hand and wrapped it around the portion of the tube where the piston rides and sanded the hell out of it. You could feel a noticeable difference. That gun would run damn near anything. It would run all of the WalMart ammo and even ran some of the Aguila Mini Shells just fine.

Either way, you should be able to run any ammo that is 3 dram eq. and 1 1/8 oz of shot (shot size makes no difference) with good reliability.

Good luck, Craig