New Winchester SX-AR Autoloading Centerfire Rifle
I was very surprised when a reader email me about this new rifle from Winchester. The poor Browning BAR hunting rifle has been through yet another evolution and rebranding.
In early 2008 FN announced a tactical sniper rifle, the FNAR, based on the Browning BAR (FN owns both Browning and Winchester Arms). It added a detachable magazine, pistol grip and top, bottom and side picatinny rails.
The new SX-AR is a heavy barreled FNAR in a Mossy Oak camo finish but without the side rails and full length top rail (interestingly the bottom rail remains). It comes full circle, taking the tactical FNAR improvements back to the hunting market.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 308 Win. |
| Finish | Mossy Oak Brush |
| Receiver | Aluminum |
| Magazine Capacity | 10 (compatible with 20 round FNAR magazines) |
| Barrel | Match grade hammer forged chrome plated heavy contour with recessed target crown |
| Barrel Length | 20" |
| Rate of Twist | 1:12" |
| Overall Length | 41 1/2" |
| Length of Pull | 14 1/8" |
| Weight | 9 lbs. 14 oz. |
| MSRP (Price) | $1,379.00 |
This rifle will have been developed to fight the new AR-10 based hunting rifles that have been coming into the market, for example, the Remington R-25. I suspect the reason it is being rebranded and marketed under Winchester, and not Browning, is so that the risk of the BAR being named in any Assault Weapon Ban (federal or state) is reduced. The Browning BAR can continue to be a "traditional" styled hunting rifle.
For comparison, there are photos of the SX-AR ancestors ...
A big thank you to Reese for emailing me about this new rifle.
I bought the FNAR last summer, and what a sweet shooting rifle it is. Mine has the nicest trigger pull of any off the shelf gun I’ve ever shot. Very accurate. I’ll be using mine this weekend to hunt deer. Armed with a scope and bi-pod, it feels about as heavy as a M249.
One thing I don’t like about it, though, it’s a bear to clean. Just to strip the gun far enough to clean it requires 4 different tools, and there are a lot of parts. And only an armorer is supposed to take out the bolt group (good luck getting it out on your own, if you can figure it out), so you’ll need some sort of deep cleaning spray like QuickScrub II or something to that effect. Or soak it in hot, soapy water.
It’s a tack driver, though. I love it. The Winchester looks pretty cool with the camo.
I like the concept but I think it is way over priced, I can think of a lot of guns I own that will do the same job, some even better for a whole lot less.
The bottom rail is for your leopard light, just ask Col. Cooper!
Wish they made it in 30.06!
Wish it had open sites of some sort as well. Otherwisw quite a nice gun. Winchester is looking good.
A rifle is a tool and as such practical matters are far more important then appearance…..having said that- this is one hideous gun. The older BAR is a classic, the newer one not as much and now the FNAR/Winchester offering is awful.
I know the FNAR is highly regarded (like the previous post mentions) but I wonder if FN is doing Winchester a disservice with the ‘me too’ models. Kinda seems like the Chevy/Olds/Buick strategy of slapping different name-plates on the same vehicles…..didn’t work out too well for GM.
is anyone else unbelievably turned OFF by this rifle? I know looks don’t really enter into the hunting game, but that is one ugly gun… looks like a heavy plasticky tacticool hunkajunk… but that’s just my opinion
. what would be the advantages of this rifle over the original BAR rifle? besides the camo, which could easily be replicated with a few dollars worth of gun sock…
No, sir. I don’t like it.
Steve, yea, I also want one but there are other tools that can do the job just as well but cheaper.
Erik brings up a good point about offering the same gun under two different names. FN has been doing that for awhile with Winchester and Browning offerings. Their last generation auto shotguns come to mind (I forgot the names, I think the Winchester was the X2, the browning the Gold-something). I don’t know how well that worked for them.
I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty much an FN fanboy. They did right be me in the Marines, and they’re doing right by the US shooting community.
It is fuggly, but I think that is mostly due to the pistol grip combined with the hump on the stock. Both serve a purpose, though. In my opinion, everything front of the rear stock/pistol grip looks good.
Also the mag is a plus compared to the BAR 3 rounds.
It’s ugly, but if you shoot one, you’ll like it. It’s not really as ugly at the range as it is in pictures. AND, it is also cheaper than the AR offerings in .308, like the Remington, which you couldn’t even find a month ago.
Ugly.
Ugly…. Who cares how cute the rifle is, what counts is what happens on the business end and this little “hunkajunk” hits what you point it at! And, with it’s sizeable weight, feels really good when you squeeze the trigger off.
I’ve been wanting a 308 combat style rifle for a while. I wanted an FNAR but then heard all of the complaints about how expensive and hard to find the magazines are.
When I first saw the SX-AR I thought it would be the “one” especially because it appears to use cheap and plentiful AR-10 mags. I have now lost interest as it is the same rifle as the FNAR with the same unjustifiably over priced magazines.
But like all things . Over time someone will make an aftermarket mag for alot less, meanwhile you have an excellent weapon .What other autoloading tactical weapon can you find with .308 power that shoots as well and costs less?
I have never NOT bought a gun because of the price of extra magazines. IF that were the case…heck, mags for my browning buckmark .22 are like $30. My ruger LCP is $20-25. You really can’t compare the FNAR mag to an (cheap as you said) AR-10 mag, either. The things are solid bricks. They’re a weapon in their own right.
I feel like I’m on a women’s shoe blog, instead of a gun blog. “It’s ugly, I wouldn’t buy it.” “It’s too expensive to accessories it.” Just shoot the gun. And I would argue that for the quality, accuracy and features that you get with this rifle, no you can’t find a lot out there for this price. Not in a .308 tactical/sniping combat/hoot’enanny zombie killing rifle.