A pioneer in the waterfowl world, Shawn Stahl is a busy man. Aside from his calling accolades, which include numerous contest wins, podium finishes, and the 2000 World Goose Calling Championship, Stahl works for RNT Calls and is the co-host for the RNT-V outdoor television show on the Sportsman Channel. 

Stahl has designed and developed throngs of goose calls and has taught more waterfowlers than he can count how to blow a goose call and work birds in close.

Shawn Stahl is the total waterfowl hunting package, and recently, Team Winchester sat down with him to get his thoughts on Winchester SXP pump shotguns.

An energetic, all-go, no-quit personality, Stahl is a riot to talk to. He is direct, to the point, and doesn’t pull any punches. 

“Like most waterfowl hunters, I grew up shooting a pump-action shotgun,” Stahl said. “Then, of course, I made the big graduation to a semi-auto shotgun. Semi-autos are excellent. They shoot well and have some advantages, but I feel the pump often gets overlooked.”

Stahl noted that the pump gets a bad rap as a lesser choice. However, he quickly pointed out that a pump can outperform a semi-auto shotgun when the conditions are brutal and Mother Nature isn’t playing nicely. 

“I have shot my share of semi-automatic shotguns,” Stahl continued. “My issue with them is their need to be cleaned and maintained to perform daily. Waterfowl hunters want to hunt.” 

According to Stahl, a top-tier pump-action is the “manual transmission” of shotguns. 

Stahl has hunted waterfowl across the globe and told Team Winchester that when you spend a day or two in the red dirt of Oklahoma, a semi-auto needs to be properly cared for to operate reliably. Then, he went on to talk about late-season hunting. “I love late-season honker hunting in North Dakota. A pump-action is reliable and straightforward and won’t let you down no matter the outside conditions. A pump-action shotgun is also an excellent value in a world where everything is getting more expensive. You can buy a pump for half to a quarter of what a high-end autoloader will cost you. The crazy thing is, an economical pump-action shotgun will kill any bird just as dead as a higher-priced autoloader. It will also continue to work in conditions that might make an autoloader mafunction. A pump-action shotgun is a cost-effective tool. It comes at low cost to the user but offers high value.”

Stahl mentioned several times that one of his all-time favorite pump-action shotguns, because of its no-fail nature, shootability, and budget-friendly price tag, is Winchester’s SXP Waterfowl Hunter. 

Offered in 12- and 20-gauge models in an array of camo patterns and barrel lengths of 26 and 28 inches, the SXP Waterfowl Hunter was created to win in every terrain and weather condition on earth.

Models chambered in 12 gauge are available with a 3-inch action and also with a 3-1/2-inch action that is perfect for goose wreckers. 20-gauge models cycle shotshells up to 3 inches. The receiver is a durable aluminum alloy, and the stock and forearm are composite. This shotgun will take a beating and keep cycling each time the trigger gets pulled, and the hunter slides the forearm toward action. 

The barrel showcases a corrosion-resistant chrome-plated chamber and bore. A vent rib runs the full length of the barrel and is finished with an easy-to-see TRUGLO fiber-optic front sight. 

The Inflex Technology recoil pad soaks up felt recoil like a sponge and pulls the stock away from the face to reduce felt recoil. Lastly, this pump-action comes with a trio of Invector-Plus (F, M, IC) choke tubes.

Don’t feel bad for neglecting your favorite waterfowl shooter. Stahl mentioned several times that he forgets to give his Winchester SXP Waterfowl Hunter a regular bath.

Stahl gets to travel around the country filming for RNT-V and forgets to clean his shotgun.

“I'm so bad about cleaning my shotguns. However, I know that no matter what, whenever I pull my SXP out of the case, it’s going to go boom every time I pull the trigger. And the forearm will slide, and the action will eject the spent round and cycle a new one. You can’t beat that kind of in-the-field confidence.” 

“Plus, the exterior of the gun delivers durability in spades. This is the type of shotgun you buy to use — to hunt with regularly — not sit in a safe so it can look pretty for years to come. SXP shotguns from Winchester are meant to be used.”

Stahl refers to himself as a “streaky shooter.” He said his streakiness worsens when he has an autoloader in his hands. 

We have talked to many shotgunners over the years, and Stahl isn’t the first to point out the accuracy advantages of a pump-action shotgun. 

“I get to rushing shots with an autoloader,” said Stahl. “I know I can pull the trigger fast and get my shots off, and this causes me to shoot poorly.”

“A pump-action causes me to slow my brain and my shooting down. I think this directly results from the manual operation required between each shot, but I’m not sure. What I know for sure is that when I'm shooting a pump-action shotgun, I focus more on the target, the lead, the pull of the trigger, the cycle, and I kill more birds.”

It’s easy to see an under $500 price tag, which the SXP Waterfowl Hunter has, and assume the gun is cheap and will only last for a short period. 

However, you know what they say about assumptions, right? 

“The pump-action often gets looked at as a cheap gun. It is not. This shotgun style, especially the SXP Waterfowl, is the most versatile and reliable gun a hunter can own. You can do so much with the shotgun. It’s not limited to being a waterfowl shotgun. Don’t assume that it won’t be worth its salt because something comes at a value. The SXP Waterfowl Hunter is an excellent go-to shotgun that will serve all your hunting needs and serve them well.”