Winchester's SXP Marine Defender is an 18-inch 12-gauge pump with stainless-finished metal and a synthetic stock. The slide is inertia-assisted, the balance point sits at the center of the gun, and the whole package is 38.5 inches long at 7 pounds. The 3-inch chamber handles standard and magnum shells, five ride in the tube with a sixth in the chamber, a bead sits at the muzzle, and the safety is manual. The length of pull is 14 inches.

Winchester built the Marine Defender for defensive use where metal is likely to see moisture, which is where the silver finish earns its name. North Carolina owners can also take it into the deer woods: shotguns are legal all through gun season, from the October 17 opener in the Northeastern and Southeastern zones to the November starts in the Central, Northwestern and Western zones, all ending January 1, with hunter orange on and a season limit of six deer. The short barrel suits thick cover and close-range work.

Key features

• 12 gauge pump, 3-inch chamber, 5+1 capacity
• 18-inch barrel, 38.5 inches overall, 7 pounds
• Stainless/silver finish, corrosion-resistant
• Inertia-assisted slide action
• Synthetic stock, bead sight, manual safety

Ships to a North Carolina FFL dealer of your choosing, where Form 4473 and the NICS check are completed before pickup.