I just picked up the new FN Self Loading Police (SLP) today. When I first saw it I was very impressed with it's compact size, look and overall build quality. This is one danged cool personal defense/home defense semi-auto.
Having recently had a great out-of-the-box experience with a new Winchester SX2 Practical Mk I, I had high expectations of this SX2-based shotgun. (FN Herstel of Belgium is the owner and builder of FN, Winchester, and Browning firearms... these shotguns are built by FN in Belgium, using the same components which make up the Winchester SX2 Practical - except the shorter, 18" barrel. I wouldn't be surprised if the FN SLP and Winchester SX2 shotguns are built on the same line.)
Here are the specs:
• Winchester Super X2 3" magnum action
• 13.5" LOP polymer stock
• 18" barrel
• Piccatiny rail with ghost-ring sights
• black parkerized phosphate finish
• 7-shot capacity
• compact overall length 38 7/8"
• Invector choke equipped (2 chokes supplied)
• soft recoil gas-operation
• 2 gas pistons supplied to tune the action to the desired load (one for less than 1 1/4" oz loads, one for 1 1/4+ loads)
The gun is capable of firing up to 5 shots of full power 00 buckshot in about 1/2 second... one could potentially empty the gun of it's 7 shots of 00 buckshot into a life-threatening attacker before the first empty hull even hit the deck... pretty amazing. And all you have to do is focus on the target and pull the trigger... then repeat as rapidly as necessary. Very simple, awesome firepower.
I'm really wowed by today's semi-auto shotguns. I believe that if kept clean, well-maintained, and loaded with quality factory ammo of adequate power... such a shotgun is unsurpassed for home defense. While semi-auto shotguns can be a bit less forgiving than pump guns of not being cleaned and maintained and do tend to prefer more powerful charges for utter reliability, I think that's a small price to pay for the amazing simplicity and firepower they offer vs. pumps. Fortunately, FN/Winchester supply their FN SLP and Winchester SX2 shotguns with two gas pistons to enable reliable operation with a wide range of shotgun loads.
Personally, I have no problem keeping my guns clean and well maintained, whether they be pumps or semis, revolvers or pistols. But just for interest sake, I'm refraining from cleaning my 1100CM, Winchester Practical, and this FN SLP until about 200 rounds.
Don't get me wrong about pumps, I have two pump shotguns and I think they're great guns. But tactically, given various scenarios, I think pumps come up short compared to a quality semi-auto. Once a good quality semi-auto has proven it's reliability to you (250+ rounds with zero failures) it's tough not to make it the #1 choice for home defense. More training and range failures are associated with short-stroking issues on pumps than with semi-auto shotguns. Pumps can't be operated one-handed, nor are they easy to operate from a lying position. Some shooters are so stressed during training or shooting that they either forget to operate the pump or short-stroke it. Some tactical shotgun trainers advise that in less highly trained hands, a good semi-auto shotgun is most likely more reliable than a pump. That, of course, presuming the gun is properly maintained and fed proven quality ammo of sufficient power.
In a home defense situation where you may be unlucky enough to have to face two or more armed and intent perps, being able to launch 00 Buck with super high speed and the simplicity of just acquiring the target and pulling the trigger repeatedly and rapidly can make the difference between instantly "stopping" the attack or being shot yourself. I'm finding that semi-auto shotguns are unsurpassed among other defense choices in self-defense.
I began the "break-in" of the FN SLP today by first cleaning it thoroughly. Break down and reassembly of this gun makes it clear that the engineering that went into the gun is superb. It's a breeze to tear down without tools, although a punch helps to remove the pins holding in the trigger group. After removing the preservative with FP-10, I gave a light coating of FP-10 to the parts and then fired 4 boxes (100 rounds) of Estate Heavy Game Loads (3.25 dram 1 1/8 oz. #6) through the gun with the "lighter" load gas piston installed.
Most of the rounds were fired at a very rapid rate... about as quickly as I could fire the gun while staying within target area (2' square at a distance of 20' - a typical home defense scenario.) A number of rounds were fired with the shotgun held down at my side - not at my shoulder. And about 10 rounds were fired repeatedly one-handed! (Try that with a pump!) I didn't lie down on the ground to shoot, but I have no doubt that even lying on the ground, one could repeatedly shoot this shotgun with ease. (Another huge challenge for the pump.) The gun isn't particularly sensitive to how firmly it is held. Winchester/FN's SX2 action is amazingly fast and reliable.
As I expected, the gun ran flawlessly through it all. Rock solid and reliable. Now I just need to put another couple hundred flawless running shells through it and it'll enter my home defense gun rotation. Then a couple hundred more 00 buck shells and I will have complete confidence in it.
I think FN has really hit a home run with this shotgun. While I personally don't feel the need for a ghost ring sight on a home defense shotgun, the SLP itself is a remarkably capable, reliable, compact, and potent defense shotgun. If you're interested in a state-of-the-art, gas-operated, semi-auto home defense shotgun... you should definitely consider the SX2-based FN SLP. Not a "cheap" gun... but you get what you pay for! Street price about $850-$870.
Having recently had a great out-of-the-box experience with a new Winchester SX2 Practical Mk I, I had high expectations of this SX2-based shotgun. (FN Herstel of Belgium is the owner and builder of FN, Winchester, and Browning firearms... these shotguns are built by FN in Belgium, using the same components which make up the Winchester SX2 Practical - except the shorter, 18" barrel. I wouldn't be surprised if the FN SLP and Winchester SX2 shotguns are built on the same line.)
Here are the specs:
• Winchester Super X2 3" magnum action
• 13.5" LOP polymer stock
• 18" barrel
• Piccatiny rail with ghost-ring sights
• black parkerized phosphate finish
• 7-shot capacity
• compact overall length 38 7/8"
• Invector choke equipped (2 chokes supplied)
• soft recoil gas-operation
• 2 gas pistons supplied to tune the action to the desired load (one for less than 1 1/4" oz loads, one for 1 1/4+ loads)
The gun is capable of firing up to 5 shots of full power 00 buckshot in about 1/2 second... one could potentially empty the gun of it's 7 shots of 00 buckshot into a life-threatening attacker before the first empty hull even hit the deck... pretty amazing. And all you have to do is focus on the target and pull the trigger... then repeat as rapidly as necessary. Very simple, awesome firepower.
I'm really wowed by today's semi-auto shotguns. I believe that if kept clean, well-maintained, and loaded with quality factory ammo of adequate power... such a shotgun is unsurpassed for home defense. While semi-auto shotguns can be a bit less forgiving than pump guns of not being cleaned and maintained and do tend to prefer more powerful charges for utter reliability, I think that's a small price to pay for the amazing simplicity and firepower they offer vs. pumps. Fortunately, FN/Winchester supply their FN SLP and Winchester SX2 shotguns with two gas pistons to enable reliable operation with a wide range of shotgun loads.
Personally, I have no problem keeping my guns clean and well maintained, whether they be pumps or semis, revolvers or pistols. But just for interest sake, I'm refraining from cleaning my 1100CM, Winchester Practical, and this FN SLP until about 200 rounds.
Don't get me wrong about pumps, I have two pump shotguns and I think they're great guns. But tactically, given various scenarios, I think pumps come up short compared to a quality semi-auto. Once a good quality semi-auto has proven it's reliability to you (250+ rounds with zero failures) it's tough not to make it the #1 choice for home defense. More training and range failures are associated with short-stroking issues on pumps than with semi-auto shotguns. Pumps can't be operated one-handed, nor are they easy to operate from a lying position. Some shooters are so stressed during training or shooting that they either forget to operate the pump or short-stroke it. Some tactical shotgun trainers advise that in less highly trained hands, a good semi-auto shotgun is most likely more reliable than a pump. That, of course, presuming the gun is properly maintained and fed proven quality ammo of sufficient power.
In a home defense situation where you may be unlucky enough to have to face two or more armed and intent perps, being able to launch 00 Buck with super high speed and the simplicity of just acquiring the target and pulling the trigger repeatedly and rapidly can make the difference between instantly "stopping" the attack or being shot yourself. I'm finding that semi-auto shotguns are unsurpassed among other defense choices in self-defense.
I began the "break-in" of the FN SLP today by first cleaning it thoroughly. Break down and reassembly of this gun makes it clear that the engineering that went into the gun is superb. It's a breeze to tear down without tools, although a punch helps to remove the pins holding in the trigger group. After removing the preservative with FP-10, I gave a light coating of FP-10 to the parts and then fired 4 boxes (100 rounds) of Estate Heavy Game Loads (3.25 dram 1 1/8 oz. #6) through the gun with the "lighter" load gas piston installed.
Most of the rounds were fired at a very rapid rate... about as quickly as I could fire the gun while staying within target area (2' square at a distance of 20' - a typical home defense scenario.) A number of rounds were fired with the shotgun held down at my side - not at my shoulder. And about 10 rounds were fired repeatedly one-handed! (Try that with a pump!) I didn't lie down on the ground to shoot, but I have no doubt that even lying on the ground, one could repeatedly shoot this shotgun with ease. (Another huge challenge for the pump.) The gun isn't particularly sensitive to how firmly it is held. Winchester/FN's SX2 action is amazingly fast and reliable.
As I expected, the gun ran flawlessly through it all. Rock solid and reliable. Now I just need to put another couple hundred flawless running shells through it and it'll enter my home defense gun rotation. Then a couple hundred more 00 buck shells and I will have complete confidence in it.
I think FN has really hit a home run with this shotgun. While I personally don't feel the need for a ghost ring sight on a home defense shotgun, the SLP itself is a remarkably capable, reliable, compact, and potent defense shotgun. If you're interested in a state-of-the-art, gas-operated, semi-auto home defense shotgun... you should definitely consider the SX2-based FN SLP. Not a "cheap" gun... but you get what you pay for! Street price about $850-$870.
