winchester defender SXP 18" question

[bmpata2c]

i apologize if this may be simple basic stuff, but i guess you just have to ask when you don't know.
i have a winchester SXP defender shotgun with an 18" barrel. it says right on the barrel and on their website that it shoots 3" shells (that's all). that's all i've ever used in it because i never thought to put any other shell than what it says on it.
my buddy has a SXP (not the defender, but basically the same gun) with the interchangeable barrels and his says 2 3\4" and 3" on the barrel. so obviously winchester writes 2 3\4" on the gun if it's possible to use. so seeing this i would think that it's not safe to put 2 3\4 shells in my defender.
that being said, it would be nice to have the option to use 2 3\4" shells in my defender if it would work, but i would never try unless i was 100% sure, and that's why here asking stupid questions.

thanks for your patience

 

[Winchested]

You can use 2 3/4 in your gun!

It is not a semi-auto so you are not depending on the gasses created to move the action.

My brother has the 28" Waterfowl SXP and it shoots 2 3/4 and 3".

Maybe it just wasn't stamped on the barrel.

A 2 3/4 will build less pressure than a 3" so there is nothing to worry about safety.

 

[Kdude89]

I got a question in regards to making a modification to my own winchester SXP defender. I love the gun but have thought about replacing the grip with a pistol grip, or would i just be better off buying another stock and cutting it down, a friend of mine did so with his Winchester 1300 and it turned out very nice.

 

[Winchested]

Don't ask that question here go ask it in the section below this one. Pistol grips with out a full stock behind them are utterly useless in my opinion.