SCSA Taipan Light .223 Wydle
It’s finally here, the Southern Cross Small Arms Taipan Light 223 Pump Action. We know the name is a handful but after testing out one of these beasts at our range, we can assure you they are anything but.
Let’s get the specs and build out of the way before we get into the nitty gritty of performance.
Australian designed and made is one of the biggest selling points for this rifle and a rarity among the rifle world, let alone one that is legal in all states in Australia, especially the stricter rules of NSW and the ACT. Yes…. This is a Cat B firearm for anyone wondering.
The stock and action is designed and built by Southern Cross Small Arms and the barrel is sourced from Lothar Walther, who are a German barrel manufacturer who also make barrels to suit Tikka, Mauser, CZ, Ruger, Savage and more…
So, what is a 223 Wylde? A 223 Wylde chamber is a hybrid rifle chamber designed to allow .22 caliber barrels to safely fire both .223 Remington and 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition. While the cartridge dimensions of both rounds are the same, 5.56 NATO loads produce pressures in excess of the .223 safe spec. The 5.56 chamber has angular differences that allow higher pressures safely. The .223 can be fired from a 5.56 chamber safely but with reduced accuracy. The Wylde is a hybrid chamber designed to allow both ammunition types to be safely fired with good accuracy.
Specs:
Make: Southern Scross Small Arms
Model: Taipan Light
Action: Pump
-6061 T6 CNC machined frame
-223 Wylde
-Stainless steel hammer forged barrel, 16.5 inch
-Rotating bolt
-Enclosed hanguard with a full length Picatinny rail
-8 M-Lok slots
-Injection molded ploymer pump grips
-Ambidextrous two position safety
-AR 10 round magazine
-A2 grip
-TSP X buttstock
-4 QD sling swivel sockets
-Length 890mm (35 inches)
-Weight 3.1kg (6.8 pounds)
That all sounds great, but how does it shoot?
For a pump action, the Taipan shoots well, we’ll be the first to admit that a short barrel pump action isn’t the gun for you if you’re trying to shoot a fly at 200m, but if you’re after something that shoots fast and has a pretty good accuracy, then you can’t really go past the Taipan, especially for the price point at around $2300. One of the main concerns with a gun like this is how well it handles rapid fire and if there is any sort of ‘lock up’ when the gun becomes hot, but the Taipan had no problems at all. We fired roughly 3 x 10 round magazines almost back to back and the accuracy between the first and last shot wasn’t enough for us to worry about, especially for vermin control.
All in all, the Taipan is a ripper of a firearm for the price and we would definitely recommend getting your hands on one, we certainly have!
Love the Taipan and want to win one for as little as $10?
