Tristar Products Hunter Mag 12 Gauge Over/under Shotgun Review

It would appear we've entered the age of the Turkish Import. These days, it seems everyone is importing scatterguns from Turkey, which has quickly go an epicenter of gun-making action.

While British and Italian imports command the bulk of press and respect, the reality is they don't brand their mode into American gun safes cheaply. Waterfowlers, in detail, have a need for rugged and effective shotguns they won't cry over when they drib them in the lesser of the duck boat or ding them against the side of the bullheaded. Enter the Turkish imports, which provide an affordable alternative to the expensive continentals.

TriStar Sporting Arms of Due north Kansas City, Mo., is one of the more reputable importers. Most of TriStar'south guns are designed for hunters, although at that place are some sporting and tactical models, too equally a new line of pistols. Final fall, I had the opportunity to endeavor out a couple TriStar shotguns of interest to waterfowlers.

The commencement was the Hunter Mag, a synthetic-stocked 12-gauge over/under with 3 ½-inch chambers. The bones model comes in black synthetic with 28-inch barrels, the turkey model in Mossy Oak Break-Upwardly camo with 26-inch barrels, and the waterfowl model in Mossy Oak Duck Blind with 28-inch barrels, which I tested.

I'k a large fan of over/unders for waterfowling. For the past 15 years, I've used an Italian-made over/under with 3 ½-inch chambers imported by American Arms, the predecessor of today'southward TriStar. It has a woods stock, but what I would've given for a synthetic-stocked, camo over/under back in 1998.

My test gun'south full-coverage Duck Blind camo finish is beautifully applied and flawless. By full-coverage, I mean even the hinge studs are camouflaged. The merely parts not camo-dipped are the fore-stop iron, trigger and trigger guard, top lever, and safety, all of which accept a non-reflective, matte-black end.

The unexposed portion of the mono-block is jeweled. Spent shells are removed via extractors, non ejectors, which not just cuts downwardly on the gun's overall price, simply is as well ane less part to vesture out. An hands-seen, greenish, fiber-optic front sight sits atop the 28-inch barrels, which is, by the way, my preferred barrel length for a hunting double. The pancake-flat top rib is ventilated, as is the rib between the barrels.

The rubber recoil pad is rather plain-looking, but actress-soft, which is greatly appreciated when magnum and super-magnum loads are involved. The checkering on the synthetic stock and forearm is crisp and complimented past grooving, all of which combines to provide a sure grasp. There's even checkering on the grip cap. Why, I don't know, but it's a squeamish detail.

1 of the benefits of a double is the availability of ii different asphyxiate options. The Hunter Mag comes with v flush-mount, spiral-in asphyxiate tubes — skeet, improved cylinder, modified, improved modified, and full. The gun is threaded for Beretta Mobile-style chokes, simply some of my aftermarket Mobile chokes wouldn't fit in the gun, as the muzzle threading is a little rough. Of the aftermarket chokes I tried, Carlson'due south fit the all-time, so I got Carlson's waterfowl three-pack for the gun, consisting of shut-, mid-, and long-range constrictions, to embrace all waterfowling situations. The barrel selector is conveniently integrated into the rubber, allowing quick switches from i constriction to the other equally circumstances dictate.

I shot a few doves with this gun concluding fall, and was so impressed with its overall quality that I wrote TriStar a cheque for it at the end of the trial catamenia.

The second gun tested was TriStar's TSA semi-auto, also with a 3 ½-inch 12-gauge sleeping accommodation. While black synthetic, turkey camo, and 24-inch, 26-inch, and 28-inch barrel lengths are available, my test gun featured Max-4 waterfowl camo and a 26-inch barrel.

The gas-operated TSA uses a dual piston system to accomplish load versatility. The Light Load piston is basically for 2 ¾-inch shells, while the Heavy Load piston is for magnum 3-inch and iii ½-inch loads. While dealing with two pistons might audio cumbersome, TriStar came upward with a nifty solution that makes the process painless. The spare piston is stored on the magazine tube underneath the magazine cap when not in utilize, and so it's always at that place when you need it.

As for load versatility, target loads tested were 1 1/8-ounce Manor at 1,200 anxiety per second, one-ounce Cheddite at 1,250 fps, 1-ounce Winchester Xpert steel 7s at i,325 fps, and 1 ane/8-ounce Winchester Super Target at simply 1,145 fps. Everything cycled and ejected simply fine except for the depression-velocity Super Target rounds, which isn't unusual in an autoloader anytime velocity drops as well far below 1,200 fps.

On doves, Winchester 1-ounce Game Loads with aluminum heads gave the TSA problems, so I quit using them after they didn't bicycle a couple times. To exist off-white, this same load gave a Benelli Vinci fits, likewise, so it might take been a problem with that specific box or lot of ammo. I then switched to Remington Gun Club 1 1/viii-ounce loads and had no further issues except for 1 failure to cycle towards the end of the evening, but past then the gun was getting pretty dirty.

I had to return the TSA before duck season got underway, merely earlier sending it back I installed the Heavy Load piston and ran some iii-inch and 3 ½-inch rounds through it, which worked fine. At i point, I loaded a 3 ½-inch 1 ½-ounce Kent Silverish Steel round, followed by three-inch 1 ¼-ounce Hevi-Shot Speed Brawl and two ¾-inch i-ounce Xpert shells. It handled the first two magnums simply fine, only jammed when it got to the 1-ounce Xpert load. Loads lighter than 1 ¼ ounce probably shouldn't be used with the Heavy Load piston.

For all my testing, I used the factory modified choke, as volition almost waterfowlers. The TSA comes with three flush-mount choke tubes — IC, modified and full. I happily discovered the TSA is uniform with Beretta's first-class Optima-Plus choke arrangement — a pleasant and unexpected surprise for a Turkish gun.

Other features include a thick, soft, ventilated recoil pad, sling swivel studs, and 4 shims for adjusting drop and cast. The gun had a rich, nighttime, Max-iv finish, and a green, fiber-optic, front sight sits atop the mostly flat, vent rib. The safety is conveniently located behind the trigger, and the trigger grouping features easy, 1-pin removal for cleaning.

A cartridge release button on the left, forepart side of the trigger guard holds the bolt back and releases a cartridge from the magazine. The bolt release button on the right side of the receiver and bolt handle are both large and easily operated. Commodities-to-butt lock-upwardly was tight. The stock'southward sharply radiused pistol grip is easily grasped, and the overall gun is well-balanced and comfortable to carry, making information technology a great choice for waterfowl/upland combo hunts.

TriStar also offers a synthetic-stocked pump, called the Cobra, the fore-end of which extends all the way dorsum to the receiver, as well every bit several other semi-autos and over/unders in various gauges. Nearly importantly, all TriStar shotguns are affordable, making them a not bad choice for budget-conscience hunters or young guns but starting out.

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Source: https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/bird-hunting/waterfowl/review-tristar-shotguns

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