Tri Star Raptor

[entropy]

We just got a certified Shotgun Leader for 4-H, and will be offereing Trap next year. I got the green light to spend $$$ on it, so I bought a Tri Star Raptor in 20 ga. I just went out and shot it. (Gotta break 'em in, ya know....)

Here's my findings:

Recoil is nice and light due to it being gas operated. Unlike some other gas operated shotgun models, it is simple to care for and requires no easily broken/lost parts. (LIke O-rings, for example....) Unfortunately, my son has my trap, so I was stuck with patterning and static firing. At 30 yds., the spread was excellent, (Mod. tube was in) though it centered low and left of POA. At 40, the pattern thinned out a bit; still low and left. I'll probably put the full in for new shooters, and the mod. for more experienced shooters. Sounds counterintuitive, but even with a ground trap next to the shooter, new shooters usually shoot farther out. (takes longer for them to line up) Sure, I can smoke a clay coming out of a trap sitting next to me scarily close in, even with a full choke, but these are mostly kids who've never shot trap, or maybe some hand trap with a hand thrower on the back 40. With many of the high schools around here running trap teams now, and competing, I expect we'll have a lot of kids in it next year. (Strangely, Red shows no interest in Trap for school. He is going to take it for 4-H, though. He wants to shoot 'his' Winchester Model 37 for Trap. Stock cut down to about 11" LOP, barrel at 18" weighs about 4.5 lbs. Perfect trap gun..... )

As for functioning, I had two FTE's, but that's fine, because I was trying to induce them. One was from firing one handed like a pistol, the other from 'riding the reset'. (Not letting the trigger reset itself.) You need to pull the finger off the trigger and let it reset, which is of course part of the reason for the 'slapping the trigger' mindset with shotguns. This is not a 'fast as you can pull the trigger' shotgun like an 1100, or Benelli, but the reset time is acceptable for what it is.

I like the simplicity of the takedown and cleaning. It is a nice looking gun, in a camo pattern called "Next" that looks like Advantage 3-D to me. FIber optic sight similar to my favorite, the Spark II, on it. The recoil pad is more than adequate for 20 ga. The safety is crossbolt behind the trigger, ala the 870, and the 'carrier catch' (not the bolt release-two separate functions) is on the LH side of the front of the trigger guard.

Gordy at the LGS said 'We sell a S*** ton of these" and I replied, "Well you'll probably sell another s*** ton next summer after the 4-H kids shoot this one."



I like it.

[Tennessee_Mosin]

Been looking at these for a while.The LGS also sells a ton of them.

The only part that had me concerned was Made in Turkey.

Give a report after you get your trap machine back.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I know someone who worked in the firearms industry over there, they make good shit, many of us own Turkish Mauser's, a rifle made with ancient used parts that have often been modified, or new parts made by people who had never made such before and the rifles hold up well. I don't know much about these guns, my shotguns are all antiques except the Beretta A300, sounds like you will be having some fun.

[Longcolt44]

It is great to see that some of our youth can leave their Iphones and learn a real tradition. Thank you also for taking your time to teach them. Maybe my grandkids world won't be so bad afterall.

[entropy]

I know someone who worked in the firearms industry over there, they make good shit, many of us own Turkish Mauser's, a rifle made with ancient used parts that have often been modified, or new parts made by people who had never made such before and the rifles hold up well. I don't know much about these guns, my shotguns are all antiques except the Beretta A300, sounds like you will be having some fun.

Quality has always been good with Turkish guns, and especially now with the boom in the firearms industry in Turkey. I've read articles about two of the factories over there, by David Fortier and Peter G. Kokalis, gun writers with lots of technical experience, and whose judgement I trust implicitly. Brand new factories with top-quality machinery putting out excellect arms of proven design. For instance, the Raptor is mechanically similar to your A300, Jim. The main difference is the gas piston sleeves the mag tube, to allow a fourth and fifth round in the mag, whereas the A300's gas piston is in front of the magazine tube, on a thin rod. This allows for a smaller carrier for the bolt, assuring even the lightest loads will cycle, but sacrifices capacity, as the magazine only holds three (uplugged), as opposed to five(unplugged) in the raptor.(at least 20 ga. 2 3/4" ). Th bolt carrier also has only one arm; The Raptor's is one solid piece, with twin arms, like an 1100's. Fired standard trap/small game loads, 2/34 dr., 7/8 oz. Suprema from TulAmmo, which IIRC are loaded by Fiocchi. No problems except as noted in my original post, which again were purposely induced.