Tag Archives: shotgun

Tristar LR94 Lever Action Shotgun

INTRODUCTION

Like many of you, I grew up watching cowboy movies and loved the appeal of the old lever-gun-wielding hero. I always wanted to have a few lever-guns of my own, and have recently been adding them here and there to my collection. I was surprised to see the latest member of the group though, and despite my initial concerns it has turned out to be every bit as appealing. The Tristar LR94 lever action shotgun has every feature a lever-gun connoisseur would looks for, and maybe a few they wouldn’t have. My first thoughts about a lever-action .410 wandered into why a person would want or use such a firearm.

But after thinking about it for a bit, I figured it would be better to revisit that internal debate after I’d already proven the gun worthy.

Tristar is advertised as something of a more affordable brand, and I was worried that meant they would be cheap and come with comparable performance. The LR94 appears to offer a classy-looking shotgun with all the familiar function of a lever gun.

This brings a modest .410 shotgun performance, with mild recoil and a light load of shot for whatever you might point it at.

tristar lr94 lever action shotgun review test in mountains

TRISTAR LR94 SHOTGUN REVIEW

I was surprised when I opened the box containing the gun, as I was expecting a more traditional blued shotgun with a walnut stock.

As it turns out, mine was a Nickel plated model. They are also available in a matte black finish and a case-hardened color. As I lifted the handsome little shotgun from the box, I was impressed with the finish and quality look of the gun. Beautiful wood with a fine finish all around, and the nickel-plated metal had a bead-blasted look to it.

While it is sorta shiny, it also doesn’t have a hard flashy reflection like a blued shotgun would. Like anyone who ever watched a Western, I jacked open the action to see inside. The lever of the rifle was covered with a handsome little leather-stitched wrap. This was a welcome discovery as it added comfort to the back of your loading hand.

The LR94 features a two-and-a-half-inch only chamber, which makes ammo selection a little easier. The gun comes with a tubular magazine plug installed. This limits the capacity to three rounds only.

Check out the whole Tristar line of firearms here

This is typically done to accommodate many hunting regulations that require no more than three-round capacity. The plug can be removed to increase capacity to five rounds.

Like most lever-guns the Tristar LR94 uses a “squeeze-type” grip safety to allow the trigger to be pulled, which drops the hammer and ignites the chambered round.

In addition to that, the gun has a safety built into the top of the bolt. The safety is twisted clockwise or counter to engage or disengage the safety. The magazine is loaded through a side-gate like most other lever guns.

The muzzle of the rifle uses a Benelli Mobil style choke system and only came with one installed in the rifle. Also, at the muzzle is a clean front sight with a brass bead, easily indexed with the rear adjustable sight. It can be adjusted for both elevation and windage.

After my initial inspection, I was beginning to wonder if this shotgun was indeed going to be as inexpensive as Tristar’s “value experts” motto would suggest. It certainly didn’t appear to be a cheaply built or finished firearm.

tristar lr94 lever action shotgun review test young kid

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber .410 2.5 inch shells only
Capacity 5 (without plug)
Barrel Length 22 inches
Barrel twist Ha! (Gotcha its a shotgun)
Weight 6.3 pounds
Length of pull 14.25 inches
Choke style Beretta®/Benelli® Mobil Style Choke (M)
Choke included CT-1

PROS & CONS

PROS
  • Very Handsome
  • Quality finish and fit
  • Interchangeable choke system
  • Adjustable sights
  • Top safety
CONS
  • Only 2.5 inch chamber (because I had a bunch of 3”)
  • Top safety (call me old fashion, I’d prefer half-cock)

ON THE RANGE TESTING

After toying with the shotgun for a while at home, I decided to get it up into the mountains where it would get used. With a few boxes of ammo, I headed up to see what kind of shotgun quarry I could muster up in these barren spring mountains. I was hoping a squirrel or something might cross my path, but it wasn’t meant to be.

But I was prepared to give the gun a workout either way, as I’d brought a case of clays with me.

And without wasting any time, we went straight to it. Throwing clays and smashing them immediately with the little Tristar LR94 .410. Despite its much smaller load of shot, I managed to hit most of the targets I shot at.

This was a bit of a surprise, not because I typically miss, but because I was completely new to using a shotgun with both a rear and front sight. It actually came to me pretty easily, and in no time we were dropping dust from the sky.

I may be a bit of a trigger snob, but when it comes to shotguns I am nowhere near as sensitive. I actually had to change to stationary targets to even be able to focus on the trigger pull enough to evaluate it seriously. This also allowed me the opportunity to see how the gun would serve shooting at stationary targets.

tristar lr94 lever action shotgun close up with federal shells

RELIABILITY

During the entire duration of my testing, the gun functioned flawlessly.

This may be one of the strong points of manually operated firearms. They typically work unless something is broken. Making it more of it an “it works or it doesn’t” evaluation. Unlike semi-autos and others that may, at some point, need tuning or other effort to ensure reliability.

The loading of the magazine is simple and doesn’t bite your finger like some others. The positive handling of the shells as they move from the magazine into the chamber is evident, and after firing, they are cleanly thrown aside.

This shotgun will be absolutely familiar and easy to operate for someone familiar with lever-guns and their operation.

ACCURACY

Accuracy with shotguns is obviously a varying thing, depending on ammunition, chokes, and other things.

I will say this; I was surprised at how easy I found it to hit what I was aiming at. This may just be my misunderstanding of the smaller shot load of the .410, but I felt just as confident shooting it as my old 870.

OVERALL FEEL

The quality feel of the LR94 was very tangible; it was just plain handsome. The nickel finish and laser work were immaculate, as were the checkering and finish of the walnut. The leather-wrapped lever was a nice little touch as well, and the adjustable sights seemed a feature fitting a fine firearm.

MANEUVERABILITY

The Tristar LR94 isn’t very heavy in my opinion, and its twenty-two inch barrel makes it easy to point quickly. And with its traditional “rifle” iron sights, it seems easier to aim accurately at stationary targets.

It was an easy gun to pack around and quickly point at things. I imagined myself chasing Chukars through these same canyons but in the fall. The LR94 would be perfect for such an adventure.

tristar lr94 lever action shotgun hands on test

FEATURES

LEVER ACTION

The lever action of the LR94 was flawless and familiar, like an old Winchester or Marlin you grew up with. No doubt, it will loosen up a bit with use, making it even easier to shoot.

TOP-MOUNTED SAFETY

I don’t use safeties that often, and if I do, I much prefer the traditional half-cock. I know it’s an unfortunate byproduct of our litigious society, but I don’t care for the look of the safety on top.

Obviously this is just my take; you may love it.

CHOKE

I wish I had a few different choke options for the LR94, but I didn’t have any trouble hitting what I aimed at, so maybe that wish was superfluous. The fact that it has a choke system, and you can adjust it to fit your purpose, is a fantastic trait. And being a very common and popular system used by both Benelli and Beretta makes it even better.

ADJUSTABLE SIGHTS

The sights of the Tristar LR94 are adjustable for windage and elevation. This is very handy if you’d like to adjust them for your use. Most shotguns don’t have or really need adjustable sights, but having them certainly has its upside.

This would be valuable if you plan on using the gun for turkey hunting or something similar.

tristar lr94 lever action shotgun hands on test woman shooter

HOW WE TESTED

The LR94, in my estimation, is a hunting shotgun. There are much better options for shooting clays and such, so I approached this from that perspective.

My father learned how to wing-shoot with a single-shot .410, which is probably why he got so good at it. With a smaller cup of shot, you have fewer chances to hit your target. Or you could look at it as you may hit it just as likely as with a 12 gauge, but fewer times, causing less damage.

.410 shotguns are ideal for shooting small game birds or other small animals for that very reason. Shooting a Quail or dove with bigger gauge shotguns runs the risk of significantly damaging your dinner. A .410 or 28 gauge is ideal for taking these smaller game animals without destroying them.

That is where I think this shotgun shines, in the pursuit of small game animals. With this in mind, I took the gun into the hills where Chukars call, and the squirrels watch closely for the movement of predators. The lightweight LR94 was easily carried around in the hills, and quite pleasant with its smaller size than shotguns that I would typically carry.

While it would work great as a squirrel or rabbit gun, shotguns are made for wing-shooting. With that at the forefront, I decided to shoot a few airborne clays to see how the Tristar performed pointed skyward.

I was quite surprised at how easily it came to me. I had perceived previously that the smaller .410 would prove more challenging to make hits. And yet I found myself dusting one target after another.

My wife and I would spend the better part of an afternoon hand-throwing clays for each other and enjoying every minute of it. We both found great success downing targets lining up the sights of the little Tristar.

AMMO USED

The majority of our shooting was done using Federal Game Shock 2.5-inch shells loaded with 7.5 shot. These loads seemed like a perfect fit for the little LR94. Find more .410 ammunition here.

tristar lr94 lever action shotgun with federal shotgun shells

SCORE CARD

RELIABILITY (10/10)

We experienced no malfunctions during the testing of the LR94. It cycled ammunition flawlessly and never failed to produce its pleasant little shove.

ERGONOMICS (9/10)

If lever-guns are your thing, then you will find this one to be very comfortable. The checkered grip areas feel great in the hand, and the leather-wrapped lever makes it a touch softer on the hands.

CUSTOMIZATION (7/10)

Other than changing out the chokes and adjusting the sights to your liking, I am unaware of any other customization for this shotgun. It does come with a front sling stud, so adding a sling is perhaps another option you may enjoy.

APPEARANCE (9/10)

I think the nickel/walnut look of this shotgun is quite handsome and a breath of fresh air compared to the constant blued/walnut look of 95% of lever guns.

VALUE (8/10)

With an MSRP of $1070.00, the LR94 doesn’t exactly come cheap. Though street prices typically hover around $700.00.

As you’ll see from the alternatives listed below, you can have a lever-action .410 for a little less or significantly more. Levered shotguns aren’t my thing, so I’d have to need one really bad to pay that price. That said, I believe the gun’s quality justifies that price.

CONCLUSION

tristar lr94 lever action shotgun test with shooting clays

After my time with the Tristar LR94, I wouldn’t exactly say I have been converted to the church of the lever-action shotgun. But I am certainly more open to their teachings.

Being my first run-in with Tristar I am also very open to seeing what they come up with next. If the LR94 is a great representative of what they sell, they deserve my attention.

If you find yourself looking for something perhaps a little unique then this shotgun might be right up your alley. I think it would serve as an excellent shotgun for a small game hunting gun, or as simply a conversation piece around a campfire.

The Tristar LR94 brings value and flawless function with nickel plated class in my opinion, and I’d be happy to take it into the woods this fall.

-CBM

Click here for more information on comparison, purchase, and alternatives.

Tristar Arms Viper G2 PRO 12 gauge shotgun

INTRODUCTION

Tristar is a manufacturer and importer of firearms. Their moniker of being the value experts suggests that their products offer a significant value over the competition.

I am more of a rifle junkie than a shotgun devotee, but like any true gun enthusiast, I do enjoy shooting them. Today I will be taking on the Tristar Viper G2 PRO, a 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun designed for sporting and hunting purposes.

It seems over the last few decades, there has been a large influx of Turkish-made shotguns brought to the market. Being a rifle addict, as I mentioned, I have been mostly unaffected by this trend.

But I am happy to take on almost any firearm, and those brought in from the Turkish market definitely seem to bring value.

After just a few minutes handling the Viper, I expected I was going to like it.

THE VIPER G2 PRO

tristar viper g2 pro bronze review

The Viper G2 PRO features a twenty-eight inch barrel and is operated by a gas piston to cycle the action. Like most every other semi-auto shotgun, it uses a tubular magazine to carry up to four rounds plus one in the chamber.

The Viper utilizes a handsome blend of beautiful wood for the stock and a bronze color finished receiver mated to a blued barrel.

A push/push safety in the trigger guard will be very familiar to shotgunners, as are the rest of the controls. The bolt release is on the right side of the receiver, just under the bolt charging handle.

I was impressed with the presentation of the Viper, it is a handsome-looking shotgun, and it was time to see what it could do.

VIPER G2 PRO REVIEW

Tristar presents itself as a value option in shotguns. I wanted to see if that meant it was worth the money or if that just meant it was cheaply made. There are plenty of cheaply made options out there, and I have no interest in them.

After handling the Viper I think it was safe to assume it wasn’t slapped together by unskilled hands, the fit and finish of the shotgun looked very comparable to the competitive price.

The MSRP for the model tested is $990.00, but in a cursive search of the market, various configurations of the Viper can be had for as little as $460 to near the MSRP price. The majority of the ones I found were around the $600 mark, which isn’t bad for a good shotgun in my estimation.

To be fair, a guy like me would probably do well with the Viper. If you aren’t one of those haughty shotgunners looking down their nose through a strange shade of amber shooting glasses at non-Italian shotguns, you could also benefit from the Viper G2.

With a price like this, it could definitely be a winner for those looking to scatter shot on a budget.

tristar viper g2 pro bronze review and disassembly

The Tristar Viper G2 is available in a bunch of different setups, colors, and even a left-handed version. This is great for those looking, as it gives you more options at a decent price. Make sure you look at all of the models, as there may be one better suited for you than this model. Whether you are dusting clays on a range or seriously seeking turkeys, you have got some great options.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber 12 gauge three-inch chamber
Capacity 5 rounds max
Barrel length 28 inch
Caliber options 12g, 16g, 20g, 28g, .410
Color options Bronze, Silver, Black, and three different camo patterns.
Models available Right and left-handed
Weight 6.8 pounds
Length of pull 14.25 inches
Choke system Beretta®/Benell® Mobil
Chokes included Improved cylinder, Modified, Full

PROS & CONS

PROS
  • Very handsome shotgun
  • Reasonably priced
  • Functions excellent
  • Compatible choke system
  • Includes choke set
  • Feels very light
  • Cycled every kind of ammunition I tried
CONS
  • Not made in America (if that matters to you)
  • It bit my finger (obviously my fault)
tristar viper g2 pro bronze review and test in rocky mountains

FIELD TESTING

Enough chit chat about numbers and prices, it was time to get the Viper into action and heat it up.

For this, my brother and I ventured into the springtime Rocky Mountains, which are currently still stuck in February mode. But with a gorgeous day before us and several boxes of shells and clays, I knew we were going to have a good time.

Hand-thrown clays add an extra layer of fun to shooting shotguns, unless you bring my nephew, in which case it becomes a very hazardous two-way range. We took turns throwing targets for each other, running an assortment of shells from Remington and Fiocchi.

Shop all of the Tristar guns, you need a Star…

RELIABILITY

I had accidentally glanced at the manual that came with the Viper, and in doing so, I noticed that they recommend a break-in process using magnum loads. I was a bit concerned thinking there may be a reliability issue since my inventory was currently barren of any three-inch shells.

tristar viper g2 pro bronze review and test in rocky mountains with clay shooting

With that in mind, I approached the first few shots paying close attention to the cycling of the action. Whether it be good luck or simply the sunshine, the Viper ran like a typewriter despite my complete disregard for the break-in.

We cranked through several different boxes of ammunition to see how the Viper handled them. There were some light-weight 1oz. Sporting loads as well as some 1â…› oz. loads, everything we shot was either 7.5 or 8 shot size.

During all of our shooting, we had zero malfunctions. The gun functioned perfectly and locked back every time.

ACCURACY

I usually don’t have much trouble hitting what I’m aiming at with shotguns. But it did take me a minute to get the flow right with the Viper, and once we did, we really hammered everything.

The fiber-optic front bead made it easy to see, and every time we lined it upright with the flight of the targets, we would be rewarded with a dark cloud of dust.

tristar viper g2 pro bronze review and test in rocky mountains with clay shooting 2

OVERALL FEEL

The Viper G2 felt excellent in my hands. Its lightweight made it quick to point and easy to keep on target. I say lightweight mainly because I am used to rifles; compared to those, the Viper is very light.

But it is lighter than some of its competitors, like the Beretta A300 or the Stoeger M3500.

I mentioned before that the fit and finish of the gun was great. It looks better than I expected it to, knowing that it was a “value” branded shotgun.

tristar viper g2 pro bronze review loading shotgun

The trigger and other controls were perfectly familiar and easy to operate. Almost too easy as I managed to get my finger bit by the bolt when I got too close to the bolt release.

The gun goes together easy enough, though I did have a bit of an issue getting the barrel seated properly. This was likely more my struggling than anything.

FEATURES

MOBIL CHOKE SYSTEM

The Mobil choke system used by both Benelli and Beretta is extremely popular, which makes it an easy choice for most folks to use. This will allow you to upgrade to aftermarket choke tubes if you’re into that kind of thing.

FIBER OPTIC SIGHT

tristar viper g2 pro bronze parts

The orange fiber-optic bead at the end of the vented rib gives an excellent point of aim while wing-shooting.

RECOIL PAD

The soft rubber recoil pad made the Viper feel great on the shoulder. We didn’t shoot any particularly heavy loads, but I am sure the recoil would have been soaked up by the Viper’s action and recoil pad

tristar viper g2 pro bronze walnut stock

WALNUT STOCK

The beautiful Turkish walnut shows through the glossy finish on the Viper. The checkering gives great purchase for both hands to keep a good grip on the Viper.

tristar viper g2 pro bronze hands on test

HOW WE TESTED

For several hours, we ran the Viper through rounds of clays.

To make it fun, we changed position frequently, as well as the direction of targets. Switching back and forth between throwing and shooting made for great practice. Swapping chokes did seem to help somewhat for the different target presentations and distances. But it’s also likely that it was simply my perception that made it seem that way.

We shot three different types of ammunition during all this shooting, and for the most part, we didn’t notice any difference in operation or the ability to hit targets.

AMMO USED

In addition to the Remington Gun Club target loads and the Fiocchi dove loads, we also shot some Fiocchi Shooting Dynamics target loads.

tristar viper g2 pro bronze review with fiocchi ammo

SCORE CARD

RELIABILITY (10/10)

I experienced no malfunctions during testing of the Viper G2

ERGONOMICS (9/10)

As far as shotguns can be comfortable, this one certainly was. The only way I would improve it is perhaps with an adjustable cheek-riser.

CUSTOMIZATION (8/10)

Other than the included shims for the stock, and the Mobil choke system, I’m not sure what you would customize on this gun. Perhaps additional beads or something, but it’s fine as is.

APPEARANCE (8/10)

I found the Tristar Viper G2 to be quite handsome. The contrast of the Cerkoted receiver and the blued-barrel matching the glossy finished walnut made a very handsome gun.

VALUE (8.5/10)

I think the Viper is a good buy for many of the prices I saw during my internet search. The less expensive models appear to be an outstanding value.

READ THE CONCLUSION

The Tristar Viper G2 PRO actually surprised me. I was expecting something a little more economical. Something cheaper I guess, is a good way to describe it.

But it turns out I quite liked the shotgun, and at no time did I ever really feel like it was a cheap alternative to something nice. Keep in mind I am no shotgun aficionado; that would be my father.

And as such, I have been exposed to plenty of ostentatious and extravagant shotguns, I’m not suggesting that the Viper can stand alongside them but I think it is still a perfectly suitable alternative.

Fine shotguns seem to last a very long time. That is the only thing missing from this review.

A year or two of hard use or a couple of seasons in a duck blind would certainly give a better indication as to the Viper’s long-term durability. I wish I had a time machine to do exactly that, but for now, you’ll have to just gauge the Viper off what we know and have shared here today.

That said, I would happily take the Viper G2 into the field again; it’s grown on me.

-CBM

Winchester Model 12 Shotgun

Introduction

I don’t find every old firearm to be interesting, but there are the occasional ones that grab my attention for any number of reasons. The Winchester model 12 just happens to be one of the few that did pique my interest, and today I’m here to tell you a little bit about my experience with it.

History

The Model 12 is a pump action twelve-gauge shotgun, iconic in that it has the classic features that make a pump-gun so appealing. And it may not be the first, but it certainly trained generations how to shoot airborne game among many other things. The Model 12 was also used by the US Military, making it an actual war weapon unlike your AR 15.
My father grew up shooting an old model 12, barely a teenager when it was given to him by my grandfather he used it for hunting pheasants and ducks in the marshy wetlands beyond grandpas pasture. As a child I remember seeing Dad tinker with it amongst his other guns.

The model 12 uses traditional wooden furniture, with an easily identifying ribbed front grip. A shallow rib runs the length of the barrel, with a targeting bead on the muzzle end. The barrel itself is a thirty-inches long and has a three-inch magnum chamber. It features a familiar safety at the front of the trigger guard, and an action release just behind it. The tubular magazine holds six 2-3/4 shot-shells, and it is clamped to the barrel at the front of the tube.
I looked up the serial number and if the internet is to be believed, this gun was manufactured in 1917, making it a hundred and five years old.

In the Field

After some inspection and thorough familiarizing myself with the gun I decided it was time to see how it shoots. I loaded up some clay targets and a few boxes of shells and headed to the hills. The family and I spent a good part of the afternoon shooting the model 12, smashing clays and pumping fresh shells through the gun.
This model 12 in particular appears to be in pretty good shape, and yet we did have just a few hiccups with it. The trigger on the gun doesn’t reset when pumped, you can literally hold the trigger down and pump shot after shot like the old western revolvers. A couple times it felt as though the trigger followed the bolt home and didn’t go off, leaving a dead trigger. This is likely as much a result of my children’s inexperience with shotguns as anything. On a couple occasions the bolt felt stuck in battery, requiring an extra shove from me to extract the spent shell.
Despite these hiccups, we still had a great afternoon on the mountain. The barrel was made way before interchangeable chokes, so you get what it came with as far as that goes. I imagine it is set fairly tight, as the shot pattern seemed much smaller than I expected. This made shooting the hand-thrown clays a whole lot more challenging. We were shooting one-ounce loads from Winchester and Fiocchi, both using 7.5 shot.
I am certainly not the best wing-shooter, but I did feel like I was cheated out of a few hits by the model 12. Shots I am very confident I’d of made if I were shooting one of my guns. Continue Reading Here…

PROS AND CONS

 

Winchester Model 12 12-Gauge Pump-Action Shotgun
The older design also features a fixed choke, likely a fairly aggressive one from my shooting so far

The Model 12 has plenty of history. If you are a collector, that may weigh heavy on your selection. Personally, I have no use for guns that I’m not going to shoot. So, it has got to be useful to fit in my safe.

The Model 12 could be perfectly useful for the right kind of shooter. The same pheasants that my father hunted as a youth could still be hunted with this gun, as could the doves and chukars that live on the dry desert hills above my home. The 3-inch chamber would probably work great for shooting turkeys if you so choose, depending on how it patterns.

Shop 12 Gauge ammunition here
Winchester Model 12 12-Gauge Pump-Action Shotgun
The gun offers a pleasing age, history, and simplicity

The gun is simple, and the no-frills construction also lends itself to a fairly lightweight. The older design of the gun could also use some modern touches. The recoil pad isn’t particularly forgiving, something the kids noticed a lot more than myself. I imagine it would become more noticeable if I’d been shooting 3-inch shells. The few malfunctions we experienced could be from the 100+ years of use, resulting in some wear. It also could have just needed a little TLC. Regardless, I’m confident that some simple maintenance from a qualified gun plumber could fix it right up.

IN CONCLUSION

Winchester Model 12 12-Gauge Pump-Action Shotgun

Winchester Model 12

Time hasn’t passed in vain with this old shotgun. But it still has much to offer anyone with a taste for classic American firearms. The feel of the century-old craftsmanship definitely has its allure, and slamming the action shut on a live shell speaks volumes to the old refrain, “They don’t build them like they used to.”

-CBM

Beretta A300 12 gauge shotgun

Its hard to imagine a good lineup of autoloading shotguns that doesn’t include something from Beretta, the European manufacturer is one of the oldest pillars in the firearms business. The firm is well known for many notable firearms, but they are known in these parts for their shotguns, and the A300 Outlander is the one we are playing with today.

Autoloading Beretta’s

My Father is a bit of a shotgun junkie. Being things as they were when I was younger, I was exposed to some very nice shotguns. I also got to shoot many of them, Dad wouldn’t let me bring my two-hundred dollar 870 when he had a couple fancy Italian’s on standby. And whether it was a fancy double barreled gun or a handsome auto-loader, I was happy to give it a go.
Beretta makes a broad assortment of semi-automatic shotguns, whether it is an M9 for tactical scenarios, or todays A300 field gun, there is a Beretta to fit your needs.

The Outlander

The A300 Outlander like many of Beretta’s semi-auto guns is a gas operated system. The action is operated by gas pressure vented from the barrel to a piston, which pushes an operating rod disengaging the bolt and cycling the action. It sounds pretty simple, because it is. Perhaps the reason why it is such an effective system used by so many. The gun is fed from a tubular magazine that can hold up to three two and three-quarter inch shells with the plug removed.
This model came with dark wooden furniture, but the gun is also available with synthetic options and camouflaged coatings. The twenty-eight inch barrel features a three-inch chamber which allows you to shoot any two and three-quarters or three-inch loads. And the muzzle utilizes an assortment of replaceable chokes to adjust your shot pattern to the ammunition and expected shots.

The controls of the Outlander mirror most semi-auto shotgun patterns, so whether you are learning on the A300 or coming from a different model you will find the controls familiar and easy to operate.
I grabbed a few boxes of Winchester and Fiocchi ammunition, both of them with one-ounce loads of 7.5 and 8 shot. And with a couple cases of clay targets my Dad and I headed out for an afternoon of bustin’ clays.

In the field

Of course Dad was going to bring a couple of his own guns, something we could compare the A300 to. A Benelli and A Winchester SX3 would make great company to the Outlander, as well as something we were both familiar with to compare it to.
We started throwing targets to get a little warmup going, and before long we switched over to throwing doubles and report pairs.

The Beretta felt great in my hands, I felt a little bit of a squish on the cheek to get a good view down the rib. As I continually swung the gun after targets I found that old familiar feel of pacing the flying target with the bead. To my surprise I did quite well shooting the A300, better than I had done with the other guns present anyhow. A good bit of time passed before I managed to miss a target, and as it invariably happens the gun wasn’t at fault.
Following the faster targets that came from the side I was able to maintain a good sight picture down the rib, and it felt great to watch those clays turn to dust. The modest recoil from the one-ounce loads was easily manageable, and follow-up shots were quick to get on target.

Proper shooting with any shotgun requires a proper setup, we did change out the full-choke for something a little more open. Hand thrown clays can often be more challenging to hit than mechanically thrown targets, and many of the shots we made were fairly close. So before we started, I swapped the choke out for a modified for a little broader pattern.
I managed to talk my Dad into putting his gun down for a minute, to see how what he thought of the Beretta. He too was able to make good hits with the Outlander, and his old guy hmm haw of approval was well deserved. Continue Reading Here…


Conclusion

Beretta Silver Pigeon

If your lucky enough and work hard you can become one of those financially secure adults that we all imagined becoming as children. And its about that time in a firearm enthusiasts life that he or she decides to start buying up guns that they want more than they need. While that statement could describe nearly any firearm, today we are discussing one in particular. Beretta is well known for making excellent shotguns, many of which I’ve been lucky enough to play with on the range. The Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon is yet another fine example of Beretta’s prime production, but this one brought up some interesting reflection. Continue Reading Here…

Browning Superposed

I’ve known for years that the Browning Superposed is a dream shotgun, a real clay buster if there ever was one. Maybe it’s because my father has always been a shotgun aficionado, much the same way I geek out with rifles. It was many years ago now, but I remember when dad brought home his Superposed 12 gauge. I thought it must have been something fancy because he was pretty excited. So when I got the chance to play with one myself, I was expecting to be impressed. Continue Reading here…