Tristar Shotguns: What's your take?

Martin J. V.

Martin J. V.

Member
Hey, all:

I was shopping around for shotguns, and came across the Tristar Viper G2.
http://www.gunsumerreports.com/review_tristar_viper_g2_tw_p2.php

I was wondering what you thought, and presumed about the gun, after reading this review... This forum being full of duck hunters, I pose the question: Is this gun worth a try?



About me:
I will be using the shotgun exclusively for hunting waterfowl.
I have limited exposure hunting waterfowl. All my experience has been solo since 2012.
I have always been (overly?) value-minded when purchasing sporting goods, cars, boots, toasted-oat cereal, etc.

I know... I know... $600, $800, even $1000 on a shotgun is nothing when it comes to the cost of ammunition going out the muzzle of a shotgun over 10+ years, but even $600 is a significant amount of money TO ME, right NOW.... ;)

All opinions welcome. Really, ALL opinions. -What chu' think?

Thanks in advance for your input.

-And if this is the incorrect forum to present this question, I'll gladly repost it in order to avoid clogging up the 'main forum' section.


-Martin Villasuso
 
Why. It buy a similarly priced but less "cheap" gun? (Franchi or Remington or Benelli) or why not continue using what you have, and spend the money on sexy new decoys?


I have hunted with someone last few years that uses a tristar when he comes to mn to hunt (keeps it here) and last year it turned into a single shot. After several years of use and abuse. He never did fix it the week that he was there, but It had lasted him 5 or so years of neglect up to that point with only a few minor repairs, and Tristar did send him the parts free.

In closing, yes it's a good value, but why buy something cheap now just to have a new gun?
 
I don't know anything about Tristar. For me the biggest bang for my buck in your price range would be the Beretta A300 Outlander. They are running around $650 in a black synthetic and if you can throw another $100 in you can get one in Camo. Another one I'd look at is a Weatherby SA-08. It's going for well under $600. Just my 2 cents.
 
Junk! I have one I bought cheap to use for a salt water gun, to protect my A5 Magnum.... rather subject the A5 and strip and clean than use the Tristar.

First off the trigger pull is ridiculas. Then I lost the bolt handle while hunting. Then the magazine release fell apart, I had to fabricate a part myself as I could not get it from Turkey within 6 months. The butt stock shakes loose until you loc-tite it. A hunting partner has one, had the rib fall off the barrel, and something else that I don't remember. Parts are out of the country..... Like Ed said, why?

I'll trade you mine, what have you got.
 
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My experience is not the same as Dave's. I have owned a 20ga Viper G2 for about 1.5yrs now and had good success with dove, ducks, and even had it patterned (nicely, using a Carlson's) for turkeys this year but never fired a shot at one. I dont' hunt saltwater and imagine that's harder on guns so that might be the variable that makes a difference. I've got a non-dipped/coated metal with wood stock version and there's definite finish difference between machining that's peformed on this compared with a Rem 1100, etc. but you get what you pay for and my expectations weren't high for the price. I just wanted something that would cycle shells, shoot "straight", and kill birds in the air... possibly be a good starter gun for my kids.... for cheap. This gun meets all those requirements for me.

I also didn't have the same experience for parts as I called them for a youth stock (got it in about 5 days) and asked about bolt options since mine is nice and shiny chrome and they said they had options in stock, USA side but I didn't want to spend the money and just like to see what things cost (it's the mfg/hardware engineer in me, ha).
 
I bought a tristar youth Raptor for my daughter this spring. It has turned out to be a nice firearm for the price. Fully camo and dovetailed for a scope. (for Turkey)

I like it so much I used it to kill three birds this spring.

While shooting really heavy 3" Turkey loads I blew a gas seal. I called tri-star in Kansas city and spoke to an American! LOL! they sent out a new gas ring and charging cylinder nest day air for free. I was impressed.


It hasn't seen the salt yet, so this fall will tell how it holds up there. I am hoping at least with the full camo wrap it will be OK.

Again nowhere near the fit and finish of my Beretta, but for a cheap gun it has done well so far.
 
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I have not yet used the Tri-star for salt! I bought it for that purpose, but don't trust is as a primary gun. Maybe the newer vintage guns... mine and my buddies are 5 years old or so. Mine is a DU model, his is from a wild turkey dinner.
 
I own two of their shotguns and have had no problems. I have the left handed viper G2 in black synthetic. and an over / under. The people at Tristar have been very helpful and welcome a phone call to discuss their guns. The first gun I bought was a viper with a right handed safety configuration. Tristar was the only gun manufacturer who was willing to switch the safety around for me to make it for a left handed shooter. All of their guns come with beretta / benelli choke tube system. I would match this gun with any "high" priced auto on the market if you are looking for a shotgun that shoots 2 3/4 or 3 inch shells. You will save a lot of money and have a shotgun that will function in any weather. Go to Gunblast.com they give an honest opinion of the viper. You will have to go into their archive to find the video. Good luck !!!!
 
I had watched those reviews/videos before I bought my DU model a few years back.... My experience and my buddies differ greatly than some of the others here. Perhaps they have gotten it together. I know my buddy had his barrel replaced last year after they repaired the rib first and it fell off again. Looks to be simply glued on. Other than the serious trigger pull, I think I have worked out the issues I had... fabricating a new SS rivet from a screw for the bolt release was the last fix I had to do. I will get it out again and at least use it as "chase cripples" gun and see what happens this season. Otherwise, it will get traded off.
 
I had watched those reviews/videos before I bought my DU model a few years back.... My experience and my buddies differ greatly than some of the others here. Perhaps they have gotten it together. I know my buddy had his barrel replaced last year after they repaired the rib first and it fell off again. Looks to be simply glued on. Other than the serious trigger pull, I think I have worked out the issues I had... fabricating a new SS rivet from a screw for the bolt release was the last fix I had to do. I will get it out again and at least use it as "chase cripples" gun and see what happens this season. Otherwise, it will get traded off.
Click to expand...


They swicthed factories in Turkey about a year and a half ago. The new guns seem to be alot better. The reviews on the older ones were junk.

They changed the gas system to. My daughter's gun has the piston rod go to the spring in the buttstock like some of the other intertia auto's...........


It is a soft shooter to, perfect for her..
 
I had a TRISTAR semi auto a couple of years ago before the re-introduced the gun a the Viper. At the time I wanted the cheapest 3.5 12 gauge I could get. That model came with two different recoil bushings recoil bushings and since I was shooting 1 3/8 hevi-metal neither bushing worked well - with the heavy bushing not cycling in cold weather - so I shot the light bushing. After a couple of flats I simply shot the gun out. First the bolt handle broke off on a really cold late season goose hunt. Then it stopped ejecting when the ejection spring and plunger inside the receiver failed. I took it to my local sport shop and told the owner (who I know well) get $200 bucks for it anything over that is yours and for Gods sake don't sell it to anyone you know.
.......
A hunting companion needed a price point gun so he bought a mossberg and that seems to be doing OK. You just have to clean all the metal filings out of the gun during the first 5 to 10 boxes of ammo. I was suprised at how much metal came of the action as the parts seated.
........
 
Martin,

Everyone has an opinion on this and since you asked indirectly, I will offer mine.

For a cheap waterfowl gun, I like the Stoegers. M3000 shoots 3 inch can be found for $500 and the M3500 can be found for $650 shoots 3.5.

Beretta owns Benelli and Benelli owns Stoeger. I have personally spoken to to people at Stoeger and Benelli about this gun. What's the difference??? The stoeger is made in Turkey. Benelli is made in Italy. The stoeger barrel is not criogenically treated like the Benelli. BUT the stoeger is an inertia driven gun like the Benelli. It has the same type of bolt that the Benelli does.

The gun is light but very easy on the shoulder. The gun fits me very well and I shoot it very well. Mine had a lot of miles on it so I gave it to a friend and bought M2. I don't shoot 3.5 so I didn't need a SBE. I am current considering buying another M3000 because I liked the gun so much.
 
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