New for 2018: TriStar Compact 12-Gauge Shotgun

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posted on April 26, 2018
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TriStar Arms added a new model to its shotgun lineup in 2018 that's a dramatic departure from past models introduced by the company. Called the Compact, this all-new shotgun is a bullpup-style 12-gauge shotgun that provides consumers with an easily handled platform for home defense and range use.

The TriStar Compact shotgun is a semi-automatic platform equipped with a 20-inch barrel housed inside a platform that measures only 30 inches long. The gun feeds from detachable magazines and is compatible with all Saiga-style magazines on the market. Chambered to take shotgun shells up to 3 inches in length, the gas-operated system on the Compact is designed to reliably cycle ammo choices from standard field loads to 1.125-ounce slugs.

Further enhancing the versatility of the platform is the barrel, which is threaded to accept all Beretta/Benelli Mobile choke tubes. The gun ships with a single cylinder-bore choke, which is ported for recoil reduction. The action itself features a bolt hold-open mechanism, actuated through the use of a locking lever located behind the safety lever.

The gun is equipped with a primary safety lever located at the rear of the stock, just beneath the ejection port. When engaged, the safety blocks three elements of the action: the trigger, hammer lever and hammer. This renders the gun completely immobile, ensuring that it's protected against any unintentional discharge.

Other features found on the TriStar Compact include a rubber butt pad that works to reduce felt recoil, a full-size, removable carry handle, a top-mounted Picatinny optics rail and flip-up iron sights. Also shipped with the platform is a forward grip that attaches to a bottom-mounted Picatinny rail. The rail space on the underside of the fore-end also provides a mounting point for light and laser accessories.

Each TriStar Compact shotgun ships with two five-round magazines, which are constructed from a durable polymer shell and baseplate with a steel spring. The suggested retail price on the shotgun is $790.


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